There she is, Dennis thought, then came the chaser of pain and loss, There she was. Tired eyes blinked in the Southern afternoon sun that boiled the world with insufferable humidity.

Through reddened vision, he watched her, bouncing and flitting, noting every carefree toss of her hair and free-flowing smile. So full of life. So happy in her existence.

Everything about her turned his stomach and picked at his brain, teased him between fiery indignation and fool’s hope. What is, what was, and what could have been danced a macabre quadrille across his tired mind.

Repulsed and drawn, he tolerated the proximity, such as it was, his life on hold, his feelings in flux. Life leads to death, but life could lead to life if followed through the hedgerows and rabbit trails it takes.

Dennis started the old truck and appreciative that it did start, patted the dash, “Won’t be long now, Sue. Won’t be long at all. We’ll have our girl back. Yes we will.” Both he and truck coughed, he watched, and let life roll on.