The Lovers

For I so loved him, that I could not breathe.  I could not be without him.  I longed for his touch and the way his eyes sparkled when they met mine.  These times when we could not be together were so difficult to bear.  We are bound to others.  We met by chance and fell in love by accident.  Stolen moments and fortuitous meetings were all we were able to share.  Several years of this had brought us closer to each other and farther from our mates.  But our mates could never know.  It would be a scandal if the truth came out.  We would be ostracized.  Our families would be shamed.  So we must remain at a distance from one another.

Although I knew it was wrong, I still cried every night that I did not see my true love.  If I could just talk to him.  But then I’d want to see him.  And then I’d want to hold him.  And then I would want to break my vows and make wild, passionate love to him.  Thoughts of our intimacy brought me to sleep so I could focus on nothing else but his exquisite body and what it would do to mine.

Sooner or later it would happen.  There would come a day when we would be remarkably alone.  Our spouses would be traveling or visiting sick relatives while we remained behind to tend to the homes and the animals.  It would happen.  He would come over to make sure I was alright in my husband’s absence and ask if there was anything he could do for me.  I would invite him in.  We would sit politely, having tea and making small talk.  And then we would gaze at each other and he would ask if anyone was staying with me while my husband was away.  I would tell him that no one else is here and we are all alone.

He’d put down his tea, stand up, and walk to me, holding out his hand.  I’d put down mine as well and take his hand to stand with him.  He’d pull me in close and hug me like we were the only two people in the world.  We would both tremble in each other’s arms.  He would tell me how he’s longed for this moment for so long.  I would agree.  He would release me slightly so we could look at each other.  We would gaze, knowingly, longingly, passionately, into each other’s eyes for a long moment as though we were having an entire conversation without words.  And then he would lean down.  So slowly he’d move.  As though he’s afraid I’d pull away.