After her husband’s death, the woman came to his grave every weekend: cleaned the slab, pulled out weeds, and put fresh flowers.
One morning, when she came to the cemetery, the woman noticed something strange. An unfamiliar woman, about forty years old, was standing near her husband’s grave. The stranger was carefully cleaning the slab from dust, pressing her palm to the photo, as if apologizing.
The woman was shocked, but she did not dare to approach, but only watched the stranger from afar. A year passed since that day, and she did not see the stranger again. On her husband’s birthday, she came to the cemetery again. And again she noticed the stranger.
– Excuse me… did you know my husband?
The woman was sure that the stranger would be her late husband’s mistress, but the truth turned out to be much more terrible… Continued in the first comment 👇👇
The stranger turned around. There was alarm in her eyes, but also softness.
– Yes. Sorry if I intruded on your space. I… just couldn’t help but come.
“Who are you?” the widow whispered, “were you… close?”
Her voice trembled. She took a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the woman.
— I was driving the car. That very one. When… it happened.
The world rocked. There was a ringing in her ears. The old woman could not utter a word.
— I didn’t leave. I stayed, called an ambulance, was interrogated, went to court. I was found not guilty – he was jaywalking. But that doesn’t mean anything. I live with it every day. I… just wanted to make amends somehow… if that’s even possible.
The woman was silent for a long time. The paper in her hands was shaking. It was the official conclusion of the examination. Everything was true. She mentioned how they could not find the culprit back then.
“Have you been coming here all this time?” she asked quietly.
– Yes. Often. Sometimes at night. I didn’t expect forgiveness.
The widow slowly approached the grave.
– He was stubborn. I asked him a thousand times not to take shortcuts…
She turned into a stranger.
“Go away.” Her voice was even. “But not because I hate you. But because he would not forgive me if I allowed you to suffer forever.”
The stranger wanted to say something, but changed her mind. She nodded and walked away, quietly, without turning around.
