In Those Days

 (My brand of fictional writing.)

The bright bright light shining through the kitchen window.
It is still early.  The cool hangs on in the air, greets my bare toes on the floor as I make my morning tea.  I grab the sugar and the rays coming through the kitchen window touch my skin and warm it against the chill.  Even though there's an amazing day ahead of me, a few quiet moments are all I need to prepare for it.

This feeling, this routine.  It stirs something deep within.  It reminds me of a long forgotten time when I was so breakable.  Fragile skin like paper that warmed in the lines of sunlight streaming through that window in our old house.  That sun- I thought it was so powerful in those days.  Our lazy beagle would wait for me in the dining room, his own little patch of sunlight near my chair.

Oh those days!  Those early morning teas meant the world to me- moments before the kids would wake and like a gong jump start me into a new day full of busyness.  The memories are fading, they feel almost dreamlike now, was it really fifty years ago?  I smile as I let the light play over my fingers.  Fifty years?  
No, actually that's not quite right.  It's been much longer than that.  It reminds me of something we used to say in those days- "Time flies when you're having fun".  Yes, it certainly has.

A sound behind me jolts me right back into the present- a door.

"Ready to go?"

I turn around when I hear that familiar voice.  My face turns upward into a smile as I see my darling husband.  "Of course," I answer.
He extends his hand.  I reach it with mine and feel him give it a squeeze.  He smiles at me and his eyes turn soft.  Those same puppy dog dark eyes that I fell in love with when we were, well, remember?  Yes.  The memory almost makes me laugh. 
  
We thought we were in love then.  We didn't even know what love was.

We turn and walk out the door together.  Not because we have to, but because today we think it might be fun to do things the old fashioned way.

My untouched cup of tea is still sitting on the kitchen table.  It makes HIM laugh but I do still enjoy going through these old motions of everyday activities- like that cup of tea- even though I no longer need such things.  As my tea waits for no one its heat escapes in beautiful wisps and curls of steam, and my love and I greet the true source of that Light that was blazing through my window- It's just another day in Paradise.

Valerie Riedman