​​The Morgue Decision​

Flames devoured our old family home. My sister, Marie, was trapped inside, severely burned. For some reason, there was an ambulance shortage. Taxis couldn't get past the roadblocks into the neighborhood. I couldn't drive. In a blind panic, I called my wife for help. She hung up on me, again and again. Finally, she just turned her phone off. I was left screaming, grabbing at neighbors, begging anyone for a ride. A kind soul finally drove us to the hospital, but it was too late. Marie had missed the golden hour for treatment. She died on a gurney in the emergency room. I was on my knees outside the morgue, sobbing so hard I could barely breathe, when the news report flashed across the hospital's hallway monitor. "Kathy Delaney, CEO of the Delaney Conglomerate, spares no expense for love. After her childhood sweetheart, Adrian, suffers a minor cut, Ms. Delaney diverts every available ambulance in the city to his aid." I stared at the screen, my tears turning to ice. In that moment, I made my decision. I was leaving the woman who had killed my sister. 1 "Kathy, I want a divorce." It was noon. I had just finished reading the morning scriptures for Marie in the funeral home's viewing room. As I stood up, I sent the text. My phone rang a second later. Kathy’s voice was sharp with reprimand. "You know Adrian was hurt. I've been swamped. I miss a few of your calls, and you give me the silent treatment for six days? Haven't you been dramatic enough?" I had been gone for six days. She hadn't looked for me once. And now, when I told her I wanted a divorce, she didn’t even ask why, just assuming I was throwing another jealous tantrum. I suppose after years of me groveling in the dust for her, she was certain I'd never dare to actually leave. I had been in love with Kathy for six years. She was my sun; my entire life revolved around her. After we got married, I gave up my career, ignored the strange looks from everyone, and became a stay-at-home husband. Adrian was her "childhood sweetheart," the boy next door, the one that got away. And that day, all that happened to this man was a nick on his finger while he was cutting fruit for her. It was a cut that would have healed on its own by the time he got to a hospital, yet he had commandeered the entire city's medical resources. It wasn't just my sister. Several other families lost loved ones that day because they couldn't get an ambulance. Who could imagine that so many lives would be extinguished because of one man's pathetic theatrics? I hung up the phone without another word. I was done with her. Why would I waste another breath arguing? I put my phone away and looked at Marie in the refrigerated casket. With her makeup done, she looked like she was only sleeping. God, how I wished she was just sleeping. But this wasn't a novel. There were no second chances, no coming back from the dead. Her body would be kept here for seven days. After the memorial, she would be cremated. My parents died young, leaving Marie and me to fend for ourselves. She was a year younger, but she was always the one looking out for me. She had a great salary but lived frugally in that old house, constantly sending me money. She always said, "You're a man, Caleb. Try not to spend Kathy's money if you can help it." If she had just used that money to buy a modern apartment, she wouldn't have been in a building with faulty, old wiring. She wouldn't have been trapped in that inferno for two hours. It was lunchtime. I pushed the thoughts away and headed out to grab a bite. To my shock, a familiar Maybach pulled into the funeral home's courtyard. Before I could process it, Kathy and Adrian stepped out of the car, coming face-to-face with me. The odds of running into them here were practically zero. Kathy’s mind jumped to the most obvious conclusion. Her face went cold. "Caleb, what are you doing here? This is a new low! Are you stalking me now?" Adrian quickly stepped forward, playing the peacemaker. "Mr. Delaney—Caleb—please don't misunderstand. The koi fish Kathy gave me… they died. The water quality in the pond wasn't right. We're here to arrange a cremation for them. They weren't treated well in life; I wanted them to have some dignity in death." For the first time, I saw what a master manipulator looked like in the flesh. He painted himself as the saint, making me the villain of the story. My face darkened. "And?" I bit out, my voice a low growl. "What does that have to do with me? You want me to write a viral post praising your compassion, or should I just—" "Caleb! Must you be so aggressive?" Kathy cut me off, her eyes flashing with disapproval. "Was all that kindness you showed before just an act?" Hearing her words, I felt nothing. The only person whose opinion could hurt me was lying in a freezer inside. "Yes," I said flatly. "It was all an act. Congratulations on finally figuring it out. Since that's the case, you should sign the divorce papers immediately. Then you can be free of me and spend all your time with a truly 'good' man like Adrian here. It’ll be much more convenient for you to watch over him." At the mention of divorce papers, Adrian’s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope as he glanced at Kathy. But Kathy didn't agree. She scowled. "Can you stop bringing up divorce every time we argue? Do you think it's funny, throwing that word around?" Adrian’s face fell with disappointment, but not wanting to ruin his gentle persona, he turned his ire on me. "Caleb, you're already living a life of luxury. A man should learn to be content. Kathy works so hard every day, and all you do is throw these tantrums. No one can put up with that. You can't be a kept man and still bite the hand that feeds you." Just then, Kathy’s phone rang. It was her grandmother. The funeral home was quiet, and I could clearly hear her grandmother's concerned voice on the other end. "I heard there was a fire over by your old family home, something about old wiring. A lot of people were hurt. Doesn't Caleb's sister still live there? It's so dangerous! Why don't you have her move into the villa with you? It would be nice to have another young woman around to keep you company." "I'll handle it, Grandma," Kathy said dismissively, then hung up. She looked at me. "Why didn't you tell me about the fire? Is your family okay?" The mention of it made my eyes well up. "I didn't tell you? When I was calling you over and over again, Ms. Delaney, where were you?" My gaze shifted to Adrian's face. If looks could kill, I would have stabbed him a thousand times to avenge my sister. Kathy paused, a flicker of realization dawning on her. "That day..." Her voice softened, but she still managed to shift the blame back to me. "Well, you could have sent me a text afterward. If you don't say anything, how am I supposed to know?" The fire was all over the news. Even her grandmother, who never used a smartphone or watched TV, knew about it. How little did she have to care to have missed it? If she had even an ounce of concern for me, she would have had her assistant ask one simple question, and she would have known why I was so desperate to reach her that afternoon. She thought for a moment, then added, "Alright, I'll pay to have the old house completely rebuilt for your sister. Or, if she doesn't want that, I'll give her the penthouse apartment next to ours..." Her words were a bitter mockery. "Do you really think money can buy everything?" If I could trade it all to have my sister back, I would give up everything, including you! Adrian stepped forward, his face a mask of profound sorrow. "Kathy, it's all my fault. Please don't fight because of me." "You're damn right it's your fault," I snarled, my voice dripping with cold fury. "How many people died because you tied up the city's entire medical system? If being a moral degenerate was a crime, dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough to atone for the pain you've caused those families." Adrian's face crumpled with guilt. If he were a woman, I imagined he'd be weeping dramatically by now. Kathy immediately jumped to his defense. "Caleb, that's enough! How can you be so vicious?" I shot her a look, then turned and walked away. I needed to eat. I needed my strength for the vigil. Marie's cremation was tomorrow. I couldn't afford to fall apart now.