Doors and Windows

I was packed for a cruise to the Bahamas when I got the call: Daddy died of a massive heart attack. Details were sketchy, but his last minutes on earth were spent snow-blowing his driveway. This month marks one year since he left. I repacked my suitcase to accommodate the New Hampshire winter, but kept...
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Rachel lingers on the bench outside the Afterglow Journey Center. She pulls Mrs. Stone’s book of poetry out of her briefcase and reads the next poem. It’s 10:20 AM. We sit on the couch an inch apart, a sea between us. He grips my hand as a line thrown to a drowning man ~ The weight of...
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Rachel is absorbed in Mrs. Stone’s book of poetry amidst a restless sea of defendants and plaintiffs, all waiting for their day in court. It’s 9:45 a.m. When lies are love and love is a lie When truth is pain one can’t deny How does a heart fulfill its vow When fear ...
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Rachel’s court date is delayed. She stuffs Mrs. Stone’s journal in her briefcase and heads out. It’s 9:05 AM. The first poem in Mrs. Stone’s journal was short, but drenched with pain—my pain. Betrayal and lies all wrapped up in a cloak of romance. It stung, and dredged up nasty...
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Rachel walks to the elevator with Mrs. Stone’s journal in her hand. It is 8:45 a.m._____________________________________________ I don’t remember walking to the elevator. In fact, I don’t remember anything from the moment Mrs. Stone handed me her journal until I opened it and began reading. “Read this before you go...
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Mrs. Stone’s story of the late Russell Stone hit a nerve in Rachel. It is 8:30 a.m. ___________________ The anger rising in me was shocking. I wanted to run like villagers do when the volcano they live by day in and day out starts rumbling. Mrs. Stone could see the eruption forming...
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At 8 AM, Rachel ushers Mrs. Stone into the Afterglow Room where her staff laid the body of Russell Stone. Candlelight cast a reverent halo around the deceased; soft, ethereal music welcomed the grieving widow. The scene changed quickly. I’m still in shock. How can I explain this? We walked into the room. Mrs. Stone...
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Rachel is on the hunt to find out who called Mrs. Stone. Somehow, Mrs. Stone had learned of her husband’s death before Rachel called, which normally wouldn’t be an issue, but in the case of the Stone’s, it is far more than an issue. My anger rose to another level...
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Rachel must place a call to the widow of Mr. Stone who passed away late last night, but she can’t pick up the phone. The conversations she had just weeks ago with Mrs. Stone are still churning in her gut. It would be great if she could just extricate herself from their strange story… The...
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Our story continues from last month’s issue with Rachel just a few hours away from divorce court. Her assistant Kevin just presented her with an envelope containing the remaining effects of a resident who passed away the night before at the hospice-type facility where she is the director. “He’s dead,...
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