Post by Lets_Eat_Paste on Jan 29, 2012 14:27:29 GMT -6
William MaCarthy
“You, of course,” came Toni’s reply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Bill smiled, relaxing visibly, his shoulders slinking back into place, letting out a strong huff of smoke he hadn’t realized he was keeping in. Bill turned back to her, smiling, relieved.
“That is, unless, of course, your girlfriend objects?”
Come to think of it, he and Victorine had never said “it’s over”. But come to think of it, he didn’t really care what she thought anymore; come to think of it, she probably wouldn’t mind if he started seeing someone else, much less if he spent New Year’s with them. It was almost funny how there was this woman he was certain he was going to spend the rest of his life with, and then, after a while, she meant nothing to him after her true colours shimmered through like little warning signs. And now, here he was with this woman who laughed at his jokes, made him think, looked at him as if he had worth, who when she lit up his cigarettes, he got a chill. Here was a woman he wanted to spent his evening with, and who wanted that, too.
Bill said, “Actually, I think she’d mind. Or rather, she would if I had one. Which I don’t.” It was weird to say, but it felt surprisingly good as the words came out of his mouth, flowing naturally like a faucet turned to ‘on’. For the first time, it didn’t hurt to say. Victorine cold no longer touch him, could no longer hurt him. Now, it was just Bill and Toni on the roof, no vestiges of Victorine’s presence to cling to him like persistent dust particles. For the first time, he was starting out the New Year able to breathe, living as a single man; still not satisfied with where he was, but far closer to assuaged than he had been in years.
And he could think of a better way to spend his New Year’s than with Toni. It was one of his last nights of freedom before he took the hellish, painful steps to become the man he wanted to be in a matter of weeks. He might as well enjoy every second he had left until then. Despite waking up this morning nauseous and unsteady, he was feeling much better and was joining in the New Year festivities.
As everyone began their countdown, (“Eleven!”[/b]) Bill looked at Toni, looking at every detail the shine of her dress illuminated.
“Ten!”
He stepped nearer to her.
“Nine!”
He brushed her hand lightly and smiled.
“Eight!... Seven!... Six!”
She turned towards him.
“Five!... Four!... Three!”
It was now or never.
“Happy New Year, Toni.”
“Two!... One!..."
And Bill silenced any and all mental protestations, and leaned in to kiss her, putting her soft lips to his slightly chapped ones.
And the brightest, loudest fireworks went off around them, and Bill, momentarily, was able to convince himself they were not man-made and manufactured, but these internal, magical explosions set off inside them both. It was an overly romantic idea, but he reveled in it for just a moment, allowing himself this wonderful minute with Toni, hoping she was enjoying it just as much as he had been.
“You, of course,” came Toni’s reply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Bill smiled, relaxing visibly, his shoulders slinking back into place, letting out a strong huff of smoke he hadn’t realized he was keeping in. Bill turned back to her, smiling, relieved.
“That is, unless, of course, your girlfriend objects?”
Come to think of it, he and Victorine had never said “it’s over”. But come to think of it, he didn’t really care what she thought anymore; come to think of it, she probably wouldn’t mind if he started seeing someone else, much less if he spent New Year’s with them. It was almost funny how there was this woman he was certain he was going to spend the rest of his life with, and then, after a while, she meant nothing to him after her true colours shimmered through like little warning signs. And now, here he was with this woman who laughed at his jokes, made him think, looked at him as if he had worth, who when she lit up his cigarettes, he got a chill. Here was a woman he wanted to spent his evening with, and who wanted that, too.
Bill said, “Actually, I think she’d mind. Or rather, she would if I had one. Which I don’t.” It was weird to say, but it felt surprisingly good as the words came out of his mouth, flowing naturally like a faucet turned to ‘on’. For the first time, it didn’t hurt to say. Victorine cold no longer touch him, could no longer hurt him. Now, it was just Bill and Toni on the roof, no vestiges of Victorine’s presence to cling to him like persistent dust particles. For the first time, he was starting out the New Year able to breathe, living as a single man; still not satisfied with where he was, but far closer to assuaged than he had been in years.
And he could think of a better way to spend his New Year’s than with Toni. It was one of his last nights of freedom before he took the hellish, painful steps to become the man he wanted to be in a matter of weeks. He might as well enjoy every second he had left until then. Despite waking up this morning nauseous and unsteady, he was feeling much better and was joining in the New Year festivities.
As everyone began their countdown, (“Eleven!”[/b]) Bill looked at Toni, looking at every detail the shine of her dress illuminated.
“Ten!”
He stepped nearer to her.
“Nine!”
He brushed her hand lightly and smiled.
“Eight!... Seven!... Six!”
She turned towards him.
“Five!... Four!... Three!”
It was now or never.
“Happy New Year, Toni.”
“Two!... One!..."
And Bill silenced any and all mental protestations, and leaned in to kiss her, putting her soft lips to his slightly chapped ones.
And the brightest, loudest fireworks went off around them, and Bill, momentarily, was able to convince himself they were not man-made and manufactured, but these internal, magical explosions set off inside them both. It was an overly romantic idea, but he reveled in it for just a moment, allowing himself this wonderful minute with Toni, hoping she was enjoying it just as much as he had been.
