I'm reading a novel & it's not one of the greatest, but I never give up on a book. If I start, I finish. I did however, come to a chapter that made me cry. One chapter. That's all.
A vibrant. physically fit, intelligent woman is married to the love of her life. He is battling Alzheimer's. He is, or was, a super intelligent, witty, rich, robust man. He knows exactly what's happening to him & is fighting it all the way. She's in her late 70's he is early 80's.
They have a, beloved by both, bulldog named Winston Churchill. On their wedding anniversary, while no one is paying attention, he takes the car and heads down the driveway on his way to buy his wife some anniversary flowers. Since he hasn't been out of the house in 6 months, the dog is right behind him following with excitement when the husband backs out of the garage, unknowingly running over & fatally injuring their dog.
She comes home devastated to find her beloved dog dead and her beloved husband confused and bereft. She loves them both & so couldn't place blame. She can't even cry over the dog or her husband's guilt or she'll risk upsetting the husband she loves so much. So all she says is, "I understand today was a bad day."
They dress for their anniversary dinner in black tie & evening gown. The menu consists of the husband's favorite dishes. A meal savored by both. Later, they lay in bed holding hands. She wakes to an empty bed at 2 AM. His slippers are still next to the bed. Not normal.
She finds his naked body in the pool. His pajamas were folded neatly on the bench telling her that this was a deliberate act. He just couldn't deal with the loss of his faculties and the loss by his own hand of their beloved pet. I don't think I'll ever get this story out of my head. So sad.
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