Rose snuggled back into the soft comfort of the Volvo's leather seat.  Through the windscreen she could see the last of the sun setting over the hills that formed the horizon of the M3.  The fading light turned the sky a warm red and cast long shadows from the trees that flicked past on the verge of the motorway.  Rose felt a brief sadness at the knowledge that summer was gone and that the nights were rushing to bring winter darkness ever earlier.  Rose smiled softly, even the thought of another cold winter could not dampen her spirits for long; after all it had been a lovely weekend. 

The Volvo's headlights had come on automatically as the light outside had began to fade and when Rose turned her head she could see the glow from the instrument dials reflected in the glasses of her husband as he concentrated on the road.  She studied her husband, trying to see the young man that she had first fallen in love with in the middle-aged face beside her. 

‘'We'll be home soon, Robert'' she said to her husband, her voice interrupting the gentle hiss of the tyres as they caressed the road surface.  Robert did not reply, his hands were gripped tightly to the wheel and his eyes never left the car in front.

‘‘It was so nice to see Stephen again.  We don't get to see him enough these days.  We really should make more of an effort. I mean Stephen is your best friend and he's going through such a hard time at the moment''.  She was silent for a moment, watching the road ahead, then, ‘'I know you don't want to get involved but he is such a sweet man and I think that the way that Barbara treats him sometimes is just wrong''. 

Rose continued, ignoring her husband's silence.  ‘'Poor Stephen was so upset at one stage I just had to get him alone and try to calm him down.  You know I don't like to meddle, but it is just awful when a friend's marriage is breaking down in front of you''.  She turned to look at her husband again, ‘'I know that Barbara had a long talk with you, and I'm sure that she was trying to make out that it was all Stephen's fault that they are having problems.  I hope you didn't pay too much attention to her. You must remember that she can be very manipulative.  Stephen has been your best friend for years and deserves your loyalty''. 

A tickle of annoyance flickered in Rose. ‘'You do agree don't you?'' she challenged her silent husband.  ‘'For God's sake Robert, I would think you could show more concern for your friend's wellbeing''.  She fixed her husband with the look she saved for when she thought that he was being particularly obtuse.  Without taking his eyes from the road Robert replied softly ‘'Yes dear, of course you are right''.

Mollified somewhat by her husband's capitulation Rose returned her gaze to the road.  The sun had dipped below the hills and twilight was stalking the cars as they all rushed to be someplace else.  Ahead of them a large freight truck was taking up the slow lane and the Volvo lurched slightly as Robert pulled out to pass. 

‘'I've been thinking'', said Rose.  ‘'Perhaps it would be good for Stephen and Barbara if they had a little time apart''.  She had to speak up slightly to make herself heard above the roar from the truck's huge tyres, racing along only feet from her door.  ‘'We should have Stephen to stay for a while, let them have a breather for a bit''. 

The Volvo pulled up level with the truck's cab and Rose looked out of her window and up at the driver far above her.  In the dieing light she could clearly see the driver's face and, as if he felt her gaze, he turned his head and looked down at her.  They held each other's eyes for a moment and then the truck driver gave her a wink.  Rose returned the compliment with a smile, she knew she still looked good for her age and enjoyed the driver's acknowledgement of the fact. 

‘'Did you hear what I said?'' She asked her husband as the car pulled ahead and the driver was lost to her view.  Rose felt another flicker of annoyance when her husband didn't answer.  ‘'I said that Stephen should come and stay...'' She trailed off as she turned to her husband and saw he had tears flowing freely down his cheeks.  ‘'What...'' she began but stopped short as a horrible premonition struck her. 

‘'I'm sorry'', sobbed Robert. He wrenched the steering wheel hard to the left, the Volvo's tires giving a squeal of protest as the car swerved sickeningly over to one side ‘'I'm so very sorry''.

Rose had only a moment to process the flash of images as the road twisted in front for her, oncoming car headlights casting patterns across the roof, trees appearing in front of the windscreen and then flicking away as the car spun.  She opened her mouth to scream, but before she could give voice to her terror the Volvo slid in front of the truck they had just passed.  She had a brief impression of a great wall of steel looming over her like a mechanical wave and then the wave burst over her and took her down, deep into the darkness.

...............

‘'Ashes to ashes.  Dust to dust''.  The priest's words seemed to fall heavily onto the freshly opened earth before him, denied the chance to rise by the somberness of the occasion and the rain which poured down, soaking the gathered mourners. 

His job done the priest hurried away from the newly dug graves, eager to escape the weather and the distasteful task of burying a couple in the prime of their lives.

The rain scattered the rest of the mourners as well, sending them running to their cars as soon as decency allowed.  Not one of the departing throng failed to double check that their seatbelts were safely fastened, that their children were secure in their seats.  The voices had all whispered and agreed in the church...‘The roads are nothing but a death trap these days...Something should be done...  When are the politicians going to take road safety seriously?...Of course the truck driver wasn't to blame...Poor man...Is that him over there?...So brave of him to come...No, the police still don't know what happened...The car seemed fine...No reason to suspect...

Only two mourners remained by the graveside long after everyone else had gone.  Stephen and Barbara stood close together, sharing a single umbrella in a futile attempt to hold off the lashing rain.  ‘'You told him didn't you?' whispered Stephen.  Barbara turned her face to her husband ‘'Yes I did'' she hissed defiantly ‘'I put up with it long enough.  The lies, the pain.  I took them all and kept it to myself.  But did you really expect me to keep covering for you?  To keep quiet when you took that woman under my roof, in our own bed?  Did you expect me not to speak out when I sat in our kitchen and listened to Robert tell me how much he loved his wife, knowing that for years my husband, his friend, had been betraying him?'' 

‘'Yes, I told him.  I told him it all''.  Barbara stepped away from Stephen, removing herself from the meager protection offered by the umbrella he held.  ‘'It was me who told him, but it was not me who broke his heart''.  The rain lashed her face and the wind scattered her words as she turned from her husband and walked away ‘'It was you that killed them Stephen.  Only you''.