The Glory of Love is My Favorite Oxymoron
Chapter Two
All was silent.
The roads were wet, the trees were bending from the harsh winds, and rain slanted across the window.
But they remained quiet. Occasionally, he would sneak a glance at her but for the most part, he concentrated on driving. She fidgeted and picked at the skin around her fingers – a nervous habit that she had always had.
He steered the car into the long driveway, where she let out a sigh of relief. It was as though the world depended on that sigh, for everything was still.
Moments later, they stood close together at the front door.
Yet, they had never been further apart.
“Anna…”
She turned to face him.
Him, with his messed up jet black hair. Him, with his deep eyes. Him, with his soft face, standing awkwardly in the rain. What was it that she felt for him? Contempt? No, not contempt. Anger or sorrow? No, neither. It was disappointment, betrayal and pity.
“Don’t stand there too much longer. You’ll get yourself pneumonia.”
She opened the front door, to an exquisitely furnished house. It was warm, and welcoming, but for some reason it was not comforting.
It felt too big. Too spacious and too overdone. Her life had been reduced to something much smaller. Her life was overshadowed by other things – this house was one.
Unsurely, he walked inside. Was it his right to be here? After all, this was her house. It had been his house, but that was before today. That was when everything felt right. He watched her, as she walked about, seeming to do her own normal thing. What should he do? Could he watch TV? Fall asleep in their bed?
“I’m not sure I should be here,” he said abruptly, shattering the delicate silence.
She stopped, with her back towards him. Slowly she turned to face him. It was here that he noticed the tears in her eyes, and her broken spirit.
“But this is your home… You have no where else here. No one else. I mean, unless…”
He knew what she meant and it was true. But he’d find somewhere to stay, as he was not financially hard-done-by. He could stay in a flash hotel, or even call up an old friend. It would not be hard to find somewhere to stay.
“Can we talk? About this? Anna, please… we need to talk about this, don’t you know?”
Her eyes pierced him, as they blazed with an overwhelming combination of emotions. The smile he tried to conjure began to falter, when he released that he really had hurt her.
“We can talk. But not for long. I need to cook us dinner.”
The roads were wet, the trees were bending from the harsh winds, and rain slanted across the window.
But they remained quiet. Occasionally, he would sneak a glance at her but for the most part, he concentrated on driving. She fidgeted and picked at the skin around her fingers – a nervous habit that she had always had.
He steered the car into the long driveway, where she let out a sigh of relief. It was as though the world depended on that sigh, for everything was still.
Moments later, they stood close together at the front door.
Yet, they had never been further apart.
“Anna…”
She turned to face him.
Him, with his messed up jet black hair. Him, with his deep eyes. Him, with his soft face, standing awkwardly in the rain. What was it that she felt for him? Contempt? No, not contempt. Anger or sorrow? No, neither. It was disappointment, betrayal and pity.
“Don’t stand there too much longer. You’ll get yourself pneumonia.”
She opened the front door, to an exquisitely furnished house. It was warm, and welcoming, but for some reason it was not comforting.
It felt too big. Too spacious and too overdone. Her life had been reduced to something much smaller. Her life was overshadowed by other things – this house was one.
Unsurely, he walked inside. Was it his right to be here? After all, this was her house. It had been his house, but that was before today. That was when everything felt right. He watched her, as she walked about, seeming to do her own normal thing. What should he do? Could he watch TV? Fall asleep in their bed?
“I’m not sure I should be here,” he said abruptly, shattering the delicate silence.
She stopped, with her back towards him. Slowly she turned to face him. It was here that he noticed the tears in her eyes, and her broken spirit.
“But this is your home… You have no where else here. No one else. I mean, unless…”
He knew what she meant and it was true. But he’d find somewhere to stay, as he was not financially hard-done-by. He could stay in a flash hotel, or even call up an old friend. It would not be hard to find somewhere to stay.
“Can we talk? About this? Anna, please… we need to talk about this, don’t you know?”
Her eyes pierced him, as they blazed with an overwhelming combination of emotions. The smile he tried to conjure began to falter, when he released that he really had hurt her.
“We can talk. But not for long. I need to cook us dinner.”