KAT
Friday, finally, it was over. The funeral for my wife seemed to last all week, but with the spreading of her ashes in the sound everyone could go home. The in-laws had a two day drive, my daughters, their spouses, the grand kids all were ready to return to their lives. I turned around and there was only Kat. She had known my wife, Mary, since they were 5 years old. They were best friends. I met her just before Mary and I got engaged, over 40 years ago. She was a brides maid in our wedding. Mary and Kat had stayed friends thru all the years even though they were separated by the entire country and Kat had gone thru several marriages.
Kat smiled and said, "Ahh, quiet. Would you like some help cleaning up?"
"Sure, but first I am going to get out of this suit and tie and into a pair of shorts."
"I will get more comfortable too."
Kat slipped into the guest bedroom and I went to mine and changed. We both came out with shorts and tees on and set to work cleaning up all the food, loading the dish washer and some general pickup. I poured us a glass of wine and we went out on the deck and just listened to the wind, the water, watched the boats on the sound and the sun set. Not much was said.
Finally, I broke the silence. "Kat, I am going to tell you something I have never told anyone else, including Mary. Do you remember when we first met all those years ago.?"
"Yes."
" I saw you and almost decided to break up with Mary so I could pursue you. I didn't because I figured you would have nothing to do with me after breaking up with Mary, but it took me several days to talk myself out of it."
"You didn't think that, did you?"
"I sure did, but never acted on it."
"Well, you and Mary had a successful marriage, better than I have, but as long as we are talking about that time, you should know that I was insanely jealous of Mary when you and her got engaged. I wanted a man as good as Mary got. Guess I never found him."
We both turned back to watching the water. I got us another glass of wine and our conversation turned to other topics.
After a while, Kat tossed down the last of her wine, stood and said. "Good night Bill, sleep well." and headed to bed.