Welcome to this week's Write It Wednesday! My submission is below, and the link-up follows. You have until Saturday 10/20 to submit your entries. I can't wait to read your writings!
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His fingers entwined themselves intuitively through hers, as his other hand brushed her hair behind her ear. All afternoon Grace had waited for this moment, feeling his skin brush hers.
“I love you.”
The words buzzed in her ears and her stomach burned subtly. He smiled, a great big smile showing off his perfect teeth set in a boyish face with big brown eyes. He made it seem so easy, loving her. Loving him had been the easiest thing she’d ever done.
“I love you too, Jake.”
She could say it a thousand times and it would always be new. The ember glowing in her chest would never dull, only emanate outward to ignite her her arms, legs, fingers, toes. Six months ago, Jake was a meaningless face in a hallway of people Grace passed every day in her office. Six months ago, his brown eyes caught hers and a grin puckered the corner of his cheeks.
They walked lazily around the public gardens, the landmark of their first date. It was not long after their first glance before Jake had called Grace to ask her out. She was struck by his sweetness, how he opened doors and pulled out her chair. The perfect gentleman. The next date followed a few days later. Then the next. Soon dates transformed into daily life.
Grace marveled that six months ago, she hadn’t known Jake. And now, he was her life. They spent secret moments dreaming of the future: their home, their kids, their hair turning grey together. Jake gave her life direction, and the blank pages of the next chapters of her story now had words, paragraphs, meaning.
She turned her head to see his face. Handsome, with strong cheeks and a rounded chin. His brown wavy hair fell in messy locks on his forehead, causing him to constantly be brushing them back. Grace gently swept this soft mane to the side with her slender fingers. This was the face she would wake up to each morning, and close her eyes to each night. She could trace his features even with her eyes closed. He was perfection.
“Grace?”
An unfamiliar voice drew her back to the present. A sterile smell filled her nose, the harsh lights hurting her eyes. She looked at the man speaking to her. A white coat with the classic stethoscope prop around his neck. His voice was white noise until she shook her head and the room came into focus.
Grace could feel the smooth skin encased between her hands. She knew every wrinkle, the smoothness of his nails, the scar adorning the knuckle of his thumb. She knew these hands, but they felt far away. Glancing over at the rail-lined bed, she recognized the form beneath the sheets, but the face was that of an unrecognizable stranger. Bruises, swellings, deep gashes. A horror movie.
This is just a movie, Grace told herself. An unbearably long scene in a grotesque movie. She counted back from 100, hoping she would wake up. She pinched her arm, stomped her foot, but this was not her subconscious.
This was her reality.
“Grace. We did everything we could. I am so sorry.”
Her face was hot and moist. This confused her until she let go of his hand and touched her cheeks. Wet. Tears. Why was she crying? She felt the man’s heavy hand on her shoulder.
“He’s gone, Grace.”
She heard his words, and knew they were real, but could not bring herself to believe them.
“I love you.”
The words buzzed in her ears and her stomach burned subtly. He smiled, a great big smile showing off his perfect teeth set in a boyish face with big brown eyes. He made it seem so easy, loving her. Loving him had been the easiest thing she’d ever done.
“I love you too, Jake.”
She could say it a thousand times and it would always be new. The ember glowing in her chest would never dull, only emanate outward to ignite her her arms, legs, fingers, toes. Six months ago, Jake was a meaningless face in a hallway of people Grace passed every day in her office. Six months ago, his brown eyes caught hers and a grin puckered the corner of his cheeks.
They walked lazily around the public gardens, the landmark of their first date. It was not long after their first glance before Jake had called Grace to ask her out. She was struck by his sweetness, how he opened doors and pulled out her chair. The perfect gentleman. The next date followed a few days later. Then the next. Soon dates transformed into daily life.
Grace marveled that six months ago, she hadn’t known Jake. And now, he was her life. They spent secret moments dreaming of the future: their home, their kids, their hair turning grey together. Jake gave her life direction, and the blank pages of the next chapters of her story now had words, paragraphs, meaning.
She turned her head to see his face. Handsome, with strong cheeks and a rounded chin. His brown wavy hair fell in messy locks on his forehead, causing him to constantly be brushing them back. Grace gently swept this soft mane to the side with her slender fingers. This was the face she would wake up to each morning, and close her eyes to each night. She could trace his features even with her eyes closed. He was perfection.
“Grace?”
An unfamiliar voice drew her back to the present. A sterile smell filled her nose, the harsh lights hurting her eyes. She looked at the man speaking to her. A white coat with the classic stethoscope prop around his neck. His voice was white noise until she shook her head and the room came into focus.
Grace could feel the smooth skin encased between her hands. She knew every wrinkle, the smoothness of his nails, the scar adorning the knuckle of his thumb. She knew these hands, but they felt far away. Glancing over at the rail-lined bed, she recognized the form beneath the sheets, but the face was that of an unrecognizable stranger. Bruises, swellings, deep gashes. A horror movie.
This is just a movie, Grace told herself. An unbearably long scene in a grotesque movie. She counted back from 100, hoping she would wake up. She pinched her arm, stomped her foot, but this was not her subconscious.
This was her reality.
“Grace. We did everything we could. I am so sorry.”
Her face was hot and moist. This confused her until she let go of his hand and touched her cheeks. Wet. Tears. Why was she crying? She felt the man’s heavy hand on her shoulder.
“He’s gone, Grace.”
She heard his words, and knew they were real, but could not bring herself to believe them.
~~~~~
In case you missed the 10/10 Write It Wednesday, you can read the submissions here.
Write It Wednesday Link Up
