The End
He imagined her bursting through the door at any moment to chastise him for snooping in her private business. Nothing had changed. The room was covered in piles of clothes and stacks of papers. The window which she kept open no matter what, was letting in the smell of rain on the pavement. It took him a while to realize that she wouldn’t becoming in this room ever again.
He collapsed to the ground, his body shaking with sobs. He couldn’t feel his heart anymore, he knew he was alone again, but this time was different. He had found his other half, and it had been ripped from him. He stayed there, in a tiny sobbing ball on her bedroom floor until it grew dark and rain had started to fall from the skies again. His throat was hoarse, his face raw and red, his eyes though not filled with tears anymore, adopted a look that made him appear lost, and empty. Now his emotion had ebbed away again, he resolved to do what he came her to do.
He heaved himself off the floor, and walked, face set, over to her desk. He sat in the chair and picked up her well worn journal. He smiled a melancholy smile as he recalled all the times he had watched her write in it and all the times he had begged to read it. Now that he was about to read her journal, he would have given anything to be happily ignorant watching her inscribe her thoughts as they came to her. Taking a deep breath he opened,what she described as the key to her mind. The first entry was dated a week before she..she..he blocked this thought out of his mind and directed his attention to the entry.
February 10th
I found out something today that I’m not sure I can tell him. I went to the doctor for my checkup, and in addition to finding out my condition has worsened….I’m pregnant. I don’t want to tell him because I know I am detierating, which I can tell is killing him as much has it is me. I think telling him there is a possibility of a child, which will never be, would send him over the edge. I hurting me too, but I have come to terms with my rapidly approaching demise, but he hasn’t. It’s just too much for him. I won’t tell him. He doesn’t ever need to know, I don’t want to cause any more pain for him, I just don’t kn—
He stopped reading. His hastily taped together world crashed around him yet again. He had been so close to being having everything. He walked to the window lost in thought. The next thing he knew was the feeling of the rain pelting his skin, a burst of pain, and total darkness.
An Artful Mess
Candles flickered softly around her, the fragrant bubbles wafted up into her nose causing the stress that hovered around her after every work day to lift. Their shaggy dog lay on the bath mat, as close as he could get with out being in danger of a surprise bath. Her book was propped up against the side of the tub, just barely past the point of water logged danger. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun to keep it out of the water.
The dog growled softly and let out a bark as the back door creaked open.
“Hello? Anyone home?” A voice called.
“In here.” She replied, not glancing up from her book. Footsteps echoed through the kitchen and down the hall way to the bathroom. The dogs tail wagged fiercely.
“Hey you,” he said entering the bathroom and rubbing the dogs head.
“And hello to you.” He turned and planted a kiss on her cheek. She still didn’t emerge from her book.
“Hi.”
“Wow, nice heart felt welcome.”
“Sorry,” she answered still not leaving the pages of her book, “I just reached the climax and…” She fell silent. He sighed and got down on his knees by the tub. Staring at her face he removed the book from her grasp.
“Woah, no! I was just at the most important part!” She implored trying to snatch the book back. He held it far out of her reach slapping playfully at each attempt she made to grab it back. She resorted to splashing him with a big wave of bathwater.
“Oh, playing dirty now are we?” He said laughing along with her. He stripped his leather jacket, corduroy pants, and shoes. He leaped in the tub with her in his grey cotton t-shirt, plaid boxers, and socks.This caused a huge wave of water that not only splashed her in the face but caused bathwater to soak half the bathroom. The dog happily dodged it barking happily. Bubbles mixed with water spread across the floor drenching everything it touched; her book, his shoes, and the bath mat. He surveyed the mess with a look of enjoyment forming on his face.
“Opps.” He shrugged. Her frown couldn’t hide the look of amusement in her eyes.
“Well won’t that be fun mess to clean up.” She pursed her lips and glared at him.
“Mess? I think you mean work of art.” He laughed.
“How so?” She asked, skeptical.
“See that spot right there? It looks like Einstein’s head.”
“No…it looks like a puddle of water for you to mop up.”
“Well aren’t you a close minded pessimist today.”
“You took my book from me and vandalized it!!”
“While I understand where your anger is coming from, I have to point out that too much reading can fry brain cells and cause you to ignore your beloved.” He pointed to himself, “I saved you the from the deep guilt you would have felt for ignoring me in favor of your book.”
She laughed, and pulled him into a long, sweet kiss.
“There.” She said when they broke apart. “Now you can clean the mess you made a buy me a replacement copy, in hard back preferably.”
Unsolvable Pain
“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?” He erupted, flinging his arms about. She stood still in the white living room, her face defiant, angry.
