Wind

**Been having a bit of brain fog over here lately thanks to catching the dreaded COVID-19 at the beginning of February. As an exercise, I thought I'd give the 750-word story challenge a try, even if the contest is over (this one is a couple of words over for submission purposes). I also thought I'd try for something non-erotic, perhaps a little deeper, more personal. Don't worry. I'm still working my other stories, including the sequel to The Wager.


Much love, Sophie. **


He looked at her from across the table and thought to himself, "She is just as beautiful as the day that I met her, possibly more."


She was gazing around the small restaurant, studying the layout and the people. Even though she tried not to make it obvious, she was avoiding looking at him, and he knew it.


A little less than a month ago, she had told him that she was no longer in love with him. His world had shattered into jagged little pieces, each one stabbing him in the heart. The one person in his life who he trusted and relied on the most, the one person who he had the utmost faith in to never let him down...was no longer in love with him.


The pain of it was unbearable. He hadn't been able to process the information at that moment, but the next day, he had sobbed uncontrollably all the way home from work. He had called her and begged her to forgive him for all the ways he had wronged her. He knew, in the pit of his stomach, that it was far too late.


He had taken her for granted, assumed she would always be there for him, with him. He had never taken into consideration how his words could affect her. That they'd end up pushing her away. He had just assumed she would forgive him like she always did, but the hurt had started to pile up and the burden of them had worn her down.


After her revelation, he had tried to become the perfect husband. He made a conscious effort to watch what he said. He tried to help her around the house, with the kids, and even bought her flowers and cards to show her she was thought of and loved. She had smiled at him, but the smile never reached her eyes. It made his heart ache.


"I remember the first time I saw you ride a bike," he blurted out.


She looked over at him, a confused look flitting across her face.


"You do?" she asked.


"Yeah. Your grandfather had brought over two bikes that you had ridden when you were a kid, and I watched you get on one of them and ride it around the driveway and the yard. You were carefree, with the wind blowing through your hair, a radiant smile on your face...I just remembered thinking, 'Wow...she's mine.'"


Tears sprang to her eyes, and she looked away. Had she continued to look at him, she would've seen the shine of tears in his own eyes. He did not want to lose her. She was his best friend, and they had been through so much together. How would he be able to move on, to live without her in his life every single day? He found himself reminiscing on old memories, things he had never shared with her. Now, he could not help but blurt them out. He wasn't trying to make her feel bad. He just couldn't help himself.


"Are you crying?" Of course, he knew she was. The question came out before he could stop himself.


"Yeah. I'm not really sure why," she said softly, looking back at him, tears glistening on her cheeks.


Carefully, she wiped them off and then reached across the table to hold his hands. His were rough and cold. Hers soft and warm. His heart squeezed painfully. Looking at her fingers intertwined with his, he saw that she still wore the ring on her left hand. He had never taken to wearing his own unless it was for special occasions. She had never gotten upset about it.


Because that's who she was. Always understanding, always forgiving, always trying to see things from his perspective. Even now, knowing that she no longer loved him like he loved her, she was hurting on his behalf. Understanding how he was feeling and knowing there was nothing she could do about it. She was simply existing in this moment, knowing that staying would dampen her spirit but being unable to leave because she couldn't stand to see him hurt.


She didn't know that he knew what she was doing and that her selflessness only made him love her more.


It was time for him to be the selfless one for a change.


"It's time for you to go find that vibrant, happy girl with the wind in her hair. Maybe, once her soul has healed, she will learn to love me again and come back to me."