put a slender hand with perfect
nails on his arm.
“I think your
souls belong together, but you already know that.”
She disappeared
off and Laura nodded down the road.
“Lunch? She’s a
little peculiar with that soul stuff, but I like her.”
You think
that’s peculiar? Wait until you meet more people in my business.
He wrapped an
arm around her shoulders. “What are we having?”
The lunch hour
passed much too quickly, and Marc escorted Laura back to the old office
building. She snuggled close for a moment and her words warmed his heart.
“It’s good to
have you here.” He squeezed her tighter. “Hurry home, okay?”
She blew him a
kiss as she entered the building, and he stood alone in the sunshine.
Not a cab in
sight. Oh well, I could use some exercise.
He strolled
past the stores lining the street, passed a liquor store, and entered out of
old habit. A bottle of whiskey would help pass the long and boring afternoon.
Back in the
little apartment, he brought a glass with him out on the porch. He sat there
for quite some time, rolling it between his hands. It didn’t seem as appealing
as he thought it would be.
I need
something to do. Maybe a book.
When he
remembered about his drink an hour or so later, it was warm. He laughed at
himself and poured it out in the sink.
He fell asleep
on the porch and woke hours later from Laura stroking his hair. He pulled her
down on his lap.
“I was going to
welcome you home with dinner, but I got… sidetracked.”
“That’s okay.
I’ll just nibble a little on you instead.”
*****
Weeks went by,
and even though Laura expected Marc to disappear at any time, she rejoiced in
his company.
He seemed to
feel better every day. His hands no longer shook, and even if he often met her
for lunch he no longer panicked when she left the apartment.
I think he’s
getting restless. He won’t stay here much longer. I wish he would. It’s okay to
dream, right?
Heather gave a
slight shrug when they talked about it.
“He won’t stay,
not this time, but he’ll be back. You two belong together. He just hasn’t
figured it out yet.”
“How can you be
so sure he will?”
“Because if he
doesn’t, he’ll kill himself.”
Great…
Marc usually
ignored his phone, but one afternoon it just wouldn’t stop ringing. She tried
not to listen, but perked her ears anyway when she heard his tone of voice. He
sounded drained.
“Yes, Lawrence,
I understand. Can’t you deal with it? Well, what do I pay you for?”
For a moment
she thought he’d throw the phone, but he just clenched his jaw and put it down,
a little too slowly.
No… No,
please don’t leave.
“Problems,
lover?”
“Yes. I have to
go home and deal with my divorce.”
That should be
a good thing, a great thing, but since it implied him leaving, it was deeply
depressing.
Can I come
with you? Please ask me to come with you.
“I wouldn’t go
if it was just the money, but Lawrence says if I ever want to see the children
again I’d better show up. Anne is pretty mad.”
“I understand.”
There wasn’t
much else to say. She couldn’t tell him her heart shriveled to the size of a
raisin, or that her stomach was filled with tears.
He reached for
her hand.
“Laura…”
She shook her
head.
“Don’t. I’ll
just… Really miss you.”
And worry
about you. I don’t know if I can go through all this again.
“Laura, come
here.”
She still
couldn’t resist him. She sat on his lap and rested her head against his, trying
not to cry. Maybe changing the subject would make it easier.
“Your hair is
pretty long.”
“I know.”
“It looks
good.”
He brushed his
fingers over her cheek.
“I’m a horrible
boyfriend, and I don’t know how you put up with me. I was an even worse
husband. I’m bad at life, but I have to go home some time.”
Acting?
Real? Either way it was a good effort.
“I know.”
“We’ll figure
something out.”
Good try. I
don’t
nails on his arm.
“I think your
souls belong together, but you already know that.”
She disappeared
off and Laura nodded down the road.
“Lunch? She’s a
little peculiar with that soul stuff, but I like her.”
You think
that’s peculiar? Wait until you meet more people in my business.
He wrapped an
arm around her shoulders. “What are we having?”
The lunch hour
passed much too quickly, and Marc escorted Laura back to the old office
building. She snuggled close for a moment and her words warmed his heart.
“It’s good to
have you here.” He squeezed her tighter. “Hurry home, okay?”
She blew him a
kiss as she entered the building, and he stood alone in the sunshine.
Not a cab in
sight. Oh well, I could use some exercise.
He strolled
past the stores lining the street, passed a liquor store, and entered out of
old habit. A bottle of whiskey would help pass the long and boring afternoon.
Back in the
little apartment, he brought a glass with him out on the porch. He sat there
for quite some time, rolling it between his hands. It didn’t seem as appealing
as he thought it would be.
I need
something to do. Maybe a book.
When he
remembered about his drink an hour or so later, it was warm. He laughed at
himself and poured it out in the sink.
He fell asleep
on the porch and woke hours later from Laura stroking his hair. He pulled her
down on his lap.
“I was going to
welcome you home with dinner, but I got… sidetracked.”
“That’s okay.
I’ll just nibble a little on you instead.”
*****
Weeks went by,
and even though Laura expected Marc to disappear at any time, she rejoiced in
his company.
He seemed to
feel better every day. His hands no longer shook, and even if he often met her
for lunch he no longer panicked when she left the apartment.
I think he’s
getting restless. He won’t stay here much longer. I wish he would. It’s okay to
dream, right?
Heather gave a
slight shrug when they talked about it.
“He won’t stay,
not this time, but he’ll be back. You two belong together. He just hasn’t
figured it out yet.”
“How can you be
so sure he will?”
“Because if he
doesn’t, he’ll kill himself.”
Great…
Marc usually
ignored his phone, but one afternoon it just wouldn’t stop ringing. She tried
not to listen, but perked her ears anyway when she heard his tone of voice. He
sounded drained.
“Yes, Lawrence,
I understand. Can’t you deal with it? Well, what do I pay you for?”
For a moment
she thought he’d throw the phone, but he just clenched his jaw and put it down,
a little too slowly.
No… No,
please don’t leave.
“Problems,
lover?”
“Yes. I have to
go home and deal with my divorce.”
That should be
a good thing, a great thing, but since it implied him leaving, it was deeply
depressing.
Can I come
with you? Please ask me to come with you.
“I wouldn’t go
if it was just the money, but Lawrence says if I ever want to see the children
again I’d better show up. Anne is pretty mad.”
“I understand.”
There wasn’t
much else to say. She couldn’t tell him her heart shriveled to the size of a
raisin, or that her stomach was filled with tears.
He reached for
her hand.
“Laura…”
She shook her
head.
“Don’t. I’ll
just… Really miss you.”
And worry
about you. I don’t know if I can go through all this again.
“Laura, come
here.”
She still
couldn’t resist him. She sat on his lap and rested her head against his, trying
not to cry. Maybe changing the subject would make it easier.
“Your hair is
pretty long.”
“I know.”
“It looks
good.”
He brushed his
fingers over her cheek.
“I’m a horrible
boyfriend, and I don’t know how you put up with me. I was an even worse
husband. I’m bad at life, but I have to go home some time.”
Acting?
Real? Either way it was a good effort.
“I know.”
“We’ll figure
something out.”
Good try. I
don’t
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