I wonder (ABBA) (0:33)
Peeling painting on the walls like forgotten memories, flower pots hanged by strings beside the windows ,a soft low thumb of a tail and a wag. I knew the third house in the row by heart. I stopped on the front porch and tapped twice on the door frame.
"Hey trouble, been a good boy have you? here you go", I opened the bag of dog biscuits and poured some in her food plate. She barked more out of habit than hostility.
When I walked inside ,the usual smell of cinnamon greeted me with foreign memories, memories that weren't mine but I still understood them. The old lady, Mrs Elara was in a usual chair, the huge shawl draped around her like a hug and a knitted sweater in her lap ,forehead full of wrinkles and eyes full of mischief.
"You're late", Elara teased
" I'm tragically early for someone with this much blush on" I smirked, setting a brown envelope down on her bedside table -- half my paycheck from yesterday folded neatly inside.
"I know you don't have blush on", she remarked.
"Fine, you win. You're too sweet though" Elara saw the envelope but didn't ask questions . She never did ,she knew I'd refused to take it back .She looked at me with watery eyes, the way someone might look at another as if they saw something familiar, The same little girl : heart too big, eyes too tired, but never saying no to the world.
"Thank you," she said quietly, with a smile too bright for this world ,a wise smile .Then added ,"for the dog's sake ,you know".
"Obviously," I replied, nudging trouble with my foot "I only do charity for Golden retrievers with commitment issues",
Elara laughed a soft ,warm laugh .Second person I made smile today. It felt like we both knew that this pocket of goodness was something we wanted to protect from the world.
After a few minutes, I checked my phone and stood up.
"Cafe time," I groaned ," Now I have to pretend I don't hate everyone for 6 hours straight"
"Try not to throw coffee at someone today" Elara teased,
" I'll actually aim to do two today , growth is important"
With that I grabbed my tote and started towards the door ,when I heard her say it:
"I love you , thought you ought to know that," Elara said.
Soft tears rimmed my eyes and an unfamiliar warmth crept up in my chest --- uninvited ,but still there .And for a moment, the reaction felt way too warm for just an " I love you," . But it was beautiful.
"You make it sound like it's easy ; love like it doesn't come with free heartbreak and conditions.."
"Oh but it is easy, if only you know who to love"
---
"I love you," I said...