unedited


Her presence comforts me.

"Even death can't do us apart," I toasted, taking the bottle of gin to the head. It has been a hard day at work with angry customers shouting every second. The pandemic made it worse and gave people a reason to delight in their anger. And coming home was becoming a job in itself. I lay my head against the headrest while contemplating if I should sit here a little longer and take another shot. Deciding against it, I put the bottle under the passenger seat of my old reliable Honda before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I looked up, admiring the dark skies with no stars shining. It was quite amusing how it was representing my mood lately. It was becoming my ritual to leave work, take a drink, and go into the house of coldness. The house hasn't been the same since my dear Abby left. The warmth that used to welcome me, the smell of her special chicken that she smothered with garlic that she used to make, would no longer greet me at the door. I wiped my tears that were starting to escape my eyes before shaking back the happy memories. I...