Beautiful Ugly

by Alice Feeney

When you lose someone you love you see them everywhere.

It’s a collection of small bones resting on a red velvet cushion. And the bones are in the shape of a hand.

“I’ve been lying to him, and I think he knows.” “Lying to him about what?” she asks. “Everything.”

“No. Keep up, she was never seen again. It was a man. No ID, nothing. Just a body washed up on the beach. But maybe the mystery woman had something to do with it.”

His body, the wife killed him. And he's a ghost solving his own murder.

“And he was missing a hand,”

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t. Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.

My wife wasn’t perfect, but she was perfect for me.

“I’ll miss this little shop when I leave the island,” I say. Cora frowns. “Why would you leave the island?” “Well, as fun as it’s been, my work here is nearly done.” Her smile returns. “We’ll see.”

“Please don’t leave because of me. I’ll be gone soon,” I say. She shakes her head. “I don’t think that you will.”