Even the light was quiet as it shone on his leaning wife. She sat giving her food a tour of her plate. Some women have it rough after the last child leaves. And their last one left a month ago.

She cooked too much supper and set the table for three. Again.

John wasn’t much for feelings or emotions, but now he felt her grief. He was selfish and asked her to see a doctor. She faithfully did and came home with two bottles of pills.

Tonight she asked him the same question she had asked him many times, did he have plenty to eat?

John heard it differently. It was the chasm of loss in her voice. He watched her as she watched her own food get colder. And he felt her hunger. She was lost & starving.

“Honey, how much money do we have in savings?”

“Why?”

“How much – about?”

“Savings alone, about seven thousand. Retirement about five hundred thousand. Why?”

“I’m sick of sitting around. I’m going to take a class down at the Annex. What about you?”

Her forked scraped to a halt.

They made true love that night.