Forgive Me(Karen Gammons) Forgive Me
By Karen Gammons (Rain-Sailboat-Shame)
9/24/2011


Rain. It was trying to wash away the shame he felt as he stared at her cold accusing eyes. The love that had transpired between the two of them had only been brief, but fantastic. Now, he would let that love go, never to think of it again.
He continued to gently cup her face between his shaking hands. It would be hard to walk away, but he knew there was no other way. As he released her face, her dull, murky eyes continued to stare up at him through the cold, clear lake water. He leaned over the sailboats side to watch her descent.
“Forgive me,” he whispered to the water.

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Stepping from the city bus, Mary dashed into the café. It had been raining for days. Mary didn’t think it would ever stop. She would be meeting him for the last time. This was their café. She went to the back. Their booth sat as a sad reminder of good times.
This is the last time, she thought. The last.
Mary watched him walk in. Frank was ruggedly handsome. She thought at one time he would be her world, but after what she had learned about him, it would never be.
As he passed, the scent of his cologne filled her with longing. She would have to be strong. But how does one walk away?
“Wow! You look beautiful!” Frank said, appraising her.
“Thank you,” she practically whispered.
“What are we ordering today? I thought we could eat something light and then we could go back to your place,” he said jokingly.
“Frank, I can’t do this anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“Us…I can’t do us anymore. I know who you are now,” she hesitated. “I was there.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw what you did the other night. I went to the bakery after you dropped me off. I needed some bread…” A sob escaped Mary’s lips. “You were there… You killed that man…I saw you put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. You and the man you were with just laughed. How could you do such a thing? To take an innocent life like it was nothing.”
“Mary, I was going to tell you what I did for a living, but I just couldn’t. You’re different from other women that I have been with. I couldn’t risk losing you.”
“If you thought I would ever be with a monster, then you didn’t know me at all. I could never live a life with a man, knowing he killed for a living. Never.”
Mary rose.
He grabbed her hand. “Mary, I’m sorry. I should have told you. I never meant to hurt you. I love you.”
With her back to him, unbidden tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love you too, Frank. I thought we would be together forever.”
She left the café and began walking in the rain. Her tears mixed with the water that fell from the sky. As she neared an alley, a hand caught hers and pulled her in. She fell into Frank’s arms. Passion burned in his eyes. His lips caressed hers as he began kissing her. For one instant she wanted to give in, to feel the love that they had known from the start. But she knew that she couldn’t. As she began to pull away, his hands went to her throat. She couldn’t breathe and the pain in her lungs from lack of air, surged through her body. Realizing this was how Frank chose to deal with her leaving him, she fought back. But it was no use. Death was coming. She looked one last time into Frank’s eyes. They were filled with sorrow. Then, she was gone. Like a wisp of smoke caught on the wind.

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