He came running to her, out of breath. His hair ruffled by the wind, shirt flying behind him, panting slightly. “He looks like an angel.” She had thought. She was still not over his beauty even after three years of togetherness. His presence still filled her with the same excitement as it had done the first time. It was something resistant to fading over time. He was not conventionally good looking, but to her he was like a stone, in appearance and manner, carved artfully to satisfy her fancy. He felt so perfect that she thought she could never have him. She tried to find solace in other men, but unconsciously she had started comparing them to him. None seemed even close to his perfection.
Then one day, without preamble he confronted her with his feelings. It was a thing with him, you could never know what to expect. It could shock you to death either with elation, or agony. It was ironic, how he could induce such fierce emotions in others, when he seldom betrayed any emotion himself.
He had been away for the past two months now. She had missed him every single day, even the days when she had not thought about him. But tonight was different. She had had a sudden pang of urgency that had shocked her out of her sleep. She knew something was happening.
She stared at the ceiling for a long time. It made her restless. She put on her dressing gown and walked out into the balcony. Standing by the railing, she stared into nothingness. It was only after a long time she realized that she was cold. The night was chilly. Just as she was making her mind to get her coat, two hands wrapped a shawl around her bare shoulders. She didn’t give a hint of surprise. She had already known something was happening. He had come back. Unannounced. His style. Using the door was too conventional for his liking.
Now as he stood with his arms wrapped around her, it was as if he had never been away. She could feel his warm breath on her neck as he took in her perfume. They needed no explanations, no talks, no words. Together they stood in perfect silence.
