………….

I didn’t need to turn around to know he had arrived.

He stood quietly, awaiting my acknowledgement.

I took a moment, then turned to face him.

“It doesn’t matter how beautiful the roses, your presence will never be welcome”.

He placed them on the table and walked through to the main room.

He had said he would be back in three days, and I knew he would be, but it never made it any easier.

Before long he reentered the room. Her body cradled in his cloaked arms. He stopped in front of me, it was always the same, he’d let me run my hand over their still warm

cheek one last time.

“Six days”, the words hung in the air, his robe rustling as he crossed the floor to leave.