AFTER THAT 1997

A WOMAN AND HER LOVE AND BETRAYAL 1997

Nuala is home before Brian...
she is glad it will allow her
time to prepare, to prepare
herself for him and his innocence

of her and Una and their love
and love making... she makes
a coffee, lights a cigarette, sits
and looks around the kitchen,

warm and cosy...she sniffs her
clothes, is there any scent of
Una on her? hard to tell, hard
for a woman to smell another

woman's scent unlike man...
she ought to shower, wash any
scent away from skin and hair,
change clothes, but she doesn't

she just sits there... that kiss on
parting from Una was so hot,
she didn't think she could leave
after that, but needs must, and

the bus home sitting there and no
one knowing or caring brought
sense of freedom, but here with
Brian due home she feels suddenly

exposed...Brian is due home soon,
she can picture him, smiles and
cheerfulness, jokes about his darn
workplace, and him not aware,

innocent of her betrayal, of her
kissing and making love to another,
bedding a woman...the door from
the hall is opening, he's home, his

voice in the passageway, warm, but
what to do? how to be? what to say?