“I WANT YOU HERE! I’m SICK of being ALONE.”
“You sound like a spoiled child.” He scoffed.
“I suppose that just what I am then! Forgive me for thinking that you actually cared about what happened to me.”
“Oh yeah? What’s going to happen to you while I’m gone!?”
“I don’t know! I can’t see into the future!!”
“Well you sounded pretty sure SOMETHING was going to happen!!!!” She felt tears coming. Angry tears. She was so incensed she was shaking.
“That wasn’t the point of what I said. The point is that apparently YOU DON”T CARE ABOUT ME!” She screeched, falling to her knees on the white rug. The tears overflowed. “You’re so ready to just up and leave me for months, and not be aware of where I am and what I’m doing. It’s like you can’t wait to get away from me.” She finished in a whisper. He fell down beside her, he seemed on the verge of tears himself. He took her hands in his, she collapsed into his shoulder sobbing.
“Of course I care, I don’t want to leave, but I have to. I know you understand that. Please,” he said raising her face to his, “what can I do to fix this?” She reached up and stroked his face longingly. What he said about her being spoiled was true, but she couldn’t stand him leaving her for a long stretch of time again, it was just too much for her. There was no answer for this problem, she would just have to get used to it.
“You can’t do anything”, she whispered, “I just have to cope.” They both sat there on the white carpet entwined in each other both quietly crying, dreading saying farewell.
Love Addiction
The thought ran through his mind…He looked like a creepy stalker right now. He didn’t really know what possessed him to come out here tonight, but something did. He was sitting in his bedroom staring out the window, and felt himself get up and into his car. He didn’t know where he was going until he ended up here, outside her bedroom window. He laughed to himself, he had never done something so…obviously obsessive before.
She shifted in her sleep, his attention snapped back to her. He was sitting on her window sill because she left her window propped open in the heat of the night air. The lamp on her bedside table was left on, a book left open beside her. He didn’t know it but she was wide awake.
She had woken up when he settled on the window sill. Immediately her mind snapped to reruns of Law and Order SVU, of rape and torture. She had been terrified, unsure what to do she had stayed frozen, pretending to be asleep. Admittedly not the best defense but she couldn’t think. Someone was outside her window. But whoever it was hadn’t done anything, just sat there staring. It was vaguely flattering in a strange way. The stranger coughed. She almost burst out laughing. She recognized that cough.
He flinched, he had inhaled some pollen and couldn’t stifle his cough in time. He hadn’t decided whether or not he wanted her to know he was here yet. Deciding it was just too obsessive and embarrassing of a move he stood up to leave but a voice stopped him.
“So, after sitting there for 10 minutes you’re just going to leave and not do anything?”
He laughed and turned around. She was sitting up in her bed an over-sized t-shirt and her hair a mess, but she still looked flawless. Her skin glowed tawny, her make up free face was rosy with delight, her eyes sparkling.
“How long have you been awake?”
“Since you got here,” She replied getting to her feet and meeting him at the window, “I thought you were a rapist at first.”
“Why…? Oh. There was a SVU marathon today wasn’t there?”
“Possibly.” She smiled and climbed out of her widow to join him on the porch. “So, why’d you come?”
He thought for a moment. “I’m not sure…I just did.”
She nodded, as though she understood. She took his hand and laced her fingers through his. She stared at them intently, they looked so right together, like pieces of a puzzle they just fit.
“It’s like a drug,” she told him, “I can’t stand being away from you either.” He nodded and smiled over at her.
“Exactly.” They stood for a moment finger interlaced, feeding their addiction. She sighed.
“So did you bring your truck? I feel like going somewhere.”
Love Through Generations
She groaned inwardly as she stepped out of her apartment building. The skies threatened rain which put her usual Saturday walk on hold. She altered her course to jog to the cafe for breakfast. Her mood continued to deteriorate as the thought of another lonley Saturday set in. She wished he would come home already, she hated feeling single.
Reaching the cafe she slowed to a walk pass the newstand, a fussy woman walking a fussy poodle, a man with his face hidden by a newspaper, and a elderly couple walking down the street hand in hand. She paused and watched as the elderly couple shared a kiss before entering a bookstore. A bigger sense of lonliness washed over her. Sunddenly an arm wrapped around her, and a voice whispered in her ear.
“That will be us one day.” Simultainiously, her heart stopped, she uttered a scream, and she threw her arms around him. He laughed and kissed her. Her heart fluttered as his familiar mouth found hers.
When they broke apart he noticed her eyes were overflowing with tears.
“Whats wrong?” He asked, hesitant.
