Marriage Talk 1

Forty minutes!

It took forty minutes

for the rectangle of light

from around the bathroom door to go off.

The door opening quietly

wearing what she usually wore to bed in winter

—flannel pajamas—

the young woman,

as quietly as possible,

tip­toed to bed.

Lying nude,

The young man

watched the shadow of his wife

as she approached the bed,

turning onto his side,

propping his head within the palm of his hand,

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Though said softly, the simple, one­ syllable word

seemed to resound throughout the room.

“Hi.”

For the young man

the word transmitted hopeful expectancy.

“Hi.”

For the young woman

the word was perceived as a demand for sex

that she was neither in a physical

nor mental mood to comply with.

Squirming beneath the blanket,

“if you really want to screw,”

She said,

“I’ll do it.

But I do want you to know,”

—she lied—

“I’ve such a headache!”

“You’ve a headache, huh?”

Turning onto his back,

“Know what?”

he said,

“You really ought to talk to your doctor

‘bout all the headaches you’ve been getting.”

“You don’t believe me.”

Said without anger,

“Do you?”

Onto his side again,

propping his head in his hand again ,

thinking before answering.

“I don’t want to argue.”

Speaking softly,

speaking without anger,

“But, yeah,

I don’t always believe you’re as sick

as you always say you are.”

Hesitating, adding,

“And I think you’re really looking

for an excuse not to have sex and…”

Hesitating again,

“I think you don’t love me anymore.

As a matter of fact,”

—truly believing this—

“I think you hate me.”

Turning onto her side also,

unable to see his features,

but feeling his closeness

feeling the touch of breath upon her face…

To be continued 

©April 13, 2012 / Mark M. Lichterman