Friday, February 11, 2011

Unraveling Into Music


I looked over the streets of London from my rooftop, watching the dusty ash dissipate as I blew rings of smoke from my cigarette. My last carton was sitting beside me-and there were only three left. How did I become so good at such a bad habit? I grabbed a few strands of my almost pitch black hair and examined the split ends.

"You smoking again, Jude?" I heard a voice from behind.

"Mmm hmmm," I replied, not looking back.

William joined me out in the chill night air.

"What's got you worked up this time?" He asked. I don't answer. He pulls back my hair to one side revealing my shoulder; caressing it. I was cold. But his hands were warm. Gentle. Sincere. But for some stupid reason, I didn't want to let him know that at that moment. I remained silent.

"May I have a smoke?"

Saying nothing, nor looking over at his caring smile beneath his 5 o' clock shadow, I handed over the carton.
William throws it over the rooftop, watching it tumble down six stories landing in some shrubs.

"Bloody hell!" I shout. "What are you doing? That was my last one!"

"You know you'll go right over to Bridget's first thing in the morning and bum a few off her anyway. Come on, Love, tell me what's wrong." William pleads.
"My bum hurts from sitting out here for so long, that's what's wrong." I said, as I stood up and climbed through the open window. William followed. I wish I could have told him what was the matter. I really did. But the fact was, I had no idea. I loved William more than anything. He was smart, funny, charming and looked delicious in just about anything. He's honest in his opinions, respects mine, and sees me through everything. But I just felt...empty.


I could tell William could see how uneasy I was; my forehead creased and my lips were pressed together so tightly, my teeth felt as though they could bite straight through the skin. William began to sing. He had a heavenly voice. But I wasn't up for it; not tonight.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad."  William begins softly. "Take a sad song and make it better..." My expression didn't change. William quickly changes pace by grabbing a wooden spoon from our kitchen and as if it were a microphone, cranks his voice up a few notches belting, "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, naaa..Jude-" I shot him a look and headed into the bedroom.

I can't believe him, I kept thinking. How could he crack jokes when clearly I was not in the mood? And why did he have to throw my cigarettes over the ledge? Why couldn't he have just-

"Judith," He calls softly. And there it was.

I smiled, slowly turning my body towards the sound of John Lennon's guitar playing from our record player.
Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover. Something in the way she wooes me. I don't want to leave her now, You know I believe and how.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I ran into William's arms, gripping him tightly and cried.

"How did you know?" I asked.

William shrugged and got that look in his eye. "I just knew." He kissed the top of my head and held me close, swaying to the music.

2 comments:

DONNA said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!! You ended it right there! ugh!!! OK, What was it exactly that he knew???

urr that was too good!!!

But you got to finish it!!

Bob Juan Casanova (Robert) said...

That song... "Something in the way she moves..." I love that song. Damn romantic and strangely haunting. So cool that you used it in the story like that.