HOOKED

                                                    TOM

“Some broken hearts never mend, some memories never end...” the sound of Don’s voice singing a timeless filled the room where the family sat to relax. It was a classic family gathering; Tom (husband), Karen (wife), Damien (son) and Shirley (daughter). Their family was the envy of the neighbourhood; they always seemed so close and loving and they kept a neat life. The husband was a decent salesman and had been so for the past four years; Karen had decided to quit her job to be a stay-at-home-mom, totally devoted to their children and her family; Damien was a son like no other, he got through his classes with really good grades and many pats on the back for good behaviour and little Shirley was just an angel. She was just two years old and quite intelligent and her mother dreamed of her becoming a professor or a scientist someday.

 It was a weekend away from the stress of the week and they all needed to relax but something didn’t feel okay. He was meant to relax but why doesn’t he feel relaxed? He still felt a bit agitated and the room seemed to crowd him up. Tom looked at his wife, “she seems pretty fine to me” he said to himself; “then what is wrong with me?” he thought. “I think I’ll get a glass of water from the kitchen honey” he said as he stood to go to the kitchen. “...some memories never end... my love for you will never die” as the last words of the song flew into the kitchen Tom remembered why he was so unsettled, indeed some memories never end.