THE VISIT
As he turned the cold water off, he listened to the end of it gurgle down the open drain. He lifted his head, with his face still dripping, to examine his reflection in the mirror. Unshaven and sleepy-eyed, he stared blankly at his image. The mature features of a grown man’s face were evident, but for a moment he could have sworn he was back in his youth. A smile started to creep across his face, but he caught himself. “She’s just a friend, she’s just a friend,” he repeated to himself. Attempting to push thoughts of her out of his head, he grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. He quickly collected his toothbrush, ran his hands through his hair, and walked out of the bathroom.
It was early, but he could hear music playing softly from the kitchen around the corner. He tiptoed quietly across the hardwood floor towards the sound. When he reached the kitchen he paused and carefully leaned up against the white doorframe so that she would not notice him. She looked much different than she had the night before.
Just a few hours ago, they had been at the bar down the street drinking and catching up with each other. She had been wearing her hair down, a pair of blue pants and a white shirt, but now she stood barefoot, in a tank top and shorts, with her hair up. The sunlight of early morning, coming from the window above the sink, clung to her curly brown hair and gave her an almost angelic look. With her back to him she prepared her breakfast, oblivious to his presence.
In that secret moment, he almost felt guilty as if he was spying on her. To him it was like watching art unfold before his very eyes and her natural beauty captivated him. Her body was slender and tight with curves that were more perfect than anything a renaissance sculptor could have created. Her straight posture gave off an aura of confidence and independence. His thoughts raced and he began to wonder if the feelings of romance he had felt towards her years ago had returned. Before he could decide, he heard the words “Good morning” escape from his mouth. Somewhat startled, she turned from her morning task and smiled. “Morning,” she said almost in a whisper.
The two locked eyes and grinned for a second before he once again broke the silence, “Hey, thanks for letting me stay here last night”. She laughed and asked, “Was the couch comfortable enough for a person as tall as you?”
He simply nodded, unable to put a coherent response together, and took a step into the kitchen. She once again laughed and reached for her water. As she raised the full glass to her lips he gazed into her eyes. They were like the ocean, deep and blue. Catching him in the act, she raised an eyebrow. Bashfully he attempted to play it off by asking her a question about what she was making. Slightly giggling at his awkwardness she replied, “A spinach omelet”.
He leaned his back up against the counter and continued to watch as she went back to her morning business. They were not in a relationship, had barely spent anytime together over the past several months, and had a jaded past but something about this moment felt right to him. He was in a house he had not seen until just yesterday, but strangely he felt at home.
“I should probably get on the road,” he said without a smile, “I have a lot of distance to cover today”. The thought of leaving that kitchen saddened his heart, but he knew that the longer he stayed the more her elegance would intoxicate him. “Oh, that makes sense,” she said softly as her full, ruby lips transitioned from a smile to a slight frown.
Making his way to the front door he heard her delicate footsteps follow behind him. He reached for the knob and turned it, pulling the door open to the morning that awaited him. “Be safe,” he heard, “and let me know when you get there”. He turned around and gave her a smile, “Definitely. Thank you again for such an amazing evening”. The formality of the moment seemed inappropriate. He wanted to run back to her and throw his arms around her gentle body, he wanted to feel her soft skin, and he wanted to kiss those tender lips. Fighting his desire, he walked out the door and was refreshed by the coolness of the spring morning. The air brushed his cheeks and the smells of dew and pollen filled his nose. A hopeful smile appeared on his face. It was the first time that he had realized that spring, the season of renewal, had arrived.
