The Larsen Sisters 4: Tears in Heaven

by Cassandra Javier

room.਍ऀᰀ䐠愀搀搀礀Ⰰ 眀栀攀爀攀 愀爀攀 眀攀 最漀椀渀最㼀ᴀ†䬀甀爀琀 愀猀欀攀搀 栀椀洀⸀ഀ

  “Your mom wants us to take a vacation,” Mark answered him as he looked at me.਍ऀᰀ圠栀愀琀㼀 圀椀氀氀 洀漀洀洀礀 挀漀洀攀㼀ᴀഠ

  “She’s not coming,” Mark said, “Come on now, we have to go.”਍ऀᰀ䴠愀爀欀Ⰰᴀ†䤀 猀愀椀搀 戀爀攀愀琀栀氀攀猀猀氀礀⸀ഀ

  “This is what you want, right?” He told me and I couldn’t give him an answer.਍ऀᰀ删椀最栀琀Ⰰᴀ†䠀攀 愀渀猀眀攀爀攀搀 猀愀爀挀愀猀琀椀挀愀氀氀礀 昀漀爀 洀攀 愀渀搀 椀渀 愀 洀愀琀琀攀爀 漀昀 猀攀挀漀渀搀猀Ⰰ 栀攀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 欀椀搀猀 眀攀渀琀 爀椀最栀琀 漀甀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 搀漀漀爀 愀渀搀 漀甀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 氀椀昀攀 䤀ᤀ洠 戀愀爀攀氀礀 栀愀渀最椀渀最 漀渀⸀ഀ

  ਍ഀ

  I know you’d probably say that I should’ve just told him the truth. That he is my husband and he deserves to know. But when you’re placed in the situation I am in, how could you?਍ഀ

  How will you tell your husband, your kids, the people you love most that your time on this earth is ticking away; that you’d be leaving them soon? That each day might be the last? ਍ऀ圀椀氀氀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀 琀栀攀洀 琀漀 猀攀攀 礀漀甀 搀爀椀昀琀椀渀最 愀眀愀礀Ⰰ 眀愀猀琀椀渀最 愀眀愀礀㼀 圀椀氀氀 礀漀甀 眀愀渀琀 琀栀攀洀 琀漀 猀攀攀 礀漀甀 搀礀椀渀最 爀椀最栀琀 椀渀 昀爀漀渀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀椀爀 攀礀攀猀㼀 ഀ

  At that point, I no longer understood anything. ਍ऀ䄀氀氀 䤀 欀渀攀眀 椀猀 琀栀愀琀 䤀 眀愀猀 搀礀椀渀最☀愠渀搀 䤀 挀漀甀氀搀渀ᤀ琠 氀攀琀 琀栀攀洀 猀攀攀 洀攀⸀ഀ

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  2਍ഀ

  “Time can break your heart,਍栀愀瘀攀 礀漀甀 戀攀最最椀渀最 瀀氀攀愀猀攀☀ᴠഠ

  -Eric Clapton, “Tears in Heaven”਍ഀ

  ਍ऀ䤀琀ᤀ猠 愀 昀甀渀渀礀 琀栀椀渀最᐀琠椀洀攀㬀 夀漀甀 琀栀椀渀欀 氀椀欀攀 礀漀甀ᤀ氠氀 渀攀瘀攀爀 爀甀渀 漀甀琀 漀昀 椀琀Ⰰ 氀椀欀攀 搀攀愀琀栀 漀渀氀礀 栀愀瀀瀀攀渀猀 琀漀 猀攀渀椀漀爀 挀椀琀椀稀攀渀猀 愀渀搀 甀渀栀攀愀氀琀栀礀 栀甀洀愀渀 戀攀椀渀最猀⸀ 夀漀甀 搀椀猀爀攀最愀爀搀 琀椀洀攀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 最漀 戀礀 礀漀甀爀 搀愀礀 搀漀椀渀最 眀栀愀琀 礀漀甀 琀栀椀渀欀 礀漀甀 猀栀漀甀氀搀 戀攀 搀漀椀渀最 漀瘀攀爀 愀渀搀 漀瘀攀爀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 最漀 漀渀 眀椀琀栀 礀漀甀爀 氀椀昀攀 琀栀椀渀欀椀渀最 琀栀愀琀 琀漀洀漀爀爀漀眀Ⰰ 礀漀甀ᤀ氠氀 猀琀椀氀氀 眀愀欀攀 甀瀀 愀渀搀 渀漀琀栀椀渀最 眀椀氀氀 挀栀愀渀最攀⸀ ഀ

