Missing

He had that feeling again. It came and went. Usually at the most inopportune time. Such as now, now when he had important things to do. Work never ended.

It was hard to explain, what missing her felt like. It changed almost every day it seemed. But some things  remained the same. The empty void in his soul never went away.

It was in the little things. The way she used to say his name, depending on the inflection, could either bring waves of joy or him looking for a place to hide. But no matter how she said his name, the absence of that voice now echoed louder than her words ever did.

It was a physical ache as well. Like he was missing an appendage. He understood what amputees must feel. Like that ghost limb was still there. He could still feel her presence. He wondered if she was as unhappy without him as he was without her.

Her smell would waft around him from time to time causing him to cast about himself searching for her. Her smell was so strong, that he would have sworn she had just walked past. The floral spicy scent that was completely her, there was no perfume like it.

His loss tormented his waking moments, and his slumber was filled with haunting dreams.

But it was the only way he could be. He knew he would never see her again. Not here, locked away for the rest of his life in prison.