Marty stirred. He felt groggy. His body was aching, stiff and solid. He opened his eyes slowly, they took a while to adjust to the morning light pouring in through the windows. He registered his surroundings. The hearth had blackened, a pile of ash and soot had replaced the glowing fire from the night before. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, clicked his necked and tried to stand. Every muscle in his back throbbed, his knees seemed to creak as he straightened up. He felt stale and old. He was still wearing his work clothes and heavy over coat. His living room was cold and bare. The storm has blown over leaving a frosty empty silence behind.
He stood and sighed breathing out a small cloud of mist, the floorboards creaked as he did. He needed a shower, he had a bitter taste in his mouth. Rubbing his face and forehead he slowly shuffled toward the bathroom. He let the steam fill the room, encompassing his vision and his bare body, before he let the water stream over him. He needed the heat and the water to wake him up. Mentally he still felt half asleep. A shower was one thing but what he needed now was a very strong coffee!
Freshly showered, with brushed teeth and clean clothes, Marty switched on the kettle and put on some toast. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion this morning. Maybe he should cut back on the drinking, he thought to himself. It left him with such a dullness.
He poured the boiling water into the mug and stood there for a moment. His mind empty, staring at nothing in particular. It was just for a moment though.
“Hi” a voice said from behind him. Marty was instantly jolted back to earth. He swiveled, almost losing his balance, to see her. And the memory of the night before came flooding back in such a rush.
She stood there, unsure. Her face was puffy from sleep. Her make up smudged in panda like markings under her eyes.
Marty, hesitated, staring at her, slightly shocked. But then with more gusto and with a gentle smile, he replied “Morning, how you feeling now? Better?”
She smiled back, a small and shy smile ” Yes. Thank you!”
“Glad to hear it” I’m making some coffee, you want some? How do you take it?” Marty found himself surprisingly glad of the company, cheerful even. The words bubbled out of him, making small talk. His words filled any possible silence and removed all the strangeness of the situation.
Gratefully she responded and chatted back. She smiled even. She asked him questions about the town, where he worked and if he lived alone. He had a suspicion that she was assessing him. She was trying to find out if he was one of those weirdos or even a psycho killer. The more they talked the more she visibly relaxed. She drank her coffee, held in one hand and gestured as she talked. Her eyes sparkled, her curiosity undeniable. And even though the remains of the night before were still marked, that girl was disappearing and the woman before him became more alive with each minute.
Now he could see that she was attractive; not a fragile mess but a differently beautiful woman. Her nose slender and perfect in length, her skin smooth and pale. She was short in a cute way. She was curvy, with a small petite bottom and shapely legs. But it was the way she talked that intrigued him. She chatted, speaking so quickly he had to listen carefully to follow what she said. She sounded intelligent, using words he barely understood.
Marty found himself describing his little village in detail. He told her about Lenny the barkeep, who had been his inseparable friend when they were young boys. How they went on adventures along the rocky shore, hiking up the hills to the cliffs or swimming in the waves of the icy ocean. He spoke about his parents who lived down in the village, elderly and sweet. His mother tried to feed him when he went over to visit, with whatever she had baked that day. His father was a quiet man. He spent most of his days in his garden, watering, weeding and nurturing his vegetables or blooming flowers. As they spoke he was transported back to his childhood. He realized then how long it had been since he had shut out the outside world.
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Colour My World 