He started what he though was going to be his last journey. Just before he left, he opened his day planer, November 1^st. his secretary comes in early and marks in his meetings. The crisp air hits his face when he steps out of the revolving door. The sky a magnificent orange pink is one only one would find in a fairy tale or a romance novel. He makes a left, trudges a block and a half, and turns right.

Only a few more inches now. Then I can be lifted, return home, and be happy again. I can finally be placid. He arrives, no man’s bridge, as the kids named it these days. Once a marvelous wooden bridge, now sits covered in slimy moisten green moss. Once used by the car of the century, now is only used by joggers and dog walkers, but every once in a while a snobby high school student is getting their senior pictures taken. A jogger, long-legged and beautiful, jolts past. An old, pungent gray haired man makes his way slowly with his god. “Muffins,” he pauses to catch his breath while heaving, “Slow down boy! I ain’t as young as I used to be.” Ha. What a name for a full grown great dane. Finally, he makes it to the middle of the mile long bridge without any interruptions.

He puts his hands together, gets on his knees, and bows. “Dear Lord, I’m sorry for all the inscrutable sins I’ve made my entire life. I’m asking you to come into my heart and warm it. I pray that my brother isn’t hurt too much by my decision I’m about to make. I pray that you watch over the firm and make sure they are alright without me. I pray that you will forgive me for my sins. I pray that everyone who once knew me will be okay after tonight,” he paused. Took in a deep breath and let it out as a tear descended his cheek. “And lord, I pray that I will make my mom proud of what I am today, because I couldn’t do it when I was younger. In Lord’s name Amen.” He climbs up onto the unstable guiderails. Looks down and ponders what it might be like in Heaven or Hell. What’s this going to feel like? Is it going to be quick? Am I actually ready for this? Can I leave this behind? Is it actually worth it? He swallows his salvia, gasps a deep breath, and closes his eyes.

“Hey! Get down from there!” some golden brunette haired lady sprints over to him, grabs him by the back of his jacket and pulls him down back onto the bridge. “What the heck are you thinkin’? Why would you go and do something like that?” she doesn’t take in a breath. “Why? This isn’t the way to solve any freaking kind of problem! I can’t believe you would go and throw this life away! What were you thinking?”

He stands up, brushing the dirt and the rocks off his royal blue suit, “You really wanna know? Do you really wanna know? I have nothing! I have no one! I can’t even make my mother proud! Not a single damn person will engage in a conversation with me that doesn’t deal with work! Not even the cashiers at the grocery store down the street ask me how my day was, or flash a smile at me. They’re too worried about getting off of work.”

She grabs the brown leather leash that lay beside her. Until then, he didn’t realize she had a dog. What a beautiful beagle. I’ve never seen one with such beautiful brown spots, and the white beneath them, a milky cream. This dog’s rare. “It’s getting dark, would you like to help me finish walking Holly? I’ll talk to you until we have to split up. Unless you’re going that way.” She points to the end of the bridge where she entered and smiles. “Oh, by the way, I’m Liberty.”

What a beautiful name. Her smile is accepting. She’s so infallible. I need her, no I covet her. I’ll get her. She shall be my wife, and we shall have kids together. We’ll have a big beautiful wedding and everyone will be in awe. Look at her; she’s the cutest thing I ever laid eyes on. “I’m not going that way. Sure, I’ll help you walk Holly.”

“So tell me, where do you work?” Liberty was curious.

“The hotel in town. See the big tall building? My office is close to the top. I’m the accountant, the head accountant. Seems too fancy for a little town like this though. But I guess it does bring in the money. Heard the mayors gonna try to set up some great amusement park and mall in a few years.”

“That’ll be good for the town, I suppose. I work over in the bakery on fifth street.”

He looked at her in surprise. Ain’t bakers supposed to be covered in flour from head to toe? “Oh, neat. What do you do?”

Liberty just grins. “Oh I’m in there after closing to count the stock, order more flour and what not.”

“Well my street is here to the right I better be getting home Liberty.”

“Really? Mine too. Ain’t that something?” she giggles, “Small would out there.”

“Yea. I guess so.”

They walk until he reaches the front of the red brick building. Well I live up in 3D. Just ring the bell if you ever wanna come over.”

“Alright, well I have some work I have to get done. See you around.” How come I never noticed her before? You think we would’ve ran into each other at some point.

He unlocks the door and swiftly slams it. He jumps up two levels of stairs. “Damn it! Why can’t I get the key in?” Well Dumbo maybe it’s because you got the wrong key. You have the front door key. “Oh thanks.” He fondles in his pocket for a moment, finds the awkwardly shaped key. Before heading in he looks around to see if anybody is standing behind him.

He goes straight to his window and pulls up a chair. Of course, of course she’s married. What was I thinking? Why didn’t I see the ring? Ha. I can make her mine. I will have her. We will be together. I have to see what this man looks like. He skips to his room, pulls out an old, faded cardboard box and gazes with amazement. “This brings me back. Oh the goold old days of hunting with my father. Boy was he a lady killer.” He doesn’t even bother to look at the mess he left on his bed and his floor. He fantasizes about her as a quick white rat runs across his feet.

He sat on the worn out, pale yellow chair staring at her red front door. Such a cute house. And such a sweet lady. And one thing stands in my way. MY WAY! I’ll get her. She’ll love me instead. He grabs the binoculars, forgetting he had laundry piled up and dishes from last week he had to do, just before deciding to go to bed. There he was; her husband. Look at his slender self, all happy and such. His jet black hair falls right into place. Not a single hair on his face. Ha. He prolly hasn’t had one single hair out of place. Look at this foolish man. No boy, foolish boy. He doesn’t know how to treat a lady, but you do. I do? I do. This is going to be the best. I will show her what real chivalry is. I will show her homage. I will not come home late or leave her all alone, while I go out. No. she will have breakfast in bed and will not move her precious fingers. She will wonder why she married him in the first place.

