Welcome Back, Mr. Flannery

He hadn't been expecting a letter, but the proof of it really existed, resting firmly in his clenched hand. Sean had been a good father to his three children, and a faithful husband for nineteen years, but the letter instantly took him back to the days prior to meeting Mariah.

He flipped the note open again eyeing its contents. He had always known that his life couldn't really change. The dream he had lived for the last twenty years, had been nothing more, could be nothing more. The letter made it clear, but how was he going to tell her?

His hand shook as he read the words. "Dear Mr. Flannery, the time has come..." Memories flooded his mind, and he closed his sapphire blue eyes. He could almost see Mariah walking down the aisle in her cream colored gown. She had been so beautiful back then. Her auburn hair upswept emphasizing her slender neck. His pulse quickened as his thoughts drifted to the pink negligee she had worn on their wedding night, and he swallowed hard.

Momentarily he allowed himself to relieve the birth of each child. The sterile hospital smell of the labor and delivery room danced inside his nose as he remembered their little round pink faces, their tiny hands, their feet. He had welcomed each of them into the world allowing himself to forget that this day would come. In fact, he had scarcely thought about it all for nineteen years.

His family had been such a blessing, they had changed him. Sean opened his eyes willing the letter to be gone. It still rested inside his white knuckles, so he balled the paper up and strode quietly to the kitchen sink. He reached into his pocket, retrieved his Zippo lighter, and lit a large Cuban cigar. Smoking; he had held on to the smoking. It was all that was left of the old days.

"Sean, are you in the kitchen?" Mariah's voice drifted through the empty house, bouncing through his mind, and landing directly into the pit of his stomach. He gulped trying to swallow the guilt. He couldn't let her know.

He steeled himself, trying to remember the training manual, it had been so long, but

the words flashed before his eyes as if it were second nature. He hadn't ever had to hide his emotions with Mariah. She accepted him. No questions, just understanding. He would miss her. "Yes, um..." He cleared his throat, fighting back unwanted tears. " Just a minute. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm working on an article." Mariah turned her attention back to her small pink laptop, her fingers flying quickly across the keyboard. Sean could hear the gentle clack-clack of the keys as her fingers hit each button. He would miss that sound, it was as much part of Mariah as the air she breathed.

Standing over the sink, Sean again lit his Zippo. This time running the bright blue flame beneath the letter. He had seen enough; he wouldn't forget. He gently tossed the burning orb into the sink and waited for it to burn itself out before washing the ashes down the drain.

Sweat began to drip from the top of his forehead. "Hey, Mariah, I need to run to the store." He knew she hadn't heard, she was completely absorbed when she was working. He longed to run to her, and take her in his arms. He ached to feel her soft mouth pressed hungrily on his, feeling the warmth of her body as it embraced him. But, that was no longer an option.

He halted by the back door taking a long drag of the sweet Cuban tobacco, inhaling the smoke, and swirling it in his mouth as if he were tasting an aged wine. He exhaled watching the smoke drift heavily in front of the hammered bronze key plate. It was decided. He quickly grabbed his keys before taking one last look at his past. There was no turning back.

As the door opened, the blackness engulfed him. His eyes strained at the darkness until they finally focused on a bright white light. A soft metallic clang echoed in the emptiness. "Welcome back, Mr. Flannery, I trust you've enjoyed your virtual life."