It Only Takes A Minute

Cory stood at the threshold, his hand hovering over the doorknob. Shaking; the weight of his life altering decision pressed down on him like the heavy air before a storm. In only one minute, he had ruined his life; sold his soul. He prayed for it all go away. Amanda's voice, once the melody to which his heart beat, had become a horror of whispers, drowned out by the cacophony of their final argument.

He knew it was all over, so he had packed all the important things, he needed to make disappear, into a suitcase as quickly as possible, each item a chapter of the life they once shared. The photo from their first vacation, the old crumpled up receipt from the expensive restaurant, where he first said, "Will you Marry me?" and the little notes full of jokes to keep his spirits high, Amanda had hide in his lunchbox daily, now just ink on paper. The weapon wrapped in a garbage bag, hidden under the old suit he got married in—all these items, waiting to be disposed of in a secret location.

With a deep breath, he turned the knob, the click of the latch final and resolute. One tear dropped on his hand as he attempted an escape. But as he stepped forward, the world around him stuttered. The light flickered, the sound of the city outside went mute, and a profound silence enveloped him.

Then, in a heartbeat, everything reversed. The suitcase unpacked itself, the notes flew back into their hiding spots, the photos returned to their frames, the weapon that was awaiting disposal, was now behind his back. Cory had found himself inside again, standing before Amanda as if he had never moved. Her shouting at him with pure anger, that their marriage was over and she was leaving him for good.

Time had reset.

Confusion gave way to a sense of surreal clarity. Cory looked into Amanda's eyes, seeing the pain and betrayal that swirled within them. In this loop of time, he saw a chance—a chance to mend what was broken, to say the words left unsaid, to hopefully hold onto the marriage that was slipping through his fingers, due to his affair; the opportunity to not pull the trigger, using the weapon hiding behind him. One bullet sat in the chamber, desiring Cory to once again feel the rage, and the weight of his possession to Amanda's existence.

And so, he chose to holster the gun, to fight against the current of time that sought to pull them apart, to apologize with everything in him. For in this moment, frozen yet alive, Cory realized that HE was completely wrong, but murder would only make it a thousand times worse.

Amanda had a right to hate Cory; the liberty to walk away and take what was owed to her. But not without one last attempt to make it work. "Amanda, just listen to me one last time and if you still decide to leave, I will let you go." Amanda, silenced herself and waited for Cory to speak. He did his very best to communicate all that was in his heart, but Amanda still decided to leave.

As time resumed, it march forward, Cory and Amanda faced it apart, their bond severed, but not full of bitterness. And though the future was uncertain, one thing was clear: they had been given a rare second chance. Amanda was allowed to live and Cory had been given the opportunity to make a better decision, that wouldn't ruin his life even more. One minute can change the fabric of your life, so be careful about the choices you make.