The darkness of night was falling over her which increased her dread. She paced the floor, pausing to look out the window to see if any car lights were visible yet.
The wine was warming. She thought about putting it back to chill, but didn't. She was losing the ability to make rational decisions with every minute that passed then.
She sat for a minute, but couldn't stand the inactivity and resumed pacing. She kept catching herself chewing her nails and each time, she cursed him.
"Where are you? Why do you do this to me? How can I be such a fool?"
Her questions were thrown about without answers. They were just momentary, mental self-beatings, borne from frustration.
She looked at the clock. He was 3 minutes late now. Why did it seem so much later? She paced the other direction, but that was unsatisfactory so she turned and went back to her original path.
The desk needed dusting. The rug wasn't perfectly straight. Where was the cat? Is the wine too warm now? Did he say 7 or 7:30? Was her eyeliner running? Why did she do this to herself?
He turned off the interstate and gunned the car. It shot ahead then, free of the commuter traffic and finally on an empty road.
He turned the radio off and concentrated on the headlight beams which illuminated the road and brush as he turned through the curves and over the hills.
"Damn this to hell."
Why did he have to be late tonight of all nights? He should have left earlier. Why didn't he get flowers? Where did he put the breath mints?
He was as impatient as she was.
Two lifetimes later he pulled into her drive. She saw lights flashing through the window and heard the car and raced to the door.
There was no thought of pretense by waiting coyly inside for him to knock. She flung the door open and was out in the yard as soon as the car stopped.
He leapt out of the car and raced to her. He grabbed her and she clung to him as he lifted her up, both overcome with the joy that possessed them.
They kissed frantically, unable to wait for hellos...lips pressed tightly together.....eyes squinting or closed. Their minds were empty of everything but that kiss.
Time was frozen to them, or did it race? They did not know, or care or even realize there was time. All they knew was that they were together finally and that was all they needed to know.
He carried her into the house and continued to hold her as they kissed.
He put her down after awhile and they just stood there together as if they didn't know what to do next. Their minds were still unhooked from rational thought.
They just stared. Yes they looked at each other but they also looked into each other. If you don't understand what that means, then you have never been in love.
They looked into each other forever and they smiled at what they saw. They smiled and looked and smiled some more.
"I have some wine."
She moved to the table. He followed. She took the bottle out of the bucket and handed it to him. He poured her glass and then his.
There wasn't need of pretenses related to the wine. They drank the wine and they drank each other. So heady, this taste of wine and each other was.
They kissed again to remind themselves how good it felt that minute or so ago. It was better this time, they thought.
When they moved apart to breathe and look at each other, she turned on the radio. She had it set to a classic rock and roll station, reliving better, or at least more fun days of her youth.
She went back to him.
