The Woods Near the Lake House

The couple faced each other in the living room. He stood, eyes wet, watching her while tears fell freely from her face. Her green eyes were swollen from crying.

The pain in his chest intensified as he pulled her into a hug. He could smell her shampoo as he held her close. Her body shook with every sob, and he gripped her tighter. She could hear the whispers but didn't understand anything he said.

As she cried, he kissed her head and gazed at the walls. Three white picture frames spotted the knotty pine walls. In one frame, they held hands while walking along the Caribbean shores. Another picture showed her laughing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

The last picture made his heart skip a beat every time he gazed at it. In it, they smiled at the camera while standing on the Great Wall. That photo held a special place in his heart.

Her sobs calmed down, and he leads her to the overstuffed couch. She stared out the window out at the lake. The sunset painted the sky orange, yellow, and pink. The water looked like a sheet of glass.

A tea kettle whistled, and he rushed to it. He pulled a cup from the nearby cupboard and poured a cup of tea. He placed it on the table in front of her and took his coat off the rack. She didn't look at him or the cup.

"I'm going for a walk," he said. She didn't answer. He sighed as he walked out the door.

He shivered when he shut the door. The snow sparkled in the moonlight. He could hear the crunch under his shoes. On his right, a small pond lay frozen. He wondered if the ice was thick enough to walk across. But it was late November, so he didn't want to risk it.

He smelled the dirt with every step. Pine cones crunched beneath him as he walked. Gray squirrels darted away from him as he walked deeper into the woods.

He stopped at a dilapidated treehouse. A stump sat in front of the door. He knew better than to try to climb the old tree. He sat on the stump and let out a sigh.

An owl landed on a nearby branch. Its yellow eyes stared down at the man. He didn't notice the snow-colored bird above him watching.

"I can't keep doing this," he said, "I keep disappointing her! Maybe she would be better off with someone else."

If he noticed the owl in the tree, he would've thought the owl could understand him. It watched him silently. It blinked as it listened to the man on the stump. The man let out a soft cry and put his head in his hands.

"She's the best woman I've ever been with," he cried, "and here I am sabotaging everything. She deserves so much better."

The owl flew to a lower branch, eyeing the man. He still didn't look up at the sight of the bird.

"I can't see her with anyone else," he said. He looked up and saw the owl in the tree. The owl picked at its wings and coughed up a pellet. It gave the man one more look and flew above the trees.

He stood up and walked back to the lakehouse. His chest tightened as he walked into the house.

She still sat on the couch, staring out into the lake. Her eyes were so red they looked like they hurt. The teacup sat empty on the table. She didn't look up when he sat down.