"I love you Robert Mitchell and I always will." Her eyes gazed upon him with such a certainty felt only from the purest of innocence that surely defined true love. Nothing else mattered and nothing was more important than that summer afternoon looking into the eyes of the one she would one day marry and love until the day she died. "I love you too Lea Ann Mason." There was a nervousness in his voice but his words were truthful. She was beautiful and he did love her. Robert was uncertain as to what the future would bring but he did not want this moment to end. On a sunny August afternoon in a meadow next to the ravine, an eleven year old boy and a ten year old girl professed their undying love for one another.
Robert sat in the chair flipping through the same magazines he had read many times before. He also felt like he was intimately familiar with this particular chair having spent many, many hours sitting and waiting. Today the wait would be over and it was not the ending he had hoped for when his otherwise wonderful world had turned to a nightmare. Throughout the morning people had come and gone from the room which was now empty except for him. Robert was grateful for this as more than anything on this morning he desired to be alone. “Alone”, He thought to himself. It was a concept he was going to have to become accustomed to. It had been almost a year to the day since Robert had taken a leave of absence from his teaching position at the University of Western Ontario where he had taught political science for twenty eight years. An accomplished writer in the field of politics, he had also written seven books of varying topics dealing with government legalities, foreign policy, economic infrastructure as well as culture change in the computer era. He also once served as a foreign policy advisor for a past Prime Minister. In addition to the leave of absence, Robert had also cancelled all speaking engagements and book signings due to this more urgent and pressing matter. As he waited patiently and with a heavy heart for the moment he wished would never come, he looked out the window and stared at nothing as the world continued on its way. Soon his mind began to wonder back to happier times.
“Which is your favourite painting Robert?” The question had come from Lea Ann best friend, Mary. Shortly after buying their first home together Lea Ann had met Mary who owned a beauty salon. The two were inseparable ever since. Robert had also become friends with Mary’s husband, Greg who was a police officer. When Robert was hired to do a study for a Conservative Think Tank on crime and rehabilitation, he talked to Greg extensively for guidance in understanding police policy and how such things would affect the statistics. The two couples had become quite close over the years and now, when Robert needed support during these times, Mary and Greg were always there for him. “To be honest Mary, my favourite picture is the one she painted of a watermelon. Her brush strokes seem to capture the texture perfectly and the bright colours had me envisioning the happiness and joy of sinking my teeth into a ripe and juicy watermelon” Robert replied. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his upper left arm. “Ouch”, he cried out with a big grin on his face as Lea Ann pulled back her hand that had just punched him. “You’re an ass hole Robert! You know damn well I have never painted any watermelons!” The four of them enjoyed a laugh or two until Lea Ann was called away by the gallery owner to speak with a potential customer interested in one Lea Ann’s paintings. Greg was admiring a painting leaving Mary and Robert alone for a minute. “She really is so talented”. “Yes she is!” said Robert. “I hope she does well tonight”. Robert was extremely proud of his wife and her talent. In fact, he had secretly purchased one of her paintings that night and had planned to donate it to the University library. Lea Ann sold a total of five paintings that night for a tidy sum of money. She didn’t care about the money as she was just thrilled that the event was a success and that people liked her paintings. They decided to walk for a bit downtown after the showing was over. Lea Ann had her hands wrapped around Robert’s arm as they enjoyed a midnight walk on a beautiful summer night. “I am so happy for you sweetheart” Robert said to her. “Thank you dear”. Lea Ann leaned in and kissed her husband on the cheek as they continued their walk. Even after dating for so long and even after thirty nine years of marriage, Robert was still nervous and he felt awkward about affection with his wife. Yet he loved moments like these. He never understood what this beautiful and creative woman saw in a stuffy, stiff-lipped Political Science Teacher but was thankful to have her in his life. “What a beautiful night” said Lea Ann looking at Robert and smiling. “Every night is a beautiful night with you” Robert said. He instantly thought that it was a ridiculous thing to say and felt silly. But his wife’s head on his shoulder told him it was the perfect words to say. “You