The Last Flight

by Julie Clark

People wanted Rory to be who they thought he was—the charismatic son of the progressive and beloved Senator Marjorie Cook.

The death of any dream deserves to be mourned, all its intricate facets touched one last time.

“If you pay attention, Claire, solutions always appear. But you have to be brave enough to see them,”

I take several deep breaths, focusing on the biology of it. Oxygen entering my bloodstream, feeding my cells, then releasing carbon dioxide into the quiet space that surrounds me. In and

All choices had consequences. It was what you did with those consequences that mattered.

That was the funny thing about regret. It lived inside of you, shrinking down until you could almost believe it had vanished, only to have it spring up, fully

formed, called forward by people who meant you no harm.

But information is power. And once you hold it, you get to decide what to do with it.

That was the problem with wishes. They always led to others. Bigger ones. Trailing back in time, knot after knot needing to be untangled, never noticing how they wrapped around you until they pulled you down.

Eva could walk away with no regrets, knowing for certain the past held nothing of value for her. That sometimes, the death of a dream can finally set you free.

I decided a long time ago to forgive him, which is a lot easier than hating him.”

“It takes a long time to learn how to see the world as a place where people aren’t doing things to you. My husband didn’t set out to break my heart, or Ellie’s. He was just acting on his own desires, living his own story. I hope I’ve become someone who doesn’t get angry when others are just trying to get by. I hope I can be the kind of person who looks toward forgiveness first.”

“I’m not very good at forgiveness.” Liz nodded. “Not many people are. But what I’ve learned in life is that in order for true forgiveness to occur, something has to die first. Your expectations, or your circumstances. Maybe your heart. And that can be painful. But it’s also incredibly liberating.”

ostracized,

“Do not ever forget who you are and what you mean to me. In a world crowded with noise and selfishness, you are a brilliant flash of kindness.”

The memories feel sweet when they come, instead of the sharp ache I’ve been running from for so many years.