Ice

A Story by Rebecca

Just a little story I came up with. Please note that the font colors are symbolic.

Robert was a man of simple values and typical habits. He'd get up in the morning, go to his job, head home, sleep... And repeat. Things seemed dull as he took his routined drive home. As he drove in the rain, Robert contemplated the life he had been living all these years. It's been.. Less than exciting. Why, when he was younger, he'd be out every night, just living to the fullest.

This was a much longer drive than he'd remember, which was strange since he took this road almost daily. It did, however, give him some time to ponder about his life, his family.. His morals.. What was he living for? What has he accomplished? Robert finally realized, was was not sure of an answer.

His mind wondered back to his family. Robert loved them so, his beautiful wife Linda, and their three children: Josh, Ida, and Kenneth. He knew his younger days of excitement were what he had to pay in order to have them, his wonderful family. Oh, how he loved them so dearly, he know for certain than, the trade was completely worth it.

Just then, a car tailgating Robert sped up and cut him off, then proceeded to slam on the breaks. Struck with panic, Robert slammed his car to a stop as quickly as he could, but forgot about the slick roads due to the harsh rain. On the road he continued to slide, praying for the car to simply stop. As it followed an icy trail, Robert neared the bridge, the crossing to his town, his home. As he pulled the emergency break, the car made a complete 360, before it finally drove onto the bridge and neared the edge. It seemed to hit something, Robert blacked out on contact.

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It all happened so hazy at first. Robert awoke slowly, becoming aware of his surroundings. He was still on the bridge, the rain had stopped and from what it looked like, there was no damage to the car. He was lucky and he saw the railings on the bridge still seemed in tact. He began to wonder how long he'd been out, as the sky seemed less dim, and worried about his family. Still, he was lucky. The sky seemed to only get brighter, like it was a new day for him, a new life.

As Robert turned on the road and headed home again, he realized all that he had almost lost in a matter of seconds. When he pulled into his home, he ran in and saw his lovely wife, Linda. He sprinted to her a caught her by surprise in a passionate kiss. Just then his kids came into the room, no doubt because of his noise. He'd never realized how much they'd grown! He walked with his family to the dining room where dinner was already set and waiting. They all sat down and ate together, laughing and telling stories.

After dinner the kids retired and Robert took Linda to their room. He just wanted to lay on they bed with her and hold her to his chest. It was in the moment she rested her head on him and he closed his eyes that he realized how in love he truly was, how lucky of a man he was. Everything he did, he did for his wife and children, and he loved it. This was forever more, his heaven.

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"I'm sorry, Mrs. Calen, the bridge was still under reconstruction. He didn't even have any railing's to break the speed when he slid off the road. I'm so sorry."

As the doctor walked away, Linda looked down at the bed. There he lied, a man with so much love for his family, dead. The tears returned to her eyes as her children were taken out of the room. She approached the bed and placed her hand on the cold one that lied next to her.

"I.. I can't believe this happened, to you.. Not to you.. I.. Why did this have to happen?? To YOU of all people?! I just.. I miss you, you're my best friend, my love.. My everything! My everything.. Robert.. I love you. Goodbye my love, until we meet again."

With this, Linda kissed her beloved, tears proceeding again down her face. She walked our of the room to her children. There was an erie silence as the nurse came in. With grief in her eyes she looked at the man she never knew, seeing the broken woman who loved him try not to break near they beautiful children, and covered him with a blanket, pronouncing him dead.

Robert was a man of values, though simple, he wanted the best for the people he loved. You just don't know what you have until they're gone, maybe not even until you yourself are.