know Mr. Mitchell, with your writing skills, you should write a novel.” “You want me to write a fictional novel?” Robert asked curiously. “What about a love story? You could write a fictional love story based on us!” quipped Lea Ann. “Sweetheart, I wouldn’t know where to start or how to write such a thing. You know I’m not good expressing my feelings” Robert came back with. Once again Lea Ann smiled at him. “You are man of few words that is true. But your words are always genuine. I can tell by your body language, your mood, and the look on your face exactly what you are thinking. Sometimes what you don’t say tells me everything I need and want to hear. If you could find a way to make the reader feel what I feel it would definitely be a story worth reading!” Robert thought on his wife’s musings for a bit before saying “I have it! I can call it a Lifetime Love Affair. Since it would take me my whole life to write it you would have stay married to me forever” he told her. They both laughed and then Lea Ann said something that Robert never forgot. “I fell in love with you that day in the meadow and I have loved you ever since. If you need a lifetime to write our love story than I believe you will have all the time in the world” As Robert began retracing his steps his thoughts were fixed on his wife’s words of that night, then he thought about this day and what would come to pass in just a few hours. “Just like every fictional novel every real love story also has to end” he thought to himself.
Robert stood there alone staring at was once his world and reason for living. All was quite except for his soft whispers and the steady humming and beeping sounds of the various complex machines located around the room. Even as he looked down at his wife’s broken body he only saw the beautiful woman he married thirty nine years ago. The cancer had spread quickly and within a year this once vibrant and energetic woman had been reduced to a scrawny ninety pounds. Robert was thankful that the doctors were able to make her comfortable and that her final days were relatively pain free. They had never said goodbye to each other. They made a promise that they never would. With a trembling hand, Robert slowly stretched out his hand to push a button that would shut down the machine keeping his wife alive. All of the paperwork had been filled out, signed and filed according to his wife’s wishes. The funeral arrangements had been prepared in advance. Everything was set and all Robert had to do was push that button and two lives would come to an end. He hesitated as if waiting on an eleventh hour miracle that he knew would never come. He heard the clicking sound of a machine shutting down, and a once beautiful voice becoming silenced forever. It was over. Robert took a thick stack of papers out of a bag he had been carrying around all day. He placed it on the bed next to Lea Ann and moved her hand over to rest on the papers. “I love you Lea Ann.” He then walked out of the room and down the hallway without saying a word. Nurse Gina just touched his arm lightly as he walked by but no words were spoken. No more words were needed. As Robert passed the waiting room where he had spent so many of his days and nights since getting the news of his wife’s illness he stopped and just stared into the empty room. Then he went home.
Greg was on patrol that night when the call came in. He though he had frozen when the dispatcher gave him the address but soon realized he was parked at the home of his old friend. The flashing lights from the police cruisers and ambulance lit the entire neighbourhood. Hoards of people stood on their front porches waiting for a glimpse of something terrible. He entered the house and immediately heard the sounds of the opera. He thought this strange as he knew Robert detested opera. Walking into the den Greg stopped in disbelief. On the floor was a small box the Robert had kept a hand gun in for safety. He recognized the gun still on the floor as the one he gave Robert some years ago. Robert was still sitting in his favourite chair with fresh blood that covered the right side of his face. He also noticed a few wet areas on the rug that he presumed came from a glass that had fallen and broken into pieces. Greg knew instantly what had happened and why. His long-time friend Robert Mitchell had taken his own life. Yet something on the end table caught his attention as he leaned in for a closer look. Suddenly there was silence. “Hey”, he snapped at a rookie officer. “Why did you turn off the music?” The young officer answered nervously. “I just thought it would be better to turn it off.” “Turned that music back on now” Greg snapped back again. He again turned his attention to the end table with a large stack of papers on it. The top page was spattered in blood but the title was still visible. As he read the title a slight grin came across his face. He knew he was looking at Robert’s latest book. He read the words aloud.
A Lifetime Love Affair, by
Robert Mitchell
&
Lea Ann Mason
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