Second Chances - Prologue. Prologue

Annie and I had been married twenty-four years, three months, twelve days, and fifteen hours. Then, one cold, misty evening, just after sundown, a dead truck driver shattered my reason for living.

Yes, dead truck driver. At least that's what the coroner's office reported. Driving down Central Avenue, the business loop through town, fifty-six year old Jarl Kipelsky had a fatal heart attack. Without a driver, his semi crossd the meridian and collided head-on with a forest-green Saturn Astra, driven by the love of my life as she was headed home from the market.

They told me her death was instantaneous, that she didn't suffer. As if that bit of useless information would lesson my pain and anguish. My best friend, my confidant – we had loved, battled, laughed, and cried through homeless winters, angry and defiant children, and my affair. We knew there was nothing that could break the bond between us.

We hadn't accounted for death.

That was only five short months ago, yet it feels like ages since her memorial. She wanted cremated and her ashes spread in the mountains. The urn was there between two of her pictures; one as a baby, the other taken last year. Diedre, our eldest, was there with her children. Her ex-husband Jake was smart for once and stayed away. Sara was, wonde4r of wonders, on parole and actually showed up to give respect to the woman she refused to call "Mom". Bobby – excuse me – Robert was there with his girlfriend of the moment. They played guitars and sang James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend". It was inspirational. How his mother loved to hear him sing.

I managed to spread her ashes into the wind over Seraphin Peak. I was ready to face down the law, but it was a rather cold and breezy day – only ones on the trail going up were myself and my good friend Jerod. We passed a few hikers on their way down – they warned us the top was pretty nasty – but I was on a mission. I was afraid I wouldn't make it all the way up; but this was Annie's favorite spot. I always met her on her return to the bottom of the trail with hot chocolate. But this time I climbed it. Every inch of that stony path. Had to stop a few times to catch y breath. I think I even talked to Jerod about … something or other.

He had insisted he come along; would not let me do this alone. Probably smart. I do know of the two of us, Jerod is the most determined. He and I have known each other since high school, been through a lot together. I stood beside him when he was married; drank beside him when he got divorced. Our friendship seemed the one thing left from my past I could still count on.