• tab It hadn't stopped raining on Saturday. It was still pouring just as hard as the day before, and seeing at the rate it was coming down, it didn't seem like it would stop anyime soon.
    tab "You feeling ok?" I had my head buried in my arms at the table, unable to stop myself from thinking about Susan, and what she was doing then. And when I looked up and saw Sarah there, my wife, my love, I couldn't lie to her again, and I knew that.
    tab "I don't know how to answer that anymore."
    tab "You thinking about Sarah?" I nodded slowly.
    tab "I'm sure she'll be fine. She's very strong. After all, look at what she's been through."
    tab "I'm afraid of that. She's not invincible, you know. Only human. She's going to break down eventually." She kneeled down, and looked up at me in the eyes.
    tab "Something happen with her at the funeral?" I sighed, and heaved myself up off the chair.
    tab "She said she wanted to 'find out who murdered her dad.' She said it was just finding the truth, but I'm worried it might be something more..."
    tab "You're worried she's going out for revenge?" I nodded.
    tab "I don't think she would do something like that."
    tab "You'd be surprised." She pecked me on the forehead, and said,
    tab "Well, you shouldn't worry about it too much." I made a forced smile, and said,
    tab "Yeah." She walked off, and suddenly, I stared at the calender.
    tab Tomorrow was Easter. Tomorrow, Susan was supposed to come over to my house. To be happy again. To finally find the joy that was just never there.
    tab But unforseen circumstances had changed that. They always did. Back in Easter, back in high school...But it wasn't the circumstances themselves that got me. It was the fact they were unforseen. Why'd it always have to be like that? Your hopes are up, you're feeling good, when along comes bad times, and knocks away all your plans.
    tab I looked outside. Still pouring with rain. Never stopping. Not once. It was a dark clouded day, shadows and the pelting rain making it nearly impossible to see outside.
    tab When would it stop raining? When would the tragedies end?

    tab Sunday. Easter. It was a day to celebrate, a day when Jesus rose from the grave 2,000 years ago.
    tab Why couldn't that happen with everyone? Why could Susan's dad just raise from the grave? Susan deserved at least that much.
    tab Setting a table for only two was not what I had in mind for Easter. Family was gone, Susan was already emotionally busy, so it was only Sarah and I, eating in silence at a small dinner table.
    tab But two, I reminded myself, was better than one, where I could imagine Susan was sitting alone in a cluttered kitchen. All by herself...With no one to have comfort her, no one that would holder her when she needed it the most. I couldn't stand to think about that, and that's why I got Sarah to get in the car with me, and drive over to get Susan, whether she wanted to be with us or not.
    tab When I knocked on that rotten wood door, I felt a smile come onto my face as I greeted Susan with a Happy Easter, and the largeset hug I had given her.
    tab "What's this all about?" she asked, backing away and looking both of us over.
    tab "You don't remember?" I asked. "You were going to come over to my house for Easter. Whether that be by force or not."
    tab "I appreciate the thought, Jack," she said, "but I got a lot of things on my mind."
    tab "Hey, Susan!" I said, lightly punching her in the shoulder. "Like I said, you don't have much of a choice. Seriously, you're coming over to my house, whether you like it or not." Reluctantly, then, she followed us, just saying over and over again,
    tab "You know, I really shouldn't...This isn't the time to, you know..." Not that that changed anything. In a matter of minutes, she was inside our apartment, probably gaping at the huge change in scenery.
    tab "This is...Wow..." It must've been a wonder to have those soft, silkish pillows brush against her fingers, rather than old, cut, cotton stuffed ones. I looked at her and smiled. The biggest smile I possibly could.
    tab "Happy Easter."