Understanding the Situation

A Story by Pimby The Poet

When an old flame returns and Lisa feelings come rushing back will she forgive him for the unforgivable? Will he stay? Read to find out!

“Rummaging… Rummaging…. Rummaging…“ I thought to myself. What does this mean? Who only writes on a piece of paper, rummaging. Was he looking for something in particular, or was he just insane. Oh well everyone else always said Heath was a mad man I guess he was. I got up from the table and walked into the living room and just stood there, thinking. “It has to mean something…” I whispered to myself. “Why don’t you ask me personally if you are so curious?” I jumped a little and looked around the room. I didn’t see anything or anyone. “Who is there?” “Who do you think?” He said with a sarcastic tone in his voice. I rolled my eyes at the tone of his voice. I reached for the light switch to ruin the mystery of it all when I felt a hand on mine. “I’ll get that.” I pulled my hand back and watched as the light filled the room reaching to where the man was standing. “HEATH, is it really you?” “No, I’m just a ghost haunting your hallways…” He looked at me with this blank stare. “Yup it is you.” I said with a flat tone in my voice. I wrapped my arms around his, firm, waist as I felt his arms embrace me. He took a deep breath in and then exhaled.

I felt his hand caress the back of my head. “You haven’t missed me have you?” “Not one bit this hug is just a charade to distract you from the fact that there is a person behind you about ready to stab you.” “Always the dreamer.” He laughed at me. “You know me I have high hopes.” I let my arms fall down to my sides as I walked back into the kitchen. I heard his heavy footsteps follow behind me. I stopped at the sink and began to wash the dishes. “Oh this is what you were thinking about so deeply before I scared you. This means nothing by the way. I was just writing stuff.” “ Well there goes the mystery there.” “Well I am not a man of mystery you should know this by now. Everything about me you already know.” “Yeah, yeah I know.” I placed my hands into the sink full of water and pulled out a dish as I began to wash it.
“Why are you washing dishes, when you should be spending your time with me?” “Because you know you are only going to leave again.” I heard the chair move across the floor as I assumed he took a seat and waited for me to finish the dishes. I took my time washing them. “Why do you this every time you come back?” “Do what?” “Act like I should stop everything I am doing because you have finally come back.” “I don’t act that way. Did you ever think that I wanted your attention on me because you are what most precious to me?” “No… but if I was what most precious to you why do you continue to leave me?”

“You know that it is my job to travel.” “But I can’t even call you when you are away!” “Please don’t do this…” I felt his hands on my arms as he then pulled my arms to my chest, and then he proceeded to wrap his arms around me. He pressed my arms closer to my chest. I felt a tear run down my cheek. I sniffed quietly. He leaned his head on my shoulder as I just stood there and cried. He knew how much it hurt when I watched him walk out that door not knowing if and when he would return. I knew that at any given moment he could die and I wouldn’t even get a notice of it because it could trace him back to me and I would be killed. I hated his job. “Lisa… Please stop crying.” I heard a break in his voice as if he was about to burst into tears. My heart ached when I heard his voice. “I can’t… You know…” “I…” I felt his hands let go of me as I heard his footsteps retreat, listening as they faded. At that moment my chest heaved as I began to cry harder than I ever have before.

I fell to the floor as my knees gave out on me. I cried into my, water soaked, hands. My face felt as if it was on fire but I knew it wasn’t. My nose was all runny and my eyes, I didn’t need a mirror to know, they were blood-shot red. I screamed a little. I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore and then I was just tired. I wasn’t just tired from crying but tired of being in so much emotional pain. I felt drained and weak. I tried to stand on my feet but my knees weren’t obeying me. They kept buckling under the pressure of my weight. I guess my body was tired as well. I curled up on the kitchen floor and closed my eyes. The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was “Lisa…” Heath spoke with such sadness in his voice. I woke up the next morning and he had me incased in his arms. He had a rhythmic breathing so I knew he was sleeping. I tried to slip out of his arms but his arms just pulled me back tighter.

“Don’t … go…” He said with a sleepy voice. I just hugged his arms and laid there. He slept for what felt like hours but it was only few more minutes. I knew he was awake when I felt his lips on the back of my head. “Hey…” He whispered. I gently slipped out of his arms and walked into the bathroom. He sighed in a frustrated manor. I looked into the mirror. “Man I look like crap.” I turned on the faucet and splashed some water on my face and then dried it off. Then I walked back into the bedroom, he was lying there with his eyes closed. He looked so beautiful. “Stop staring at me.” He opened his left eye and looked out the corner of it. I just smiled at him. “Well I can only assume that you are no longer mad at me.” “I can only assume that you plan on quitting your job and finding a new one?” “Well no I don’t so what does that mean?” “Temporary I will be happy with but afterwards I promise to be mad.” He just laughed at me. I walked towards him and climbed back into the bed.

“You laugh now but once you have felt my wrath you won’t be laughing anymore.” He reached out and grabbed my hand, sliding his finger between mine. Then he pressed my hand against his lips. “This hand that is attached to this beautiful woman that lies next to me could never have a wrath that could hurt as much as her tears would…” He said in a soft, sad voice. That was his was his way of telling me to never cry like that again because it only put him in pure agony. “If the tears I shed are because you keep leaving me wouldn’t the answer be to stay…” “Lisa we been over this before, you already know the answer.” “I’m hoping that one day that me loving you is more than enough to sustain you.” “Your love is what keeps me going when I am out there trying to provide for you.” “You can provide for me right here. I want a family with you how can I when you are always gone?” “We will. You have to be patient.” I took my hand from his and turned away from him.

“Please stop, Lisa. You are acting very immature and you know this.” “Well I am tired of saying “It is okay” and “I’ll be fine” when secretly my heart is breaking more and more every time you leave me for your job. I hate not knowing where you are! I HATE IT!” I screamed to the top of my lungs in anger! I felt his body shift on the bed, making me move a little. “I... never mind, I love you Lisa and that is all I can say to you. I know I hurt you and I know I am the reason you cry or it is hard for you to be happy but this job I worked so hard for I can’t just go back to my same old boring desk job. I asked for this you know. I can’t just say my wife hates me doing this so I need my old job back. I signed a contract. It is only one more year then I can come home permanently but if I quit now then they could have me arrested for breach of contract…”

“You never told me that…” “That is because you’re not suppose to know but I have to tell you because you need to know why I can’t just quit. I need you to be more understanding and supporting, like you use to.” I turned my head and saw he was sitting on the right side of the bed with his head in his hands. My actions were causing him just as much pain as his action was causing me. I turned over and moved closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I pressed my face into his back. He took my hands from his waist and placed them on the bed. He then stood up and turned around with this look on his face. It was a look of relief. He reached down and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tenderly. “I love you, Lisa.” “I love you, Heath.” He left that night. A few years passed and he never returned...