She walks into a convenience store and sees a familiar face. With that wickedly charming smile, he holds up a strange device— like a child with a new toy. “What the heck is that supposed to be?”, her pain temporarily soothed by his jester. “Isn’t it cool? I needed a new shaver,” he laughs. In spite of the laughter, she fights a wave of tears. It lasts a microsecond but his earnest concern sees through her veneer as if asking her, “You okay?”, with his intense brown eyes. No words are needed. She can’t help but give him a tight squeeze and bury her face in his chest. He squeezes back and pulls away. “Why you so sad all the time?” In a sheepish voice she whispers, “Is it that obvious?” “I just know. Now cheer up sunshine,” as he gently runs his fingers through her hair, “that look doesn’t suit you.” “But if you need more time,…I’ll let you shave my hair off and we can watch it grow back.” Finally, laughter bursts through the crystals of tears that had formed around her eyes, erasing any trace if being there. He smiles and pats her head, “Let’s go home.”
Hope you have enjoyed reading. Thank you for indulging my fictional writing. It’s been a while.
Featured photo by Daniel Tseng on Unsplash
JAN ANNE 