A Handful of Unanswered Questions

This was a short story submission I put into a writer's Digest in 2007...>.>;

A Handful of Unanswered Questions

Mozart's Requiem played as the mass left the graveyard. She didn't say anything as she stared one last time at her mother's grave. The rain poured down heavily around her.

~*~

A week later she sits in the attic rummaging through piles of junk. Everything was covered in dust and she coughed as she brushed chest and boxes off. Suddenly, she tripped. Startled, she saw a small metal box in front of her. On it was a small plaque labeled: Marybelle. That's ma's name... she thought. With a silent apology to her deceased mother, she opened it. She was caught in a puff of smoke which she coughed through.
Moments later, she opened her eyes. Inside, were millions of folded pieces of paper. She blinked. Each piece of paper was folded into a small tri-edged diamond, a three dimensional creation. She raised an eyebrow and reached inside pulling out a handful. It was like holding pieces of stars in her hands. Each piece was made of shiny paper and folded to perfection. Except for one.
She gingerly undid the folds. It came apart in a long strip and she saw on the backside of the shining paper was words. Written in a red ink that was undeniably blood, she squinted:

"My darling, it's been months since I've seen you. "

She blinked. Carefully she plucked out more of those figures and tore them apart, flattened them and rearranged then in strips across the floor.
Hours later, she finished. The pieces of shiny paper were pieces of letters. Some letters were written on chrome and azure paper, others on gold and crimson, and still more from silver and scarlet. She sat back to read her work.

June 25, 1979
My darling, it's been months since I've seen you.
Everyday without you passes like a dream-
and my life seems pointless at times.
Where have you been?
Why have you been neglecting me?
Why won't you reply?
Why don't you come to see me anymore?
I will wait for your post.

She moved on.

October 4,1979
My darling,
It is fall now-
why have you not wrote-
I long to see your face.
Where are you?
Have your parents barred your room door?
Tell me love, I will wait-
for your post.

And lastly.
December 15,1979
Darling,
I write on the 15th-
You should be reading this by Christmas.
Tell me it is not so.
I have received a-
post from your mother.
She says, you are to be married-
to an unknown rich gentleman.
Why have you not told me this?
Is this why you haven't been to see me?
I cannot live without you.
Meet me at the harbour-
if you love me-
on the 31st to greet the-
new year.
Let us go together.
I love you Mary.
-Elliot

Her eyebrows furrowed. Elliot. That wasn't her father's name. Who was it? She reached back into the box. A piece of rough paper was taped to the bottom of the box. She ripped it out.
It was a newspaper head page clipping with fading letters. She squinted to read it.
NEW YORK TIMES January 1st, 1980
Suicide at the Harbour by James Ricksman
Greeting the new year, we bring the forlorn news of the discovery of a body of one Mr. Elliot Jackson of Brooklyn, NY. found floating in the harbour this morning by a local fishing boat. Believed to be spotted by many witnesses the night before standing at the harbour waiting for someone till midnight, this poor soul has undoubtedly committed suicide as ascertained by the NY Forensics Unit. Who he was waiting for remains unconfirmed.
Without any relatives the body will be placed in a coffin in the City morgue. All friends welcome to attend funeral on January 3rd.

She placed the newspaper clipping along with the refolded diamonds back in the box. Walking downstairs with the box in her hand, she stopped by the fireplace. The crimson flames of the fire danced and licked the sides of the stone fireplace. She opened the box and poured the diamonds and the clipping into the fire watching it burn. Just a handful of unanswered questions.

What an interesting read.
I love how the title comes up again at the end.
It really finishes it up well.
So, did it ever get published?

Thanks ^^ Yes, it did get published