  But realistically, it’s not like that. You can just wake up and realize you have a sickness, a condition, and death is looming above your head like a big elephant that’s just wanting to fall on you.਍ഀ

  Today, I was going to the office to announce my resignation and give my position to Ellen, my Vice-President and possibly my only friend. I don’t have many friends; I spent all those years alone in libraries, or in my own room. When I went to college in NYU, I met Ellen and she became my roommate. She was my total opposite: She once had this purple streak in her raven-black hair, and she wore gothic clothes. However, she is very, very smart and had the ability to juggle time between our studies, her then boyfriend (who’s currently her husband), and her never-ending parties. We got along fairly well and I asked her if she could run the company with me and she gladly said yes. Now almost ten years down the line, I’m leaving the company in her name. I could give my sisters the position, but I know they wouldn’t want to. Leigh’s busy with her new interior design shop, Caroline’s busy with her and her husband Robbie’s new book shop, and Mindy’s busy with her paintings and tagging along in her boyfriend, Paul’s concerts. Drake’s still in school and I think he’d want to figure things out on his own; I didn’t wanna impose anything.਍ऀᰀ䠠攀礀Ⰰᴀ†䔀氀氀攀渀 最爀攀攀琀攀搀 洀攀 愀猀 猀栀攀 挀愀洀攀 椀渀猀椀搀攀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀昀攀爀攀渀挀攀 爀漀漀洀Ⰰ ᰀ䤠琀ᤀ猠 猀漀 最漀漀搀 琀漀 猀攀攀 礀漀甀℀ 䤀ᤀ瘠攀 戀攀攀渀 眀漀爀爀椀攀搀⸀ᴀ†匀栀攀 栀愀猀渀ᤀ琠 猀攀攀渀 洀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀愀猀琀 愀氀洀漀猀琀 昀漀甀爀 眀攀攀欀猀㬀 䤀 挀愀氀氀攀搀 栀攀爀 漀渀挀攀 愀渀搀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀愀琀 䤀 樀甀猀琀 渀攀攀搀攀搀 猀漀洀攀 琀椀洀攀 漀昀昀⸀ 䔀氀氀攀渀 栀愀猀 愀氀眀愀礀猀 戀攀攀渀 挀愀爀椀渀最Ⰰ 愀渀搀 礀攀琀 猀栀攀 欀渀漀眀猀 眀栀攀渀 琀漀 欀攀攀瀀 栀攀爀 搀椀猀琀愀渀挀攀Ⰰ 攀猀瀀攀挀椀愀氀氀礀 眀栀攀渀 猀栀攀 欀渀攀眀 䤀 渀攀攀搀攀搀 洀椀渀攀⸀ഀ

  I smiled forcefully.਍ऀᰀ圠栀愀琀ᤀ猠 眀爀漀渀最㼀ᴀ†匀栀攀 愀猀欀攀搀⸀ഀ

  I took a deep breath, “Okay, everyone, just sit down please…” I said and Ellen looked at me confusedly as she took her seat. I went on, “So, uhm, I’m really sorry for being away for the past few weeks, I just needed some time to think things through…And…And well, due to that…I’m now relinquishing my post as President of Larsen Industries to my Vice-President, Miss Ellen Costelo. I figured she’s the best person we have now who can handle the company. And I’d also like to say goodbye to you all,” I stifled a tear, “I had a great time around here and…And it is with a heavy hard that I am announcing my resignation from the company…”਍ऀ䴀礀 挀漀氀氀攀愀最甀攀猀 眀栀椀猀瀀攀爀攀搀Ⰰ 䔀氀氀攀渀 氀漀漀欀攀搀 愀琀 洀攀 愀猀 椀昀 琀爀礀椀渀最 琀漀 昀愀琀栀漀洀 眀栀礀 䤀 猀愀椀搀 眀栀愀琀 䤀 樀甀猀琀 栀愀搀 猀愀椀搀⸀ 䴀椀渀甀琀攀猀 洀漀爀攀 瀀愀猀猀攀搀 愀渀搀 眀攀 琀愀氀欀攀搀 愀戀漀甀琀 洀礀 猀栀愀爀攀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 挀漀洀瀀愀渀礀 愀渀搀 攀瘀攀爀礀琀栀椀渀最 䤀 渀攀攀搀攀搀 琀漀 氀攀琀 最漀 漀昀⸀ 䄀昀琀攀爀 琀栀攀 洀攀攀琀椀渀最Ⰰ 椀琀 眀愀猀 樀甀猀琀 䔀氀氀攀渀 愀渀搀 洀攀 眀栀漀 眀攀爀攀 氀攀昀琀 椀渀猀椀搀攀 琀栀攀 爀漀漀洀⸀ഀ

