The Unpardonable Objective

The Lincoln left the monotony of the highway and turned onto a small road that wound its way into the Virginia hills. No longer in his comfort zone of million dollar residences, the passenger entered the small farming community nestled with simple two story, wood sided homes snuggled up to red and white painted barns. Of all of the places in the world he could have purchased for her; here is where she wanted to be. He still didn’t understand after all of these years. Ten more minutes of driving found the limousine on a dirt road that ended at a bricked enclosure sealed with a wrought iron gate. The Lincoln stopped and the chauffer got out and opened the door for the man in the back. “Thank you, Layton,” the passenger said as he stepped from the comfort of the plush limousine. The cool, wet air of the morning surrounded the man as he found his footing on the grass-covered lawn next to the vehicle. Sunday mornings were never easy, but always necessary, so he closed his eyes for a second to prepare for the task ahead. After preparing himself, he gently grasped the two red roses offered by his driver and walked toward the gate. The chauffer watched with admiration as his employer passed the car and headed toward the entrance. Many in his position would have moved on years before, but not him. The man in the dark suit forced himself to remember. Layton knew the tradition well, for he was there seven years ago when the ritual began and had not missed a Sunday with his employer since. He closed the door and stood in a respectful stance next to the vehicle. Looking inside for over a minute, the tall man stood at the gate before opening it. The creak of the metal partition echoed throughout the mountainside adding to the darkness of the experience. He walked under the ivy covered brick arch and stepped onto the path leading up the gentle rise to the center of the area. The walls to the square enclosure were about five feet high and 100 feet long. In each corner stood a pink dogwood paired with golden-yellow forsythias. The walk was lined with tulips and daffodils, all stretching to reach the sun’s earliest rays. He paid quite a bit of money to keep the area maintained, and it was obvious that the funds were well spent. In addition to the azaleas lining the walls, and a few well-placed Redbud or flowering cherries, the whole area was covered with a lush layer of grass. The rise of the path allowed him to look around and see well above the walls of the enclosure, revealing the countryside’s rolling hills. He stopped and tried to view the beauty of the land through her eyes. To the east, the sun was bouncing off of the tops of the hills while white fog settled like a calm sea in the valleys. He turned around and noticed an eagle soaring on the morning air. While those things were beautiful to the man, they were truly magical to her. He remembered times when they would come to this spot and she would talk nonstop about everything from the shape of the clouds to the color of the wild flowers. Often, they would visit just to sit and look at the beauty of the countryside. Though he never much appreciated the breaks when he was younger; she loved it and so he continued to go. In her eyes, everything had beauty and the world was innocent. The man turned his attention back to the path and headed forward up the gentle incline. Although he had visited this location hundreds of times in the past, this occasion would be different. He traveled the final 25 feet to the top of the rise and ceased his movement where the path ended. Standing there in silence for what seemed like hours, the man finally moved forward, knelt down and placed a single rose next to each headstone. The headstones were made of black granite and identical except for the left being just a bit larger. The monument on the left was dedicated to his wife, Stephanie. Under her name were the words, “Your love gave me life.” To the right, the delicately carved letters formed the word Katherine with the statement below saying, “Your innocence gave me joy.” His wife and daughter had been dead for over seven years and his heart still ached. Standing up, he clasped his hands in front of him and looked at Stephanie’s granite marker as it reflected the sun rising in the sky. “Good morning, darling. The sunrise was beautiful. I wish you could have seen it. The sky was full of pink, red, orange and even some blue. It is just your kind of morning.” He looked over to his daughter’s headstone. “Hello sweetie. I sure miss you. I brought you a beautiful rose. There aren’t any thorns on it,” he thought for a second. “I can just imagine you smelling it and then putting it up in your hair. It would have looked lovely on you.” The words stopped, and a few tears fell down the man’s cheeks. “Oh ladies, how I wish you were here. I would be better this time. I wouldn’t take our time for granted.” He wiped away his tears. “We could come here anytime you wanted and have a picnic, or hike through the woods, if you were just here. I bought all of this land for you,” he said gesturing to the countryside. “Everything that you could see in all directions is yours, if you were here.” He dropped his head to his chest. “Darling,” he said looking back to his wife’s grave. “I have tried hard to make it without you, but it is difficult. I put on a good face, but you would be able to see through it very quickly. My life is dark.” He watched the eagle fly overhead. What freedom he has, he thought, looking up at the majestic bird. “Oh, if I had that kind of freedom. My heart is so heavy. I know that you wouldn’t want that for me, but that’s how I feel.” The conversation stopped. His demeanor changed and he spoke more quietly, “Do you remember me talking to you a while back about a project I was working on? A really big assignment that could change the world?” He paused for a second as if waiting for a response. “Well, we are just about finished. Today the world will be different because of this work.” Turning away from the hillside memorial, he continued to speak. “Honey I have worked diligently and I believe that I deserve some of its benefits.” He stopped. “Darling, I need to ask for your forgiveness. I have done something for you and Katherine, for us. It is something so great … and yet so horrific.” He dropped his head and turned back toward the headstone. “I have set things into motion that can’t be undone. These things were meant for us but will change the world in such a way that it won’t be recognizable. Honey, it will be a better world, one where you won’t be taken from me. Stephanie, I will have you and Katherine with me again. This time it will be better. This time I will keep you close, and you won’t leave me again.” He looked up to the sun that was finding its place in the sky. The red and pink hues were disappearing and clouds were taking their place. Turning his head back toward the tombstones, the man became more determined. “This unpardonable path I have chosen will save us all. I will have you back with me. Ladies, this week I will see you again! I love you.” At that, he turned and walked with determination toward the vehicle. The driver had the door opened and waiting for him as the man closed the large irongate to the memorial. “Back to Washington,” he said as he sat on the plush leather seats of the stretch limousine. “Yes sir.” As the long vehicle turned to leave the area, the man in the back viewed the cemetery one last time. The man felt hope like he hadn’t felt in years. This dark time in his life would be over in just a few days. Because of his sacrifice, everything could be made right. If everything goes as planned, the next time I am here it will be for a picnic with my dear ones, he thought. The man smiled and the Lincoln drove away leaving a trail of dust.