We are building something beautiful. But first, dirt! Dirt, rust, and lovely hot metal. It's our secret for now. "He opens the cardboard, and then the canister, shakes the colorful balls out into his hand.
"Juggling balls?” He laughs, surprised and pleased. He tries them out- drops them- instantly catches the bug- now we’re throwing the balls around, probably going to break something any minute- grinning, jumping around. Definitely not juggling, by any stretch of the word, but its fun trying. He stops and watches me flail around like a gleeful idiot. “Baby, if you can juggle gracefully for two minutes…” He grins harder and laughs, can’t finish his sentence. “...I'll give you a surprise!” he says, smiling hugely, laughing and laughing. We keep throwing the balls around the kitchen, giggling. Catching each others eyes. Ah, my dear honey. Ah, my man's smile. One of the best I’ve ever given him. Inward, stunned at itself. Love. Love is a river at night, love is a rising sun. Always coming back around. |
Pauline WestPauline West's first novel, EVENING’S LAND, is winner of the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Award and recipient of the Carol Marie Smith Memorial Scholarship for the NOEPE Center of Literary Arts. Categories
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