“Nothing..I just…missed you so much.” He smiled and drew her in close.
“I missed you too Phillie.” She smiled at the use of the pet name she hadn’t heard in months. She was so happy her heart was about to burst, she couldn’t catch her breath, and tears continued to roll down her cheeks. It was what she had been dreaming about since the night of his departure, his return. Rain had begun to fall in big droplets. He grabbed her hand.
“I suppose your were on the way to breakfast?” She nodded, words had failed her.”Well come on then, we can’t stand here forever getting soaked.” He pulled her in the direction of the cafe. “Oh wait my paper!” He doubled back and grabbed a paper off of a bench. She stared at him, amazed. He smiled at her. “Well, I….Oh shut up.” He laughed. “Come on, I don’t want to catch namonia.” He started to pull her toward the cafe, but she pulled him back.
“I love you” She said, pulling him closer and burying her head in his chest. The rain falling around them in their embrace.
In the bookstore, the elderly couple watched through a window. “Remember when we were like that?” The woman asked her husband. Her husband smiled. “We still are like that.”
Under the Stars
A breeze rippled through the air. She snuggled in closer to him under the blanket. The gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore was the only sound in the still night. He put his arms tight around her.
“Look up,” she said, directing his attention to the skies.
“What am I looking at?” He asked, puzzled.
“The stars, I can never see them in the city……they’re just so beautiful.”
“Oh yeah, giant balls of gas, so romantic.” She slapped him lightly on the shoulder.
“They are romantic, the beach at night is a very romantic place.”
“Duh, why do you think we’re here?”
“Oh, shut up. It was a good moment until you ruined it with sarcasm.” He laughed and pulled her back in close. They sat in silence under the blanket staring at the stars. He put his mouth next to her ear.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
And there they sat content and in love, the glow of a budding relationship lighting their faces in the nights darkness.
Hidden Beauty
“I thought we were going to get dinner” she said, looking out the window of the cab hesitant.
“I know”, he replied, “but I wanted to show you something before they closed.”
“Are you sure they haven’t closed already? There’s no one going in there.” Without answering he threw a handful of bills at the driver, who, testily scooped them up. He rushed to her door flung it open and took her by the hand. She paused.
“Come on, don’t make me be lame and beg you to trust me.” A smile broke across her un-adorned lips. It was one of the quirky things he loved about her, she wore make up but refused to put anything on her lips except chap stick. She climbed gracefully out of the cab and let him pull her into an old, crumbling building that she assumed must have been beautiful at some point, but the years had worn it down. A neon sign flashed ART casting a green glow on the surrounding area, the paint on the building was faded and chipping. The faint melody of a saxophone was drifting from the street corner where an old man played every evening with out fail.
When they crossed the threshold he paused and faced her.”Okay, now, close your eyes.”
“But..”
“Just do it. Please?”She obeyed and let him steer her, blind, by the hand. He zig zagged, stopped short, walked slow,and ran. By the time he reached his destination they were doubled over with laughter.
He asked breathlessly, “Are your eyes still closed”
“Yes but—” He stopped her short.
“When I tell you too open them open them.” He shifted her position a little bit. “Open.” A sharp intake of breath issued from her mouth. She was staring at a small painting of a yellow bird, but it was beautiful. The background was just a stormy gray, so at first glance your eyes went to the shocking yellow bird in the corner.
“Did you see it?”, he asked wrapping his arms around her middle and resting his stubbled chin on her shoulder. She loved when he held her like this.
“See what?”
“The other bird, look.” She looked closer then she noticed it, in the opposite corner there was another bird, just barely a shade lighter than the dreary gray background. She leaned closer to the canvas, obligingly he leaned with her.She stared at the hidden bird. It’s feathers were ruffled as though it had just landed after taking flight. It’s eyes looked as though it could see right through you and echoed wisdom. It’s beak curved gently and it’s claws wrapped delicately around an invisible branch that the artist had neglected to add. She look back at the yellow bird that, at first glance, looked beautiful. Compared to the hidden bird it lost it’s beauty. It’s eyes were black and reflected no knowledge. It’s feathers were perfectly smoothed, it’s beak pointy and threatening, it’s claws spread out flat as if on the ground.
She turned in his arms to face him.
“You painted this didn’t you?” He nodded. A nervous look flickered across his face.
“Do you..um..Do you like it?”
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t belong here, it belongs in the Louvre or..or something.” He shook his head.
“I like it hidden…The diamond in the rough effect appeals to me.” She reached up and stroked his unshaven face. He sat her down on the bench across from the painting and sat beside her. Arms wrapped around each other they sat in silence staring at the work of art.
