“It is the coldest November in decades...” the weatherman droned as Marcus bundled up for his walk to work. “...stay warm, and don’t walk outside if you don’t have to.”

    “No chance,” Marcus muttered to the TV as he turned it off. Walking was his one release.

    He started walking to work at his law firm Besser & Besser. Hah more like Boring & Boring, he thought, and cracked his first smile in a while. He walked down the sidewalk aimlessly, bumping into other people who ignored the weatherman. They looked at him crossly; he always muttered the same, half meant apology. Walking made him feel better; even in the cold it was therapeutic. As he pushed into the downtown office of Besser & Besser the doorman greeted him.

“Good morning, Mr. Adams.”

“Morning Seviour,” he responded.

The doorman beamed. Marcus was the only one who remembered his name every day out of all eighty lawyers. Marcus didn’t notice. He got on the elevator up, going to the top floor. He walked purposefully through the office. He did not want to talk, not today.

“When are you going to hit up the gun range with us again, Marcus?” his friend Smitty called out to him. He and Marcus belonged to the Gun Range Group, a group of quite popular lawyers who spent their Saturdays shooting targets. No reply was given. Until recently Marcus had taken solace at the gun range with Smitty and his other friends. His Glock G-19 had a calming effect on him, until his thoughts led him down the wrong path.

He brushed past his secretary Scott, and closed the door to his office. Marcus sat down and then looked up. Mrs. Besser’s secretary was talking to Scott now. Oh not again, he thought. Scott spent more time talking than working.

Suddenly, his door popped open, and Veronica peaked in. He tensed, even though they were law school buddies. She smiled, and he relaxed. “Hey Ver, what’s up?”

“I might have heard some gossip.”

“Oh?” He was intrigued, office gossip was rare here.

“Your name might be next on the door,” she whispered excitedly.

Marcus was stunned. He tugged his gloves off. He stared at his hands; the tan line on his ring finger was still obvious, but no one at the office had noticed. He thought, Karen would’ve liked name partner. Veronica saw the pained look on his face.

“I thought you’d be happy,” she said with pleading eyes.

Marcus snapped back to reality. “Um, yeah, yeah that’s great. Besser, Besser & Adams, sounds nice doesn’t it,” he said with a half-convincing smile.

Veronica smiled at him, and it warmed him. But then she noticed him playing with his ring finger. She looked at him with a tilted head. “Where’s your ring?”

He shook his head. It had been three months, to the day.

“Where IS your ring, Marc?”

He shook his head again. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Oh, Marc…” She tenderly walked over and hugged him. He needed it.

Veronica closed the door, and leaned against it. Letting out a soft sigh she realized again the feelings she had pushed down for a long, long time. She had loved him from the first class they had together in law school, Civil Procedure. He knew nothing of it, but she longed for him to know. They had been friends for so long, and she was intent on not ruining it.

Marcus worked quietly in the research library for the rest of the day. He had an important case, but it didn’t have his attention. He could only think of Veronica, Karen, and the missing ring. He checked his watch. Oh, 8 o’clock already. He looked out the window and it was dark. He was glad to be able to put his gloves back on.

Passing Seviour on the way out, Marcus nodded, “Night Seviour.”

“Goodnight Sir,” came the reply with a smile.

Marcus wandered aimlessly through the night, walking to everywhere and nowhere at the same time. His bed at home was empty; no point in going there, he thought. The only things that lived in his house were a Chia pet named Larry and a rat. His son, Johnathan, named the Chia pet, and left it for Marcus when Karen took him away.

He ended up at Veronica’s house, though only a few blocks from his own, he had crossed the whole city to get there. He knocked on her door. She didn't answer. Well it is three in the morning, he thought. He decided to leave a note.

Hey Ver, I just happened by your place and wanted to say hi.

I wanted a comforting voice, and since we've been friends for so long, and you know me so well I thought you could maybe be helpful for me. Come by my place in the morning before work if you can, but you don't have to.

-Marc

Marcus didn't walk directly home, in fact, since Karen took Johnathan, he never had. No reason to be anywhere, especially home, he often thought. Pointlessly wandering the streets, somehow Marcus got home. He laid down on half the bed, still unused to having it all to himself. His mind was empty, and so was his heart; however, he could not sleep.

He lay there miserable, until a haunting thought crept into his head, I am alone. No one cares. It was followed up by even more thoughts, even Ver wasn’t there when I needed her. Karen is gone, and she took Johnathan. He couldn’t stop them. Karen never loved you, because you’re unlovable, just like she told you. Each word beat itself into the very fiber of his being. You’ll never be a part of Jonathan's life now. Everyone would be happier if you were dead. The last one struck him like a slap across the face- like the one Karen gave him. Karen would probably be happier. He couldn’t let it go; she cheated on him and then left him. His mind was no longer empty, swimming with the overwhelming thoughts, but his heart still was empty. He thought about taking a walk, but it was already five in the morning.

    Instead, Marcus walked down the stairs, and opened the safe. “Motion for joint custody denied,” boomed the judge in Marcus’ mind.

He fingered the Glock. Unfit parent. He decided to walk out onto his front porch and enjoy the air. Unfit. Staring into space, Marcus’ arm jerked up. Unfit.

There was a bang, and then there was nothing.

Veronica woke up early for her jog, and saw the note on her porch. She went to Marcus’ house after her jog to talk to him. She came too late, but too early. Saw very little, but too much. She broke into tears, and dialed 911.