Flickering through the yellow pages he invades the phone and dials. 195-365-8276. Come on. Answer already. Hurry up.

“Hello, this is Marty’s. How may I help you?”

“Yes. I’d like to rent one for about two weeks. I’m moving.”

“Alright. Let me look and see what I have open. Give me a few moments please.”

“Okay. Thank you.” He waits. I hope it’s one far back. I hope there’s not going to be a lot of people around.”

“Sir, are you still here?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“We have one open, in the far back. Is that okay? I know most people like to have them near the front for easy access,” she giggles.

“That is perfect. Can I stop buy and get the keys and start tomorrow?” Thank goodness. That didn’t take long. Not long at all. Now, I’ll wait till the husband leaves, knock on her door and ask if she would like to have a friendly cup of coffee.

“Yes, you may. Your number is 911. I’ll be here tomorrow from noon to five.”

“Thank you. You have a nice night now.”

“You too sir. You’re welcome.”

That was easier said than done. He eyes his watch. Yawn. “I better get to bed since I have all this moving to do tomorrow.” He chuckles and slides into his pajamas and into bed.

He punches the snooze button on the alarm clock telling him it was time to go to work. He rolls out of bed, drags himself to his phone and dials. He coughs repeatedly. “I can’t come into work,” he coughs again. “I’ve come down with a cold and the flu.”

“Alright. Come back when you’re feeling better. You get some rest so you’re ready to come in Monday.”

“Thanks Beatrice.”

He gets dressed in some tacky sweat pants and an old band t-shirt from the ‘80s. He watches Liberty’s husband leave. He makes his move. He knocks. He expects an answer right away. Come on Liberty. It’s our time. Liberty it’s my turn to have you love me. He knocks again. He starts getting impetuous. He rings the doorbell, again and again. She didn’t go with him, she didn’t leave the house. What can she possibly be doing? Goodness let’s go. It’s my turn damn it. “Hello,” Liberty finally answered.

“Hey. Would you like to help me move? I only need a little bit of help, my sister didn’t show.” Ha. Of course she didn’t show, she’s dead. “Please, it’d mean a lot.”

“Ohh, of course I can help you. Can you give me a few? I need to put Holly in her crate after I dry her off.”

“Yea. Just come right over and ring my bell.”

He went home. In a flash he had things thrown in boxes. Boxes were taped and some left half-filled. He just finished taking all the pictures off his pale blue wall in the living room and threw bubble wrap over them when the doorbell rang. Finally, the time has come! Now where are my keys? He walks down and meets her at the door. “Please don’t mind the mess.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were planning on moving? My husband’s a realtor. He could’ve got you a great deal. Where are you moving?”

“Oh, closer to the hotel, so I don’t have to walk so far, to save gas.”

“Okay. So you needed help?”

“Yep. I need help wrapping these pictures, putting them in these boxes and taking them to the house.”

They take his silver Prius. There’s hardly any wiggle room left after jamming the car full. They pull into Marty’s and Liberty looks around. “I thought we were going to your house?”

“We are. I just need the keys for this. I rented one, so I can move my stuff in there and do one room at a time.” He winks and gets out of the car, “I’ll be right back, then I need to head back to it to put the other room’s pictures in there.”

He comes back with the keys. “If I would’ve known we’d be this long I woulda gotten the neighbor to keep an eye on Holly.”

“Sorry Liberty, I didn’t know I had to fill out a bunch of papers. It shouldn’t be too much longer now.”

She sighs and closes her eyes. “Alright. I gotta get supper cooking soon.”

He unlocks the door. Liberty is struggling with a box. The only thing in there is an old, little wooden rocking chair. “That use to be my moms, she gave it to me when I was five. She was a sweet little thing. Here, give me that box, you sit down and I’ll finish moving the rest of the boxes inside.”

She sits down, looks up and closes her eyes. She didn’t notice the handcuffs attached to the back of them until it was too late. “What are you doing?” Liberty shrieks and struggles.

“Now Liberty, I gotta go get some more boxes. I can’t have you running off and screaming. I have to handcuff you and duct tape your mouth shut. I’ll only be gone for an hour. I’ll be back soon. I promise darling. I won’t leave you alone.”

Liberty sobs as he closes the door. He turns on the ignition. Oh boy it’s almost time. Liberty, we are going to have so much fun. We are going to live a life of fulfillment and adventure. I will never cause a mental pandemonium. Our love is immutable. Our love is unchanging! He’s excited, can’t sit still. I’ll surprise her. I’ll come home early, to our cute, new little home!

The cold rusted key twists and turns. The terrible screeching of the faded blue door returning to the tin ceiling pierces his ears. Liberty’s perfume lingered. She brings the calmness of the midmorning meadow breeze. Look at her, all tied up and fretting like she’s scared and regretful. Her beautiful face. Oh her beautiful face lights up the home. He reaches her and takes no notice of her sobs. He brushes her golden her golden brunette locks out of her face. Her soft lips bring me comfort. He kisses her.

What? What was that? That was nothing? Dismay covers his face. That wasn’t as great as I thought. Look at her, she’s not crying cause she missed you, she’s crying cause she wants him. I frightened her too much. I should’ve been more careful. Now how am I gonna make her love me? What have I done?

“Liberty, I’m sorry. Goodbye.”