Last Friday Evening

With a quiet sigh, Robert pushed himself up from the love seat, slowly transferring his weight to his tired joints. Clicking the remote on his armrest, he silenced the news anchor. He turned to Loretta, she, still staring wide-eyed at the now dull gray screen and he, admiring the way the pattern of soft light and shadow from the blinds traced the contours of the face he still adored.

Her questioning gaze was met with his comical grin as he extended his right hand in invitation. With a quizzical tilt of her head and a soft smile, she placed her small, crooked fingers in his palm. His thumb wrapped over them gently and, rocking forward twice in a practiced motion, she rose to her feet, confident in the balance he provided. Taking her right hand in his left, he slipped the other gently around her waist, inching closer in a familiar, poised embrace.

Loretta's smile widened and together, they stepped in perfect time to the waltz that played only in their minds. Only a few steps, then his eyes urged her to turn out and twirl. It was a clumsy movement at their age and within the confines of the tiny living room. In Robert's eyes, it was a vision of grace befitting his goddess.

As she returned to his arms, he turned to guide her toward the bedroom, but she resisted and turned toward the window. He understood, and raised the blinds so they could stand side by side and gaze out at the city as it prepared for slumber. She rested her head against his chest and squeezed his hand tightly as his arm draped over her shoulders. Shadows lengthened and traced their way slowly across the buildings as their lights winked to life in anticipation of the long night.

Feeling the dampness of a tear on his shirt, he turned to her and caressed her cheek, then placed the crook of his finger under her chin, coaxing her face upward and her eyes to his own. Shaking his head, he wiped the tear from the corner of her eye, then bent to kiss the creases where the taste still lingered. She clung tightly for a moment, then nodded and stepped back, pulling the cord to drop the blinds. In perfect sync, they drew the heavy drapes, did an about-face and linked arms. Loretta flicked the living room lamp switch off as they promenaded toward the French doors of the bedroom.

Already in their sleepwear, they followed the familiar routine. Robert pulled the multi-paned doors shut and latched them against nothing. The scent of her perfume wafted to his nostrils as she dabbed a drop behind each ear. The crystal tinkled softly as she replaced the stopper in the bottle on her dresser and moved to sit on the edge of the double bed, waiting. This was the continuation of their nightly dance, interrupted only momentarily tonight by a necessary walk to the window.

Robert stepped carefully across the narrow space in front of his wife and turned on her bedside lamp. He folded down the afghan she had knitted years ago. This was followed by the light blanket and top sheet, then her hand was again in his as she slid to the opening and he helped guide her legs into place and adjusted her pillow. As she lay back, he lifted the covers, only as far as her armpits, just as she liked. He raised an eyebrow as she folded them back down to her waist. He bent for their goodnight kiss and they both held it longer than usual, extending the dance tonight, for the sake of the dance.

Moving to his side of the bed, turning off the overhead light on the way, Robert slid between the soft sheets they had changed, together, earlier in the day. The scent of fabric softener added its ambiance to the air that Loretta faithfully kept dust-free with her daily cleaning.

Loretta scooched. Robert scooched. One more scooch found Loretta's head resting on her husband's waiting arm. They rolled to face each other and clasped hands in the next step of the dance. Tonight, they would linger in this position, lost in each other's eyes.

Neither paid any heed to the drone of the warning sirens as it started and wound its way upward to a forlorn wail. Their world was sealed tightly against distractions. Everything they needed was directly in front of them.

Moments later, the first bright flashes penetrated the heavy fabric of the drapes, but Robert and Loretta smiled, blissfully unaware and hopelessly in love. They drew their last breaths in unison, oblivious to the white heat of the final flash.

***

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