He'd do what he always did, find the sweet among the bitter.

After a lifetime of nods, frowns and stoic smiles, they were both fluent in emotional shorthand.

I had my chance.' He said it, retiring from a lifetime of wanting. 'I had my chance, and sometimes in life, there are no second chances. You look at what you have, not what you miss, and you move forward.

It reminded him that time was short, but that beautiful endings could still be found at the end of cold, dreary days.

Hope can get you through anything.

As an author, I get paid to break my own heart on a regular basis.

All good things come to an end. All bad things go on forever.