H I A T U S

As she sat in the small visiting room, waiting for the staff to return with Risotto, she became aware of the all too familiar numbness that enveloped her like an icy fog, obscuring her surroundings. She didn’t know how long the feeling would last, although she doubted it would be much longer. But she was grateful for it. She didn’t want to cry before she even saw him. And it gave her a chance to think about what she wanted to say to him. At least, that had been the plan.

There was nothing she could say that would make this any more bearable—nothing she could say that would change anything. It was too late for any of that. Things would never go back to the way they had been before. And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

The sound of footsteps shook her from her melancholy thoughts. The door creaked open behind her. But she didn’t look. She couldn’t look (not yet) so she kept her eyes trained on the empty chair in front of her.

Somehow though, he doubted that she would feel the same too.

The walk there was silent on this part. He was lost in thought and trying to think of the right words to say, something that would make this all a little easier for her.  His mind was coming up blank.  There was nothing he could say that would fix, nothing that would make this any better for the either of them.  She had been through enough -- and seeing the man she loved in handcuffs and a prison uniform wasn’t very comforting either.

As he entered the visitation room, oddly colored eyes that had been looking toward the floor now looked up at Serina, almost hoping to meet hers.  While he was hardly surprised when he saw that her eyes weren’t focused on him, he was a bit disappointed.

Slowly, he made his way over to the table.  He was nervous -- anyone would be.  He didn’t quite know how she felt yet, and it seemed like he was going to find out today.  Sitting across from her, he let his eyes trail across the table, not speaking for a few moments, unsure of what to say since your average greeting didn’t exactly suffice here.  again, his mind was blank. His cuffed fists clenching only to relax again as he thought.  Before long though, he gave up on trying to find what to say, just giving her a few simple words in a quiet tone, since it seemed anything he said wasn’t going to suffice.

               CAN’T YOU SEE ‘EM,

                                         IN OBSCENE PROCESSION? 

          ‘ ..ah – no..           no problem. ‘ 

                          He  wasn’t sure about what to say or do  at                this point.   He didn’t know what to do other                thank thank her, but leaving at this point felt                                          awkward.  

                        “  I’m Risotto.   And you are...? ”

                                 For you, my love, I’d do most anything.