Brave Grave

Chapter seven

Trenton

Sharon and Richard sit across from each other at the dinner table in silence as they eat the food that Carol prepared for them. Sharon was having crab legs with steamed artichokes and wine to wash it down. Richard was having a steak and baked potato, also with a glass of wine.

"Can I get you anything else?" Carol asks with a smile.

"No, thank you." Sharon replies and takes a sip of the wine that was freshly poured from the bottle. Carol nods and walks out of the room, leaving them along together.

"So... how has your day been?" Richard asks while cutting his medium rare steak

"Fine, just read a book and sat by the pool." Sharon says without making eye contact. Richard nods his head and notices that his wife was being distant again. They haven't really talked much since the little spat at the pool and it was bothering him.

"I went and visited Gregory's Grave. Thomas has been keeping it up for us quite well. It looks nice."

Sharon nods with a bite of food in her mouth and stays silent as if she didn't care about what he was saying.

"Listen, I know you don't like Cedarmills, but I think--"

"I am going to stop you right there Richard. I told you I am never going back there and I meant it. This is the last time I will tell you. Do you understand?" Sharon says as her eyes water.

"I'm sorry Sharon, I just can't stand seeing you like this anymore. You will feel so much better if you visit his grave. You will be at peace and won't have to feel guilty for not going up there. I will go with you."

"Richard I--"

"Just give it a chance Sharon, please. Not all of the people in Cedarmills are the ones to blame. It wasn't the towns fault. Don't let yourself take all of our amazing memories in Cedarmills away and turn them into nothing. We have spent most of our lives faking our happiness here. I want to go home, I want to be close to my boy and I want you to go with me." Richard says sympathetically. Sharon bit her tongue and sat in silence.

"Talk to me." Richard pleads. From across the table Sharon beams her eyes into Richards and heaves a lengthy breath.

"If you want to go home, then go. I'm staying here." She breaks her silence while taking another sip of her wine.

Richard was hurt by her words. He knew he wasn't going to be able to change her mind. She wasn't going to go until she was ready and not knowing when that will be frustrated him. Richard gets up from the table and makes his way to the bedroom that was upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Sharon asks.

"To pack, I am leaving in the morning with or without you. I love you so much, but I can't stand living in this town anymore. It's not me, it's not who I am and it's not who you are either and you know it."

Sharon's eyes fill with tears as he turns around and leaves her at the dinner table. She sits in silence alone and tilts her glass up, finishing all the wine, leaving her glass completely empty without one drop left to spare.

In the morning, Richard grabs his suitcase so he can put it in his car. He grabs his keys from off of the dresser and stares at his wife who was sleeping peacefully. He didn't want to leave her, but he knew it was what he wanted. He sacrificed a lot of things for her, and even though Cedarmills was just an old run down town, it was more than that to him.

Before leaving, Richard bends down at the bedside where Sharon was sleeping. For a while he watches her sleep and runs his fingers through her hair. His lips land on her cheek and whispers to her that he loved her.

He shuts the door behind him quietly and writes a note for her to wake up to.

"Please keep an eye on her for me." Richard says to Carol after giving her a hug.

"Yes sir, I will." Carol says assuring him that she was in safe hands.

Richard curls in his lips and nods his head, making his way out of the door to get into his car. He sat his suitcase in the backseat and drove to the gate that was slowly opening. He glances at his house in the rear view mirror one last time before it was completely out of his sight.

He looks in the empty passenger seat wishing Sharon was sitting next to him. He knew if she really loved him, she would eventually come around. Part of him wanted to believe that, but the other part of him had no clue what to think anymore.

The traffic to Cedarmills was light and Richard had made it there in thirty minutes or less. Since he didn't have a house there yet, he rented a motel that was beside Ted's diner. It wasn't a motel that he would usually rent in Trenton. It was run down, the wallpaper on the walls were peeling, the carpet was stained from other people living in the rooms and it had many roaches scurrying across the floors.

Richard places his suitcase on the queen sized bed and unpacked his belongings. After he was done, he went to grab a bite to eat at Ted's diner and a cup of coffee. Richard sat in silence in a booth trying to remember the last time he ate at Ted's diner. Before he was drafted, he would come into Ted's diner every Saturday morning with Gregory and Sharon for breakfast.

Memories of Gregory flood his mind as he sips on his coffee.

"Sir, you want more coffee?" A nice girl with long brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Yes please." He says sitting his mug down.

"Are you new in town?" The girl asks as she slowly pours the coffee into the cup.

"No, I've actually lived here my whole life. I just moved away for a little while and now... I'm back." Richard replies.

"Well it's a pleasure to have you back." The girl says with a tooth filled smile.

"It's good to be back."