Facets of Impermanence

The Constant Change

It was amazing how Kyra seemed to love every place Phoebe loved, react almost the exact way she had and appreciated every little thing Karl did. She reveled in the almost obscene attention Karl gave her, enjoying his companionship and downpours of love. Karl, on the other hand, relived his best memories spent with Phoebe, deeply heartened by the chance to have found his same amazing wife in another. It was as if the two had belonged to the same beauty but cleaved apart in perfect identity.

But he knew that they were still somewhat different. Kyra no doubt had shown a different change from Phoebe. She was burdened by Life's yoke and expended everything, trying to keep pace with Life's travails. Her smile belied intense regret and her words betrayed excessive thought, perhaps trying hard to keep her distance. Karl knew better than to ask even though he desperately wanted to know. After all, he had his same share of troubles and despairs.

A whirlwind romance, it was not. Both parties were very much in bliss, enjoying the support and attention the other gave. Having both experienced much and aplenty, petty squabbles were extinct and quarrels were few and far between. However, Karl still wasn't sure if he was ready to make the jump and ask for her hand.

After all, his heart hadn't forgotten Phoebe. He was afraid he was treating Kyra as a substitute, no more than a mere transference of feelings to one similar to Phoebe. He was scared he had not changed enough for the better. He was fearful to hurt her. He was terrified to lose her.

Yet, he knew it was different. He wasn't just treating Kyra Phoebe's substitute. In her very own way, she had entered the very depths of his heart and planted herself even deeper than Phoebe did. He knew, for sure, after so many years he was finally going to make a right decision.

But that's when disaster struck.