Miranda Watts lay on her bed, a sleeping eye patch covering her eyes for she has recently undergone an eye surgery to improve her sight. The curtains were drawn so that not much light could penetrate into the room. It was thoroughly quiet in the whole house just the wall clock was ticking loudly. She heard a voice from downstairs. ,Probably just Ian talking on the phone,’ Miranda thought. Ian West was her boyfriend she has been living with over a year now. They consider themselves being happily in love, planning their future together. She was just daydreaming about a nice summer holiday when she heard nearing footsteps.
“Oh, darling, perfect timing! I’m so thirsty. Please, get me something, will you?”
“Uhm,” he said quietly, moving around the room, looking for a glass. Some more footsteps, bathroom door creaking, a click of the switch, water running, another click of the switch, footsteps.
“Thank youuuuu!” she accepted the glass gratefully. She drank it at a single gulp. “Ah, that’s good…” she handed him the glass back.
“Oh my God, I just had the weirdest dream ever!” she went on. “We were sitting on a bench when it turned into a boat,” she described vividly and gestured broadly. Suddenly, we were on the open sea and I was like “Paddle! We’re sinking! and you were like “No! Do it yourself woman!” can you believe it?!” she laughed not really waiting for an answer. ”Then,” she burst out dramatically, “water appeared in our boat and I thought, silly me, it was just seawater, right? But…but,” she was already choking because of all the laughing. After a while she calmed down.
“Guess what! It was amniotic fluid. Imagine! Amniotic fluid all over the boat!” she was rolling from side to side laughing her head off, the bed softly creaking every now and then. He, on the other hand, didn’t think it was that funny but chuckled in spite of himself. When Miranda was happy Ian was too. Right now she seemed in seventh heaven.
“Wanna know what it was, Daddy? POP! A baby girl was there and a second later POP! Another little human being. A boy! Twins! Ohmigod, two at a time! Impossible. Do you have the picture? Big, big mess, endless crying, sleepless nights, dirty nappies, multiply by two and you have it.
“Oh, yeah,” she sighed and threw her arm over her eyes. He studied her silently for a moment, his heart leapt at the thought of having a child with Miranda. He shook his head and sighed knowing it’s probably never going to happen.
“Yes, exactly. I know what you mean…” she pointed her forefinger in the direction where she thought he might be standing. “All the non-stop care and responsibility and stuff…” she trailed off. Silence fell, his long deep breath alongside her short and sharp.
“You know, I think we still have time…we should enjoy a few years to ourselves and then we will see,” she smiled to the ceiling. ,But I don’t have much time…’ he thought miserably, his mind rushing back to the conversation a few minutes ago.
“Well, never mind. Let’s drop it… I hope the recovery won’t take much longer. I wonder what the doctors will say on Monday…gosh I really miss the daylight. You know, it’s not until you lose something that you realise how much you need it,” she stated.
“Uhm,” he could only agree.
“And when you have it again you’re back where you were – to your selfish, ungrateful, not appreciating self. So sad actually.” They both pondered this for a while. She yawned, stretched and adjusted her eye patch.
“It’s funny but resting and sleeping so much makes me even more tired. Already looking forward to working out and jogging and well anything that doesn’t involve lying in bed.” He raised his eyebrows wondering if she realizes what she has just excluded. “No!” she cried. “Wait. Not everything of course, honey.” They both laughed. They have known each other for so long already. ,She always talks first and then thinks,’ he smiled. ,So beautiful…so close and yet so far,’ he was uneasy.
A bird sang outside. He looked out of the window. Miranda inhaled slowly, hoping Ian will get the hint. A wooden floorboard creaked gently under his feet, there was a sound of a handle being turned and a second later she felt a breeze of fresh air brush her skin. A satisfied smile settled on Miranda’s face. He took a step closer to the bed and considered saying something finally. Just when he opened his mouth a brilliant idea entered his head.
“I could get used to such a good service, you know,” she said slyly. “I have all I want and need in the blink of an eye, well metaphorically speaking of course,” she giggled as her eyes were supposed to be closed the whole time. He sat down on the edge of the bed. Miranda was all smiles. “But I reckon sooner or later, you’d become fed up with me,” she bit her lip innocently. He placed his hand lightly on the pillow beside her head. “But I suppose I’d just become a lazy…” he leaned over her so that their faces were only a few inches from one another. “…coach potato,” she breathed out. “I… ehm do you have a new scent?” he smiled at how easily she could lose her bearings sometimes. She frowned. He knew it was time to clear the air. He kissed her, his heart throbbing wildly in his chest. As their lips finally parted, he ran his finger along her cheek and imprinted the image of the breathless Miranda, whose mouth was still slightly open, into his mind. “I…” she gasped unable to say anything. Miranda wasn’t used to be speechless. She listened motionlessly to his withdrawing footsteps which were muffled by the carpet in the corridor.
As he was going downstairs Ian’s words echoed in his head: “This is going to be the first thing she sees when her eyes are fine again!” and the picture of the engagement ring appeared clearly before his eyes.
“Hey, man!” Ian exclaimed from the living room. “How is she?”
“What…? Oh, she’s just fallen asleep…” he smiled weakly. “Better let her rest a little more,” he added quickly when Ian headed in the direction of the stairs.
“Yeah, right,” Ian winked.
“I gotta be going.”
He had already his hand on the doorknob when Ian called: “Hey, Brian!” Brian looked over his shoulder avoiding making eye contact.
“Swing by anytime you like. I mean, Miranda is always glad to see you.”
,As I’m her best friend it’s only natural Ian…’ Brian thought sarcastically.
“Well, right now,” Ian laughed awkwardly, “rather say to hear you,” he winked again.
,Oh, what a pleasure it would be to stick that eye out,’ Brian visualized mischievously.
“Be sure I’ll,” he answered and left with as little as hope in the back of his mind.
