Page 40 of The Pucking Single Dad

When the cab finally stopped in front of the cemetery, Hunter slowly got out of the car. He leaned into the driver’s window and handed the driver a one-hundred-dollar bill.

“Will you stay here until I am finished, please? He asked the driver of the cab. I won’t be too long.”

The driver of the cab agreed and happily took the money from Hunter. Hunter turned away and slowly walked to where his wife was buried. He had not visited her gravesite in quite a while. It was hard for him to remember her in that way. He wanted his memories of her to be about a life filled with happiness, not death and mourning. When he found his wife’s grave, he stood in silence. He could feel himself getting emotional, and he tried desperately to push those emotions to the side. After spending a few minutes standing there quietly, he decided to say a few words. He had no idea if his former wife could hear him, but the thought of talking to her seemed cathartic.

“It's me,” he said softly. “I know I haven’t been here in a while. I want you to know that Adam is good. He has had some difficulties, but overall, he is a happy kid, and that is all that matters.”

Hunter looked down at the ground. What he really came there to say was difficult for him to articulate, and somehow, saying it at the graveyard made it all feel so final. His eyes dodged back to his wife’s grave.

“I met someone,” he said to his former wife. “I met someone really special, and I actually think that you would like her if you were still here. I want you to know that I loved you so much.”

Tears swelled in Hunter’s eyes. He felt his legs get heavier. Hunter brought himself to the ground, at eye-level with his wife’s grave.

“I loved you so much, my darling,” he said to the gravestone. “I want you to know that no one can replace you, but I am going to move on. I want to find love and happiness again, and I hope that you don’t resent me for that. I am so thankful for the time we had together, but I have to leave you in the past.”

Hunter paused, thinking about what he wanted to say. He wanted his late wife to know that Luna was good to him and Adam. When he thought about it, he felt certain she would have loved Luna. In another world, they might have even been friends. Life just had different plans for all of them.“I put off coming here,” he admitted. “I did because I met someone — someone I think I’m falling in love with. Her name is Luna, and I believe she loves me too. She not only loves me, but she also loves Adam. I just want you to know there’s no need to worry about us. She’ll take care of us. Maybe someday, I can bring her here with Adam, and you’ll see how happy we are together.”

Hunter got up from the ground and wiped the tears away from his face. He slowly made his way back to the cab. The driver had been waiting for him and was standing outside the cab, leaning against the vehicle. The driver was smoking a cigarette. He watched as Hunter walked towards him, and he could see that he was upset. He did not say a word to him. He simply offered Hunter a cigarette. Hunter happily accepted the offer. He figured that a nicotine high would help ease and level off his emotions. The cab driver gave Hunter his lighter. The two men stood outside and smoked a cigarette as they gazed off onto the graveyard.

“Got a loved one up there?” the driver asked Hunter, nodding toward the graveyard on the hill.

“My wife,” Hunter replied solemnly. “She’s buried up there.”

“Oh,” the driver said softly. “I’m sorry, man. It’s really rough. Moving on from a love like that is hard. But if you ever get a second chance, you don’t want to miss it.”

Hunter glanced over, curious. It wasn’t often he met other widowers close to his age. He wondered if the driver had been through something similar.

“Did you lose your wife too?” Hunter asked.

“No,” the driver said bluntly. “No, not my wife.”

Hunter looked down, disappointment washing over him. He’d hoped for some advice from someone who’d shared his experience. But then, after a pause, the driver continued.

“I lost my fiancée,” he said, meeting Hunter’s eyes with a hint of vulnerability. “A week before our wedding. She never got to be my wife, but I loved her like one. That’s for sure.”

Hunter’s heart sank. At least he’d had time with his wife—they’d married, had a child, and shared memories. “That musthave been tough,” he said softly. “I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.”

The driver nodded, his expression shifting to one of reflection. “Yeah, it was. I thought I had forever, you know? We had our whole lives planned out. And then, just like that…” He trailed off, his voice heavy with the weight of loss.

Hunter could relate. “It’s like you feel this emptiness, right? Like a part of you is missing.”

“Exactly,” the driver replied, his eyes focused on the road ahead. “But here’s the thing: at least we found love, even if it was for a short time. Some people never get that chance.”

Hunter considered this. “That’s true. Love is a privilege, isn’t it? Not everyone gets to experience it.”

The driver took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly. “If you find it again, man, hold onto it. Don’t let fear stop you. Life’s too short for that. You never know what could happen.”

Hunter took a deep breath, nodding in agreement. “You’re right. There are no guarantees that love will stay, but to let it slip away—that feels like the real loss.”

The driver glanced at him, a small smile forming. “Exactly. You gotta be brave, my friend. It’s what your wife would want for you, too.”

“Yeah,” Hunter replied, feeling a sense of hope he hadn’t anticipated. “She always wanted me to be happy.”

“Then go after that happiness,” the driver said, turning his gaze back to the road. “Life’s too precious to waste.”

After each of them had finished their cigarette, both men got back into the vehicle. As soon as the driver pulled away, Hunter looked back at the entrance to the cemetery one more time. He silently said goodbye to his former wife. Then, he reached intohis pants pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Frank’s number, and he felt relief when Frank answered his call.

“Hey, Frank,” Hunter started to say over the phone. “Hey Frank, I am sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you had some time to meet up.”