Waiting with the Wind pt.2- A Short Story

“Well I’m right here.” She whispered. She reached over and ruffled what little gray hair he had left. Just at the same time, Dennis felt a short breath of an evening chill creep along his scalp. “Talk to me, D. What’s the matter? You know I don’t have much time.” She met his eyes, and he couldn’t help but feel a lump rise in his throat. He swallowed it back.

            “This life, Mill.” He thought. Then he continued through open lips. “It’s sp, spin, spinning too, too, fast for, for, for, for this old, old m, m, man. I can’t, can’t, do it alone any, anymore.” Dennis cupped his hands together to regain warmth and nestled them in his snow-covered lap.

            Milly leaned forward and out her face next to his, ever so careful as not to touch his ear or cheek. “That’s the beauty of this crazy world. We never think we can get through it. We don’t give ourselves enough credit.”
            Dennis was trying his best to keep up. “Oh, Milly, I hope you never had to do it alone. I mean, I hope I was always what you needed.” He thought loud enough, she heard him through his eyes.

            “I did for twenty years.” She said. Dennis’ heart leapt up into his throat. “But let me finish” she reassured him. “I grew up thinking I would find something, someone. I grew up always with one foot on the ground, afraid that what I had was the best I would ever have. And that scared me. Time and time again, a rug was pulled out from under me, and with only one foot on the ground, you can imagine how hard it was to stand back up. I want to quit too, honey. But if I had, I would never have gained my second leg to sturdy me” her eyes twinkles, collected and bright.

            Dennis sniffled, “and what was that?”
            “What was what?” she asked, genuinely confused.
            “What was your second leg?”
            “Oh, D. It was you!” she readjusted her jacket and kissed her husband on the cheek, right on top of a freshly fallen snowflake. “I’m always here and you’re never alone.” She promised as she stood to her feet. She tucked a stray brown curl under her beanie and looked into Dennis’ wide eyes. “Just look up to the sky and you’ll always see me. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

            Dennis spoke now, his mind and voice finally both equally clear. “I love you, Milly.”

            She winked back at the lonely man on the park bench. “Love you too, D. Same time tomorrow.” And just like that, she vanished behind the same patch of young spruce at which she appeared.

            Dennis stood, now seeing the moonlight rock against the bare branches. He licked his lips, tasting the salt of a previously fallen tear. His knees ached, but lifted him without a single crack. His eyes focused on the freshly laid trail of snow leading right up to this empty house. Step by step, he made his way back, keeping one eye on the shale-striped sky.