A New Old Watch. 9th in the STOPWATCH Series
Copyright© 2013 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 17
The grieving process is different for everyone ... no matter what 'licensed professionals' try to tell you. In Andrea's case they tried to stuff her in a grieving box that had absolutely no connection with the facts.
"Your husband is dead," the tenth licensed professional said.
"You keep telling me something I already know."
"You need to move on."
"You won't let me."
"What do you mean?"
"My husband is dead ... and you keep telling me that. Give it a rest. The man who murdered him is dead and I have had my revenge."
"You haven't grieved."
"I don't need to ... I got even."
"Oh."
"You don't see it, do you? I'll bet you believe that gun control and the courts will save the country."
"Well, I abhor violence. Let the law handle it."
"It's a violent world..."
"Acts of God..."
"You must be one of those who believe that we're the culmination of His works."
"Well..."
"We're not."
"But..."
"We're part of Nature ... any other belief is plain ignorance."
"I believe we're here to glorify God."
"God doesn't care."
"How can you say that."
"He killed my husband." She got up and walked out. Then she turned back and leaned in the door, "Don't schedule me again ... I've put up with you people for two years ... did you know you're the tenth licensed professional I've seen in two years? How much money has the state paid out to help me? I won't be back and I won't see another."
Possession of the watch ... knowing she could drop back and see him again ... made her life miserable. Andy decided ... eventually ... that she had to limit her time in Bill's past. He was born in 1955 ... she in 1960. She realized that it was better to time it to the twenties and thirties than suffer Bill again. She had to move on.
Her position was being filled by an adjunct professor ... sort of a floater ... good enough to teach but not brilliant enough to publish. She made a decision. It was time to get away.
The faculty administrator was not pleased.
"You could have quit last year," he complained, "We had a perfect replacement apply. We held your job in hopes that you would recover. The man took a position at State." The word State left a bad taste in his mouth and it showed.
"I just didn't know last year ... it's killing me every time I walk past his lab."
"What are you going to do?"
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