Friday, February 18, 2011

And there it was.

It amazed me that he stood there before me. What kind of joke was this, anyway? I had finally found myself moving on. Slowly. Surely. Taking baby steps each day. And now this?

I heard myself laugh out loud. He looked over at me. Was that concern? Puzzlement? Confusion? What, exactly? Damned if I knew.


Only a week before I couldn't stop thinking about him. After all these months there it was. A reminder. A huge reminder.


I had been cleaning up, or trying to. Getting myself ready for winter, which had seemingly kick-started the day before. I stood there and pulled shorts and T-shirts from my dresser drawers. Instead of moving slowly, carefully, I tore through the piles of clothing, tossing things left and right.
Made my way to my closet, digging through the racks, shelves, whatever I came across.

Onto the bed, the floor, hanging from the doorknob. Wherever there was space, I used it. And then - there it was. I picked up my fluffy blue bathrobe and started to laugh. It was so soft, so cozy. And then I remembered.


I sat down on my bed, my body unsteady. Before I knew it I was l
aughing so hard tears streamed down my face. My memory never failed me, she wouldn't now. Even when I wanted her to.

I drifted back to that morning. The doorbell rang. I was in the shower, he was in bed. Barely decent. He needed to answer it. For some reason. Maybe he knew who it was? He had to get the door. I don't really remember why.

What to do, where were his clothes? He grabbed this robe and threw it on. I had heard him mumbling as the water rained down over my head, my face. My mind a blank as the hot stream pelted my neck
and shoulders. I relaxed. Breathed heavily. I could have stayed in there all day. Maybe I should have.

By the time I stepped out, dripping, sopping, completely soaked ... he stood there before me, box in hand, my fluffy and soft blue robe tied around him.

I stifled a chuckle. "Who was it?" I asked him. He held up the box. "What's in the box?" I continued. He shrugged. "Wha--" He placed it down gently, shuffled it over to the side with his bare foot. He touched my cheek. I held my breath, backed up a little. Looked up at him. Reaching for me. I pulled back, slowly. Hesitantly. My resistance was not real. It never was. I exhaled. "We have to get going," I told him, turning away from him
.

"Sssh." A whisper. Barely audible. His hands on my shoulders. My towel falling to the floor.

Sometimes the warmth of his touch amazed me. His hands, the strength of his grasp was too much for my heart to take, too much for my body not to respond to. H
e dropped my robe, and before we knew it we were face to face. He smelled like morning.

I shook my head. No need to live in those memories. No need to pain myself that way. Remember the good times. Why bother, right? He was gone now.

Only then - he wasn't. He stood here. In my living room. In front of me. No way out.

"Hey?"

I turned, tried to focus. Looked over at him. "Huh?"

"You're shivering." I half-nodded, unaware of my body's betrayal. "Are you cold? Maybe you should put this on?"

There, in his hand, up above his head ... my fluffy and soft blue robe.
I heard myself sigh. Loudly.


Write a piece - 600 word limit - about finding a forgotten item of clothing in the back of a drawer or closet. Let us know how the item was found, what it is, and why it's so meaningful to you or your character.

The Red Dress Club.

14 comments:

  1. Very well played out! So I'm curious about what happens next...

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  2. Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment, Andrea. You are an amazing writer! Glad we crossed paths :)
    ~andrea

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  3. I like this. It piqued my interest right from the beginning. Hope to read more!

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  4. Very well written. I am curious what was in the box.

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  5. What. Was. In. The. Box?????

    Alright, alright..I know that wasn't the real point of the story, but you got me curious.
    I love the way you wrote this. Your gift of showing emotion in the detail of physical objects is wonderful! Well done.

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  6. I totally want to know what was in the box. And why he had the robe at the end. And where he came from. Great stuff.

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  7. So much was left unsaid: what was in the box, what happened between them.. give us more!

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  8. Oooh so many questions. What made him come back? How long had he been gone? Why did he leave?

    What was in that damn box? ;-)

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  9. I hope there's more! I'm with everyone else I want more!

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  10. You re kicking ass at this writing girl. I was captivated from the get go and I want more!!

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  11. You, my dear, have a gift... such anticipation!

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  12. I loved this! It flowed so easily and drew me in. I want to know more too!

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  13. I am also dying to know what was in the box...and how he was gone and back again.

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