New Short-Short
The first two lines of this have been sitting on my hard drive for a while. Hope you like it.
Studies in Light-Coda
The drive home was almost on automatic. Tessa was the only reality for him now. She was the only live thing in the world he wanted to be near.
He nearly stumbled in the darkness as he made his way to their bedroom. There was a light on, and Tessa was there curled against her pillows with one of her sketchbooks. He didn’t say anything just knelt beside the bed and gathered her into his arms. She could feel him shaking and turned so as to touch the tears on his cheeks.
“Duncan? What happened?”
“Linda’s dead.”
She smoothed the wayward lock of hair back from his face. “I’m sorry, Duncan… I know you loved her...”
He didn’t answer her, just held on as tightly as he could, almost crushing her. For a long time there was no sound in the room. Then the soft rustle of her gown as he finally let his grip relax. Quietly she wiped his face with the sleeve of her nightgown.
He let his head fall to her lap, his arms still around her, but a gentler hold now, as if to reassure himself that this woman was still alive and warm in his arms.
He really hadn’t thought it would hurt so much. The affair had long since been over, though he’d been aware of her growing reputation as a photographer. Each of her books had been duly purchased and were in his warehouse, never looked at, but there.
Gregor’s invitation had been unexpected. His photographs unsettling, harsh and nothing like the young doctor he’d known. His despair and anger were deeply unsettling. The contrast between his work and Linda’s made the exhibit work, but Gregor’s cruelty didn’t just come out in his photographs. Everything he’d done seemed to be daring Macleod to act, to stop him, one way or another.
The fight had shocked Gregor into living again, at least he hoped so. He’d hurried back to Linda’s room. The beauty was still there, softened by time but those wonderful eyes hadn’t changed and the mouth that could be stubborn or loving from moment to moment was still the same.
Had she believed him? Did she accept that he was the same man who had loved her so deeply, so long ago? That smile, starting in her eyes, said that she did believe him. It said she hoped he had forgiven her for leaving. It said so many things.
Tessa felt him relax slightly. Was he asleep? Perhaps. Linda Plager was the third woman from his past that she’d met. Each of them had been different. Amanda wasn’t someone she could trust. Duncan didn’t seem interested in renewing the relationship. That had been reassuring. It wasn’t that she was jealous…
Grace had been a different kind of woman. It had been easy to like her, to understand why Duncan had loved her. But, there was no fear that Duncan would leave her for Grace. They were just friends, now, whatever they had been before.
Linda… There was no doubt that her Duncan had loved the woman. No question that he still did care for her. As an artist she knew that beauty really was more than just firm skin and bright hair. The love they had was more than skin deep, too, that it would last.
He shifted a bit making a soft sound.
“Duncan, come on, let’s get you into bed, my love.”
She helped him stand and undress, then gently pulled him into the bed with her. His head settled against her shoulder and he put an arm around her. She waited until she was sure he was asleep before moving enough to pick up her pad. The sketch was a good likeness, but not something he needed to see. Perhaps one of these days she'd show it to him. Carefully she slid the drawing pad under the bed. He didn't need to see the sketch of Linda Plager now. He shifted a little, drawing her closer. She stroked his hair for a moment before etting herself drift off. He loved her, that was enough.
They would be together forever.
Studies in Light-Coda
The drive home was almost on automatic. Tessa was the only reality for him now. She was the only live thing in the world he wanted to be near.
He nearly stumbled in the darkness as he made his way to their bedroom. There was a light on, and Tessa was there curled against her pillows with one of her sketchbooks. He didn’t say anything just knelt beside the bed and gathered her into his arms. She could feel him shaking and turned so as to touch the tears on his cheeks.
“Duncan? What happened?”
“Linda’s dead.”
She smoothed the wayward lock of hair back from his face. “I’m sorry, Duncan… I know you loved her...”
He didn’t answer her, just held on as tightly as he could, almost crushing her. For a long time there was no sound in the room. Then the soft rustle of her gown as he finally let his grip relax. Quietly she wiped his face with the sleeve of her nightgown.
He let his head fall to her lap, his arms still around her, but a gentler hold now, as if to reassure himself that this woman was still alive and warm in his arms.
He really hadn’t thought it would hurt so much. The affair had long since been over, though he’d been aware of her growing reputation as a photographer. Each of her books had been duly purchased and were in his warehouse, never looked at, but there.
Gregor’s invitation had been unexpected. His photographs unsettling, harsh and nothing like the young doctor he’d known. His despair and anger were deeply unsettling. The contrast between his work and Linda’s made the exhibit work, but Gregor’s cruelty didn’t just come out in his photographs. Everything he’d done seemed to be daring Macleod to act, to stop him, one way or another.
The fight had shocked Gregor into living again, at least he hoped so. He’d hurried back to Linda’s room. The beauty was still there, softened by time but those wonderful eyes hadn’t changed and the mouth that could be stubborn or loving from moment to moment was still the same.
Had she believed him? Did she accept that he was the same man who had loved her so deeply, so long ago? That smile, starting in her eyes, said that she did believe him. It said she hoped he had forgiven her for leaving. It said so many things.
Tessa felt him relax slightly. Was he asleep? Perhaps. Linda Plager was the third woman from his past that she’d met. Each of them had been different. Amanda wasn’t someone she could trust. Duncan didn’t seem interested in renewing the relationship. That had been reassuring. It wasn’t that she was jealous…
Grace had been a different kind of woman. It had been easy to like her, to understand why Duncan had loved her. But, there was no fear that Duncan would leave her for Grace. They were just friends, now, whatever they had been before.
Linda… There was no doubt that her Duncan had loved the woman. No question that he still did care for her. As an artist she knew that beauty really was more than just firm skin and bright hair. The love they had was more than skin deep, too, that it would last.
He shifted a bit making a soft sound.
“Duncan, come on, let’s get you into bed, my love.”
She helped him stand and undress, then gently pulled him into the bed with her. His head settled against her shoulder and he put an arm around her. She waited until she was sure he was asleep before moving enough to pick up her pad. The sketch was a good likeness, but not something he needed to see. Perhaps one of these days she'd show it to him. Carefully she slid the drawing pad under the bed. He didn't need to see the sketch of Linda Plager now. He shifted a little, drawing her closer. She stroked his hair for a moment before etting herself drift off. He loved her, that was enough.
They would be together forever.