Winter Season

The fall?

If you read my work, you might be scratching your head thinking, ‘I read this’. You did. I got out of order. Sorry about this. The other post has been deleted so that we can keep the story in order.

The fall?

Two weeks after she had been shot, the wounds were almost healed. Oscar was the best nurse ever. She assumed it was because of all those years of being a caregiver. So every morning she made sure he had breakfast, and every night, she cooked him dinner. If he could take care of her, she could take care of him. Plus the fact he had been staying with her made it easier to make sure he was eating right.

It felt nice having someone around. She really liked having him in her life. She was trying so hard not to fall head over heels in love. It was obvious that she loved him. But she wanted to keep her feet on the ground. She didn’t want to get swept up only to be pulled away. It scared her to no end.

It was Friday, and she had fixed a big meatloaf. Oscar looked like a dead dog when he walked through her door. She wrapped him up in a big hug. He melted in her arms.

“Rough day?”

“I don’t want to think about school or students. All I want is lots of you.”

She smiled as he caressed her face, “is that a promise?”

“Oh, you better know it. You are going to get so sick of me.”

“How do you figure?”

He kissed her, gently at first but as the kiss progressed it was filled with fierce unspoken passion.

“Does that mean my meatloaf is going to be a midnight snack?” She panted.

“It might even be breakfast.” He continued kissing her.

They spend the night wrapped up in each other. He loved talking to her. Just laying on the bed, in the floor, on the couch, as long as she was in his arms.

“May I ask you something?” She was wrapped up in the warmth of his body and was almost asleep.

“You may ask me anything.”

He kissed her shoulder and then hesitated.  “How’s your back feeling today?”

“Good.” She snuggled closer to him. “That wasn’t your question I presume?”

He took a deep breath, “no. I have noticed that when I get close you pull away. These last two weeks have been the most time that we have spent together consistently. And I must say it has been amazing.”

She rolled over in his arms. “You are right.”

She kissed him, “I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

It was her turn to let out the long sigh. “I very much love you. And like I said, depending on the outcome of the thing I can’t talk about, I do want to marry you.” She paused, sighing again. “What if the outcome of that thing I can’t talk about is bad? I might never see you again.”

She felt his breathing stop. “Is that a possibility?”

“A very real one.”

“Then why not love like there’s no tomorrow?”

“It’s not in me. That saying, ‘it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’ Tell me how that works. Tell me how the loosing isn’t more painful than never having known love?” There was a moment of silence between them. “I’m sorry that you are able to since my hesitation. I in no way want to hurt you.”

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear. “I don’t know what this dark cloud hanging over your head is but I do know that I want you. I have never felt like this and I like it. I love the way you feel. The way my stress melts away when you touch me. The sound of your voice lightens my heart. I like me better. Esther, I’m so in love with you.”

She held him tightly and cried into his chest, “please don’t give up on me.”

He held her has she cried and his heart broke. He wished she could tell him about this cloud. About this weight holding her down. But he loved her and would wait as long as it took.

Winter Season