Placing Flowers on the Grave

Ever since the day her son, Dwight, died, Cheryl had visited his grave to mourn her loss. She noted a young woman placing flowers on her son’s grave. She didn’t recognize the woman as one of her son’s friends yet was sure she had seen her somewhere before. The woman seemed taken aback when Cheryl approached.

“Did you know my son?” Cheryl asked.

“I was...” The woman seemed to struggle, as if thinking of a response, “...an ex-girlfriend.”

“He never told me about you.”

“We didn’t...date...for very long. But he did often speak of how much he loved you. He cared so deeply for you, which is how I knew he’d be a good...boyfriend...”

Cheryl was baffled by the woman seemingly hesitant to use certain words, and she also seemed to be on the verge of tears. Before Cheryl could ask another question, the woman dropped the flowers and ran.

Dwight had wanted to tell his mom he wasn’t dead; that he had merely swapped bodies with this woman. But he signed an agreement that permitted him to tell no one, not even his own family. He had avoided going to the funeral, because he hadn’t wanted to run into them. He didn’t know how he’d react. Yet he still felt like he had to pay respects to the woman who died in his body. But why did his mom have to be there at the exact same time? It just wasn’t fair that he couldn’t tell her. He thought about going back to do just that, but instead he kept running...