Ever wonder what Gary must been thinking and feeling when Erica and Henry left on the train?  This short story deals with it from "Blowing Up Is Hard To Do."  Hope you like it.

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Confused and Alone at the Train Station
by Lori Anderson
 

Gary couldn't believe it.  He just stood there in shock helplessly watching the train go by.  What had he done or said to cause her and her son to leave the way they did?  It just didn't make sense.  He knew that she had loved him and he had felt the same towards her.  Had he gone too far in telling her about the paper the other day?  Erica had told him she had understood. After all, he had told her everything that had happened to him since his divorce from Marsha that night in his loft above the bar.

She had smiled, said she understood, and had given him a hug to show how much she had cared.

Now, as he stood there watching the train go by, Gary went over her note word for word again.

"Dear Gary, please understand.  I really like you and so does Henry.  We'll always be friends, and I promsie to keep in touch. However, I feel that he needs a fresh start from all that he's been through. This has nothing to do with you.  You were wonderful to both him and I while we were in Chicago.  I feel that living with my grandparents in the midwest will give Henry a fresh start and the chance to make new friends as well.  You are still his friend, please don't think that you're not.  Maybe someday we'll come back and visit you and everyone there.  Take care of yourself.  Love Erica and Henry," the note had said.

I didn't even get the chance to tell her how much I love her, and ask her if she wanted to marry me, Gary thought. Again, the stupid paper had ruined any chance he might have had to have a family.  How he hated the thing now. It had driven another woman he cared about away from him.  Would he ever have
a normal life someday? Gary sighed, turned, and left the train station.  He had to do something before he went crazy or cried.

The End

Email the author: lori@maplecity.com
 

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