On Tenterhooks by Greever Williams Page A

again.
     
    I wish something like this did exist.
     
    Having a chance to say goodbye might have made this a little bit easier. Having her ripped away without warning had put him in an extended state of mental shock , or at least a partial mental shutdown . What words would he have said if he had known it was the last time they would speak?
     
    Steve laid his head back on the pillow . He took several deep breaths, staring at the ceiling , then yawned and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes . He looked down at the letter still in his lap , shook his head and reached for his laptop on the bed beside him. While it booted up, he turned off the TV and read the note one more time . H e logged in to his network and entered the web address on the card in his web browser. A simple black and white page loaded . “ Say Goodbye to Me ” in tall, plain letters covered the top of the page, and underneath was an italicized tagline: A chance to tell them how you feel, even though they’re gone.
     
    Beneath it was a simple web form, formatted like an email. The date showed at the top of the message .
     
    “What the hell?” he asked, shrugging.
     
    He filled out the TO field with a simple “ You ” and the FROM field with the accompanying “ Me .” Leaving the SUBJECT line blank , he moved the cursor down to the body of the message and began writing.
     
    Doll,
     
    I wish there was a way to talk to you one more time . I’ve got so much to tell you and show you, but I always figured I’d have our whole lifetime together . It wasn’t until you were gone that I understood how much I needed you . We always showed love and passion, but I would have done so much more for you if I had known we would only have a few years together on this planet . I miss you more than I can even try to say . It hurts me deep in my heart . At first , it was like somebody jabbed me with a giant spear , but now it’s like a dull ache that I can’t shake . Every place I look I see you, I see us . I turn on the TV , and I see the commercials that made you laugh . I search the drawers for the can opener , and I find that pig spoon you loved to eat your ice cream with . The house seems so sterile and cold . I sleep in our bed , and I feel so small in it by myself. How am I supposed to do this now?  I am so angry and so confused . I don’t know where to go . I wish you were here again . I need your warmth in our bed and in my heart . I don’t know anything anymore , and I want to feel good again.
     
    Steve paused, staring at the screen. Tears blurred his vision. For a moment, he considered deleting the message . Instead, he continued.
     
    But, I know you’re not here , and you won’t be coming back . I know this is not really going to help . But if this is my prayer, I’ll pray it . If this is a chance to speak to you, I’ll say it . I love you. I need your love , and you need mine . Wherever you are and whenever we meet again, you will have my love. It is the greatest gift that can ever be offered, and we gave ours to each other .
     
    W ip ing his eyes and his nose with the back of his hand , he pressed the Submit button without another glance at the words he had written. Instantly the screen changed with a new message: Congratulations! Your message has been sent . We will see to it that your loved one gets it as soon as possible!
     
    Steve shut the laptop and placed it back on the bed . He put his glasses on the nightstand, pulled up the covers and stretched out again in bed, staring at the ceiling.
     
    By 3:24, he was asleep.

Chapter 1 6
     
    “ Martin, d ude! ” said Lloyd, rapping his knuckles on the pharmacy counter. “Jesus, you look like what that proverbial cat drugged in!”
     
    Martin had been taking inventory of the allergy medicines near the back of the pharmacy.
     
    “ Thanks , Lloyd,” replied Martin, approaching the counter.
     
    “You okay, dude?” Lloyd asked. “Still not sleeping much it looks