Come On Home pt. 2
For any of you who might actually be reading this bollocks, I thought, as I'm jumping about on this imaginary timeline, I should give you a run down of what order things actually happen in. By title:
"Aye, Fun."
"Come On Home"
"All That We Let In"
"All That We Let In con."
"Cordova"
And now... It had been almost two weeks since she had left with Benjiman. They lived off the country side, by a new fire and under the same sky, every night. Together. Sile had begun to look at her country through new eyes, but in a familiar way. They passed old burial mounds, remnaints of sacred sites and ancient ruins. It was truly breath taking. She often felt as if she looked at it for the first time. Benjiman often regaled her with his stories of travel, much as he did the night they met, or taught her new musings of philosophy and history. She loved every minute of it. And yet...
"Is everything alright, love?" Benjiman asked her as he reclined against his backpack. Sile sat with her back against a large rock, widdling a stick with her pocket knife. She had been silent for some time, the only noise to be heard was distant wildlife and the crackling of the fire.
She smiled. "Yes, of course." She lied. But something was most definately awry. She felt... wrong. She ventured to describe it as incomplete. She felt her heart pulling her in a different direction. Fickle thing! She cursed herself. Benjiman sat up.
"Please forgive me if I don't believe you." He answered. She bowed her head with a quiet sigh. Benjiman rose to his feet and walked over to her, sitting down again, directly infront of her. She closed her knife and looked up at him. "Sile." He whispered to her, taking her hand in his. "Talk to me." She, again, said nothing. Just a melencholy pseudo smile was his answer. Benjiman gazed into her eyes. "No. You don't have to tell me. I already know."
"Know what?" She asked. Benjiman raised a gentle hand and brushed her brown hair away from her eyes.
"You're homesick." He answered. His words hit her hard. "And you're away from your love." She scoffed. "No. I know. You love him." He looked at her, and smiled. "He didn't know." He paused. "Or did. But nothing was ever said."
Sile shook her head. "He'll always love his wife."
Benjiman smiled. "Yes. He will. But he loves you, Sile." She jumped. "And you love him. So what are you doing here?" He laughed.
She looked at his strangely. "Are all Buddhists mind readers, too?"
"No." He smiled. "This is pure psychology." He looked at her intently. "I see it in your eyes. You miss him so badly." He paused. "But you don't want to leave me. Because you think you made some obligation to me by leaving with me in the first place." He glanced down for a second, looking for the right words. "Sile, I think you're wonderful. I truly do. But, I want you to be happy. Homesickness and longing for the person your heart belongs to, won't get you there."
Sile nodded.
"I don't know where my heart lies. Or with whom." He smiled. "I'm a wanderer." He stroked the side of her face. "But you have a home, love. And it's with Ian." He helped her get to her feet. "So, let's get you back there."
"Right now?" She asked with a laugh.
"Now's a good a time as any, yes?" He laughed with her as he poured water over their fire.
Sile stopped and approached Benjiman, throwing her arms around him. He returned her embrace and held her tightly. "Thank you. For everything." She sighed. "You're amazing." She looked at him. "I hope you find where your heart lies."
He nodded. "Part of it will always be here. Right here in this field." He smiled at her again. "And part will always be with you. So, if you ever need me, even if I'm on the other side of the globe, I'll know. Friendship transends boundries like that."