Saturday 13 November 2010

Bad Romance

Disclaimer: I don't know that I like this really. It was simmering for a while then it kind of died in production. It feels a bit like a place holder just because I didn't want to get out of the habit of weekly posts. For some reason I'm finding the male psyche particularly inaccessible tonight.

Mild heterosexual content. Practically G-rated. Romantic? Atypical male pov. I guess.

Romance

She's the kind of girl who'll always take that first sip of coffee too soon, no matter how many times it burns her tongue. She can't hold on to patience. Besides, she tells him, it's worth it. That's how she is.. grabbing every moment and living it like it's special. Ordinary everyday things like coffee and newspapers and walking across the yard. She wants to touch, taste, smell, hear, see everything. She tells him she wants to eat sunlight. Sometimes he's afraid she'll devour him whole. Oddly enough, he's not afraid.

He once told her she was the most adventurous girl he knew. She laughed and shook her head. I'm not though. I'm not anything really. I like living, that's true but sometimes I'm very boring. I like the fact that I'm pretty ordinary. I've got.. you know... She waved her hands in an all-compassing gesture that could have meant anything from chaos theory to dish washing... layers.

You're like an onion. Because he was a moron. But she only looked at him fondly and told him he didn't really have a way with words tonight. Then she removed his palm from his face, touched her fingers to her lips, then to his cheekbone. I like it.

The thing is, he could see his future in her. Every moment stretched into forever. It wasn't just love. It was all his years with her laid out before him. He could see the house and the children and the life they'd have. With all it's ups and downs, its joy its stifling domesticity even the fights they'd sometimes have. He couldn't believe how much he wanted it. Only with her. She didn't know it yet but he's already committed to her.

Still, it was almost like he couldn't tell her. A thousand fathers, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, friends stood in his way. That wasn't what guys did. Endless generations of men in his head demanded to know what kind of pansy he was. Maybe he wanted to give her one of his little handbags, balls included.

You're wrong he told them. You've always been wrong. He was glad that he's never really listened to them. With some guys it took an extraordinary moment to shove those voices down, and there were always those who never managed to do it. Maybe he wasn't quite as good as the guys who never heard that crap from their selves to begin with, but he was proud of the fact that he'd never bought into it. Not once in his life.

He caught her wrist before she could dance away and told her. She smiled with delight and said it back.

I love you.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful as always. Your writing has a way of triggering emotions deep inside me I long forgot existed.
Your way of writing is truly extraordinary. <3

DeeDee said...

Thank you my lovely. Though your comments are always cherished, this one is especially appreciated because I *don't* feel good about this one. *hugs*

f7ee7eely said...

Their marriage is doomed to fail utterly --

I truly like your articulated depiction of the relationship....khoodalaakht!

DeeDee said...

f7ee7eely Probably, yes. But at least it'll be an interesting ride? Heh, thank you... although... did you sign off with your battle cry?

The Expatess said...

An interesting read. I actually read this the day it was posted, but as your faithful (and perhaps poignant?) stalker, I had to take some time and think about how I felt about this particular piece.
This is what I've come up with: It's true. All of it. How he feels, how she acts. It's so unbelievably, heart-breakingly true that it seems almost plain without the steamy fantasy or bitter love we often add to romance fiction. See, love is made out to be this grand majestic things, when really it's not. It's the most basic of things. We've complicated it, because otherwise we'd look foolish for lacking the ability to understand and honor a notion as simple as love. I hate that I love this piece so much, because it breaks my heart.
As always, flawless writing and editing.

DeeDee said...

RC Expatess You flatter me, you really do. You have such insight. All I can say is wow, and thank you.