It was rather anticlimactic. Arthur thought the death sentence would have hit him harder but he was surprisingly calm. When you live to 88, most of your friends were 6 feet under. "Anne, perhaps it is my time to follow in your footsteps." He married late, his partner, a fellow community school teacher. It was not love at first sight or even second. It was companionship, understanding and comfort for a good 20 years.
She died at 83. Pneumonia, they put it. Did not respond to treatment. After being tubed for a week, he had to make the difficult decision to pull the plug. It was a sad moment. There were not many regrets, they had enjoyed good times, they were friends till the very end. Of course, the first few years, waking up alone in a big bed pulled his heart strings. However, life goes on as it is. He could have ended his life but neither he nor his deceased wife would approve. Life was too precious a gift. He had spent the past few years volunteering in the local community, be it bringing food and necessities to the homeless or teaching in the orphanage.
The home was but an empty shell of its former glory where there was cheerful chatter. He made sure the gas was turned off, pen a few messages to his friends, left a tip for the paperboy in the letterbox as well as a memo to stop his subscription.
He slept well that night.