The Seventh Casing
At the very center sat a folded slip of plain white paper, the handwriting forceful and ragged, worn through with exhaustion and longing, just one short line:
"I'll spend the rest of my life gathering ten thousand casings, and still never buy back one forgiveness from you. Ava, I'm sorry."
I brushed my fingers lightly over the cold, hard casings. Nothing stirred in me, no ache, only a complete, settled peace.
Seven casings, once, had been ten years of my love and patience.
Ten thousand casings now were the regret and atonement of all the years he had left.
Only the love was over, and I had no regret in the missing of it.