The Daily Post, Daily Prompt 8/2/14: Odd Trio Redux

Time for another Odd Trio prompt: write a post about any topic you want, in whatever form or genre, but make sure it features a slice of cake, a pair of flip-flops, and someone old and wise.

The Daily Post Daily Prompt 8/2/14: Odd Trio Redux

 

With her mind swimming, Beth walked over to her favorite Adirondack chair, kicking off her flip flops as she sat. Placing the slice of cake, chocolate with fudge frosting, on the table beside her where it would be easily accessible should she need the emotional comfort, she flipped open the journal to the first page.

Struggling with the feelings of guilt that were trying to take over, her eyes began to tear up as they fell upon the all too familiar script of her husband. As much as she longed to be able to reconnect with him, reading his journal, even one as old as this, still didn’t feel quite right. The fact that Jackson had been dead for 1 year, 2 months, and 8 days now didn’t help alleviate the feeling either.

Beth placed the journal on the table and picked up the cake. Taking a healthy forkful of the rich, comforting lusciousness into her mouth, she slowly chewed the cake, allowing all of her taste buds to drown in thick chocolate as she closed her eyes. “You can do this,” she cajoled herself. Picking up the journal, again, she allowed it to fall open on its own and forced herself to start reading.

“I met the most amazing person today! Yes, she is beautiful, which is what first caught my attention, but her wit, her intelligence…they are comforting and challenging in such a way that I find myself losing all interest in anything other than listening to her talk. I was sitting in ‘Brewed Thoughts,’ just reading while enjoying my cup of green tea when she walked in, ordered a 32oz, four shot, extra vanilla latte. Her voice…it was her voice that actually first caught my attention…smooth, even, comforting, inviting…, but when I raised my eyes from the pages in front of me, time stopped. Her long, warm auburn hair flowing down her back, with some rebellious locks floating over her shoulder lazily curling left and right across her chest…and her eyes! The deep blue pools set in almond-shaped lids were too easy to drown in. The coy smile that traced her full lips caused me to want nothing more than to watch them move as she spoke. Well, nothing more than that as long as you didn’t count the deep seated, nearly overwhelming desire to feel those lips pressed against mine. Before I realized I was even moving, I found myself standing close enough to her to smell the light scent of jasmine. It took me a minute to recognize the voice I was hearing as my own and was shocked to hear myself asking her if she would care to join me as I was gesturing toward where I had abandoned my tea and book.”

Beth wiped at the tears that were now freely flowing from her eyes. Jackson had written down the day they met in his journal! She had had no idea that he had been so…enthralled by her. Beth knew he had been attracted to her and had always assumed that the sincere feelings he had felt, that they both had felt, had developed over time. The knowledge that he had been enraptured from the first glimpse of her both lessened and intensified the pain of his absence.

Remembering that day made Beth feel like that early 20’s girl, focused on her career path, loving life, with no thoughts of romance dancing around in her head. She didn’t want the distraction of a relationship. Beth had turned down many advances from different men in exchange for the focus being alone brought her.

Beth had never really given any thought to the fact that Jackson had just slipped into her life as if he had always been there. He hadn’t distracted her from her career goals. In fact, he had always given her ample room to pursue her career in any way she felt necessary. It was one of the things she had absolutely adored about the man.

She had also never contemplated a life without him in it. After 60 years of marriage, 60 amazing, cherished years, Beth had been suddenly forced to realize a world without Jackson. What a strange world it was, indeed.

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