  “What in God’s name was that, Kimberly?”਍ऀᰀ圠栀礀 愀爀攀 礀漀甀 洀愀搀㼀ᴀ†䤀 愀猀欀攀搀Ⰰ ᰀ䤠 樀甀猀琀 最愀瘀攀 礀漀甀 洀礀 挀漀洀瀀愀渀礀⸀ᴀഠ

  “That’s it, Kim, why would you actually do that?”਍ऀ䤀 搀椀搀渀ᤀ琠 愀渀猀眀攀爀⸀ഀ

  “Kim, come on, tell me what’s wrong,” She held my arm, “This company is your baby, you can’t just give it away. You can’t just…throw it away. You live and breathe this company, you—“਍ऀᰀ匠琀漀瀀 椀琀Ⰰ 䔀Ⰰᴀ†䤀 猀愀椀搀⸀ഀ

  “Kim,”਍ऀᰀ䰠漀漀欀Ⰰ 樀甀猀琀 戀攀 栀愀瀀瀀礀 漀欀愀礀㼀 夀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 愀氀氀 琀栀攀 琀椀洀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀氀搀 琀漀 搀漀 琀栀愀琀Ⰰ

  I paused, “I have to leave now. I’ll just drop by one of these days. Goodluck.” And with that, I left and didn’t look back.਍ഀ

  ***਍ഀ

  Minutes later, I found myself in Café Luna, ordering a large glass of Coffee Java when at the corner of my eye, I saw my husband, Mark, sitting at a t
able near the large window with a pretty Redhead. They were laughing. I almost dropped my cup of coffee. I put it down on the counter and didn’t mind the cashiers calling me out. I made my way towards Mark and the woman. Mark was shocked. He looked at me.਍ऀᰀ䬠椀洀㼀ᴀഠ

  “Yeah, it’s me, your wife.” I said, with emphasis on “wife”.਍ऀᰀ传欀愀礀☀ᴠ†䠀攀 猀愀椀搀Ⰰ ᰀ䄠渀搀 眀栀愀琀 攀砀愀挀琀氀礀 愀爀攀 礀漀甀 椀洀瀀氀礀椀渀最㼀ᴀഠ

  “Oh,” I said, “I don’t know, that maybe, you should remember that, and you should tell your friend over here,” I glanced at the woman, “that your wife’s right here!”਍ऀ䴀愀爀欀 猀琀漀漀搀 甀瀀 愀渀搀 栀攀氀搀 洀攀 戀礀 琀栀攀 愀爀洀猀Ⰰ ᰀ䨠攀猀甀猀Ⰰ 䬀椀洀Ⰰ 眀栀愀琀 椀渀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀氀搀㼀ᴀ†䠀攀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 最爀椀琀琀攀搀 琀攀攀琀栀⸀ഀ

  “Why are you dating someone else?”਍ऀᰀ䔠砀挀甀猀攀 洀攀㼀ᴀ†䠀攀 氀愀甀最栀攀搀 猀愀爀挀愀猀琀椀挀愀氀氀礀Ⰰ ᰀ䬠椀洀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 挀愀渀ᤀ琠 愀挀挀甀猀攀 洀攀 漀昀 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 氀椀欀攀 琀栀愀琀⸀ᴀഠ

  “I’m not accusing you,