Bryce Boucher

The Love of His Life

Joseph plucked the small black book from the nightstand but was afraid to open it. Two years passed since he lost his beloved Paulette. Two years of staring at happy couples on TV, looking out windows at happy couples taking walks, and watching happy couples in grocery stores. Two years of living alone in Eventide, a so-called assisted care facility. Same bingo, same rubber chicken, same card games, day after day. Eventide became Joseph’s home when his wife, Paulette, fell ill and he needed help looking after her. It was all they could afford given her declining health. He wanted to move after she died, but had no place to go. His two sons each paid Eventide a hundred dollars a month to help out. They never failed to remind dear old Dad of their generosity, but they weren’t kidding anybody. That generosity was a preventive measure to keep Joseph from moving in with either of them, and he knew it.