For She Saw in Part... | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: For She Saw in Part... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jessica Schmit
02/14/06
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Abby looked down at the letter stunned. Her fingers trembled as she slowly ran her index finger along the last two sentences as she read them aloud, "This is it. It’s over." She couldn’t believe what she was reading. "It’s over." Her husband had decided he didn’t want her.

Abby and John had been separated for the past eight months. She had seen John mature immensely since she gave him the ultimatum of giving up his long hours at work and his absentee father routine or giving up her and Rebecca, their seven year old child. Just last week they had discussed the possibility of getting back together on a trial basis. She thought this would be the beginning of a whole new life for them.

“I can’t believe I let myself trust him again. After all the promises he’s broken, the lies...I was such a fool to get my hopes up. I hate him!” Abby sharply muttered to herself.

He didn’t even sign his name! No goodbye, nothing. Just, ‘It’s over’. God, why didn’t you warn me that this was going to happen?

Abby glanced over at her night stand and saw the family picture that she had put up after a year of absence. She hurriedly wiped away the tears, forced her body to get up off the floor and stormed over to the night stand. She grabbed the picture, threw her arm back and let the picture fly across the room. She felt a little better hearing the smash of the glass. Abby walked back to the bed and grabbed the letter once more, hoping the ending would come out differently.

Dear Abby,

I realize that I’ve made many mistakes over the past few years. I understand how angry you are at me and how I’ve failed as a husband and a father. You know how you always said I needed God? Well, you were right. A man, Joe Paulson, invited me to his church. I’ve been going every Sunday for the past six months. Abby, you probably won’t believe this, but I’ve become a Christian. I know God has forgiven me for all my mess-ups, I just hope that one day you will be able to forgive me…

Abby eyes trailed off the page. “Forgive you! You gotta be kidding.” Abby shouted at the letter.

I can’t believe he brought God into this letter! I wait ten years to hear that he’s accepted Christ and I hear them in the letter announcing he’s giving up us, his family. God, this is so messed up!

Abby sank to the floor.

“God, help me.” Abby tried to conjure a longer prayer, but no words could escape from her lips.

“Mom? Mom are you ok?” Abby could hear Rebecca calling to her from outside her bedroom.

Abby quickly brushed the tears away and uttered a quick prayer as she went over to open her door, “Come in sweetie.”

Rebecca’s little blond head poked through the door. She was carrying a piece of paper.

“Mommy, I made you a pretty picture.” Rebecca proudly stated as she held the paper out to Abby.

“Did you? Thank you so much.”
Abby looked down at the picture which displayed four blue stick figures.

“See mommy, here’s me and here’s you and daddy. And there’s God. He’s making sure we’re all ok.”

Abby looked down at her precious little girl.

“It’s beautiful sweetie. Thank you so much!” As Abby wrapped her arms around Rebecca, the picture fell to the ground. When Abby bent down to pick it up, she noticed that there were words on the other side.

“Honey, where did you find this paper?”

“Oh, daddy gave it to me to give to you. I thought we could share it. So, I cut the paper in half. See, your half is right here.”
Rebecca sheepishly pointed to John’s letter sitting on the bed.

“That’s why there was no goodbye.” Abby quietly exclaimed to herself. She hesitantly picked up the other half of the letter and read her missing ending.

It’s really over. Living for myself has ended. I’ve talked it over with my boss and I’ve decided to step down as Senior Manager. It’ll mean a decrease in salary, but I don’t care. I'll have more time to spend with you and Rebecca. Abby, I love you so much. I want to come home-for good.

With Love,

John.

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