Winter, Sex, Spring
After a cold night in a motel she was ready.
She called him at work, the only number she had to go on. He seemed surprised and a little timid. He suggested a walk.
They met in a park by the riverside, walked along the quay overlooking the small boat harbour, talked only safe stuff, memories, easy laughs. When she slipped a bit on some ice he took her arm, didn’t let go. She liked that.
He took her to a café, was going to take her to Sam’s but remembered it was no more. He was going to miss Sam. This was a
latte and such place, not his usual choice. Valerie seemed to like it. She sipped a large latte and smiled at him.
-You know why I am here, don’t you? I haven’t given up hope for us.
He tried to think of something to say but only silence came.
-Show me where you live.
As they got to his apartment he felt nervous of letting anyone, especially her, into
his private haven. He wondered if it was messy, not having given that much thought lately.
When she walked in, the whole place rang at her of male self-sufficiency. She almost felt pushed out, had to struggle with herself not to leave immediately.
-
It’s nice here.
He could hear that ring false, wondered what was really going through her head.
-Heh, I like it.
They made love, and it was bad. They both had huge amounts of thought with them in bed. Valerie was full of wishes and hopes, trying to make it special so he would want her to stay with him, trying to be his dream girl again. Michael was fending her off, not being pulled back into that dream, but at the same time trying to be “nice”. He couldn’t just fuck her madly and throw her out, even though part of him wanted to.
And then he didn’t get up. And then he stayed with her, his arm around her.
-It will be spring soon. Spring is great here.