My Mom stood silent for a long while after she was gone. Then a look of determination dawned on her face. She reached into her purse for her cellphone. Slowly she dialed a number. I could feel her heart racing as she waited, the fingers holding her cellphone trembling....
"Eric..." Her voice was almost a whisper. She waited a few seconds before continuing "It's me...Diane....Would you....Would you mind dreadfully if we met just now? There's....I know what we promised before, Eric, but this is important. I'll be in LakeView park...."
Almost half an hour later the two of them met in the park. My mother sighed as he came and quickly launched the topic she wanted to discuss.
"I met Isabelle a little while ago...Do you know what's happening with her? She's..."
Mathew's Dad looked at my mother for a minute and shook his head, letting out a sigh. "I've lost track of what happened to Isabella, years ago, Diane. I tried to love her....I tried to move on but she....She...."
My mother looked away. I could feel her pain....her guilt....
"You asked me to save her....I really tried Diane...I...."
"I know you did, Eric...I...."
"But she would never let you go. She brought you up whenever we were together. At one point she wanted me to say I hated you..."
"You could have very well hated me...."
"I couldn't... I still can't..."
My mother started to say something but he cut in "Years before you asked me if I would do you a favour if I loved you...Let me ask you the same thing now...."
"Would you set me free from her...From the awful life....Just say it Diane....If you ever loved me....Just....Just say it...Say that I can finally be free from her...."
"Eric..."
To be continued....
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