Another short short from practice writing..

What Broke my Heart

It wasn’t her decision to leave me, or the two day fight that ensued. Not the alternating screaming matches or tight lipped silences while she packed. I’d walk into the kitchen and she would stomp out. She’d walk into the garage to pack the car and I’d disappear out the door to check the mail – looking over my shoulder to see which bags she was taking.

I’d move to the big window in the living room and stare out while she pummeled my back with words I would not hear. She’d shout, “Joe!”, and then follow that with a screamed list of why I was at fault; stupid, insensitive, blind, cold, lying. Her words hit my back and fell to my feet like dissected leaves.

No, it was when she sat in the packed car, engine running, and I knew that I had one more chance to speak. All the words I could have said, but the only ones that came out were, “I love you.”

Could she hear me through the closed driver’s window? She kept her eyes straight forward for the longest time and finally turned her head and looked at me.

It was all there on her face, the remnants of our love, the apology for our failure, and the rictus of a smile that reluctantly admitted her craziness. Then she backed out of the garage and drove away.

It was that last look that broke my heart.