Eli Krauss & the Starry Eyed Girl

Fiona awakens the next morning and quickly realizes that her limbs are tangled with Eli’s. He is sound asleep, holding her head close to his chest and breathing deeply. She realizes that she deeply misses these feelings. Having someone close, having someone to hold on to. She closes her eyes, presses her face deeper into his chest, and finds a way to go back to sleep.

Eli and Fiona seem to open their eyes at around the same time. And there is no hint of awkwardness. Her blue eyes are shiny from sleep and she smiles at him and he smiles back. Fiona slowly gets up and murmurs that she needs to shower and she does. Eli watches the television and then watches Fiona come out from the bathroom without any makeup on and a towel wrapped around her middle.

“Come here,” he says.

She reddens, but obeys and sits down on the edge of the bed.

He reaches over and slides his finger under the knot that keeps the towel around her body. She says nothing as it falls away. Eli smiles at her and stands up, Fiona does too. She has never felt more self-conscious, more loved, more confused in her entire life. “What’s this?” Eli points to the dark pink ridges on her upper thighs.

“Childhood accident,” Fiona whispers. His fingers are gliding over them, she feels like she might cry.

“Hm. It must have hurt,” Eli comments softly.

“I try not to remember,” she replies.

He then embraces her. His fully clothed body and her bare body mesh together. “Oh,” Eli says. It surprises him. He missed this. He missed this feeling. Fiona kisses him, he groans. She kisses his neck.

“Eli, Eli, Eli,” she repeats as she plants her pink lips on his skin. He finally gives in to it and his clothes come off and they make love. He takes her in, cups her breast, whispers that he has wanted this for so long. All she does is hold onto him.

When they finish, Fiona starts laughing. Eli looks over at her, he had his arm draped over his eyes in a drunken stupor. And there is Fiona laughing, her head thrown back and forth, her body naked. “What’s funny?” Eli questions.

“I’m just so happy,” she says through fits of laughter, “I can’t even explain it.”

Eli smiles and her laugh is so contagious that he starts to laugh too. And it is like some sick scene in a movie where they laugh till it hurts.

This ends, however, and Fiona rolls over and leans her elbow on Eli’s chest. “You should tell me what makes you so sad,” she whispers. Eli’s smile vanishes and he mutters, “No.”

She nods, accepting his refusal. And her understanding is what makes it okay. And so he says, “I was married. To Rachel. Rachel died.”

It sounded very hollow. Fiona then pulls away and looks at Eli for a very, very long time. “That is horrible. I wish I could make it better.”

Tears are streaming down Eli’s face now. He wishes they would disappear. Fiona then murmurs, “How long ago?”

“She got run over eighteen months ago.”

She nods again and sits up, wrapping her arms around her legs. “Are you okay?” she asks.

He wipes at his eyes and reaches for her arms. He pulls her down on top of him and kisses her face. “I’m okay. Just be patient.”

“Eli,” she whispers.

“Fiona,” he replies.