I'm thrilled to share this story with you. Many thanks to Gill James for featuring it.
https://cafelitcreativecafe.blogspot.com/2020/03/surface-tension_13.html
Here's the link if you don't want to use the link:
Surface Tension
He remembered it from biology class. Surface
tension. It meant, The tendency of water
molecules to shrink into the smallest area possible. He remembered
something else, too, about a water bug being able to walk across the surface, which
at the time he'd thought was pretty amazing.
He'd
never been the best student and probably failed the science test back then, just
like he'd done years later with their marriage; failed. He'd shrunk, become
smaller as a human being while she'd grown and blossomed like the flowers he grew
in his carefully tended garden. He'd stayed safe and secure in his IT job. She had
grown like the bright blooming lilies in that same garden, excelling as a fast
tracked manager in an prestigious marketing firm, making new friends, traveling
both home and abroad and even joining a running club and completing a triathlon.
She'd grown and he hadn't. He'd taken the safe way, kept his head down and
played it safe. She'd moved on like that water bug, moving ever foreword,
fearlessly into the unknown.
Now
this.
Sure
they'd tried, especially during those early years. They'd made time for date
night once a week and together planned three getaway vacations each year. But
now, nine years in, their interests had changed and they'd drifted apart and
their marriage had died. He hadn't been enough for her. She had given up and now
she was telling him she was leaving, moving on.
"I've
had it, Bill," she said coming down from upstairs. "I just need
something different."
He had
nothing to say, knew her leaving was inevitable yet now was emotionally unprepared
and stunned speechless by the finality of it all.
"But...But..."
he finally mustered
"No
buts, Bill. It's over."
He
watched her eyes slip off his to some unknown, but for her, eagerly anticipated
future. A future that didn't include him. There was a twinkle there. And something
else he hadn't seen for years. A spark. She was on fire with her passionate
desire to leave.
She
picked up a single suitcase and her laptop satchel, kissed him on the forehead
and turned and walked out the front door.
He
watched as the door closed, leaving him alone. She was gone, gone for good. The
finality finally settling in, a heavy weight in his chest. Man, how he still
loved her. Man, how he wished he could change. Man, how he knew that he
couldn't.
He
went to sink and ran some water, filling the teapot. Some tea would be nice,
some nice soothing chamomile perhaps. He sat waiting for the water to boil, looking
out the window toward his garden but not seeing it. Time slowing to a crawl.
The
water started boiling, the teapot whistling but he didn't hear a thing. He
stood and started into space, remembering the rest of the definition for
surface tension. How it allowed for objects to float on the water's surface.
Suspended and drift less. Just like he felt now.
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