0:11
while he was avoiding his eyes I
0:13
observed the bul of the broccoli that
0:14
was visible I don't know why but I held
0:17
the broccoli directly with my hand I
0:20
started to squeeze it a little when that
0:22
was the case he didn't hold it any
0:24
longer and showed the broccoli he lifted
0:26
me to the dining table the broccoli was
0:29
now inside my trap at first it moved
0:31
slowly back and forth oh hi were you
0:34
here I was just telling you what we've
0:36
been through let me start from the
0:38
beginning so that you can find out how
0:40
things developed my name is Mary the
0:42
first and 54 years old I have been
0:45
widowed for the last two summers while
0:47
my late husband Alfred was cherished he
0:50
wasn't quite the partner I had
0:53
dreams I know it sounds cruel but let's
0:56
be real he was a difficult man stuck in
0:59
his ways and and suffered from his own
1:01
disappointments for years it wasn't bad
1:04
just I'm tired of life when he passed to
1:06
be honest our marriage was more about
1:08
Duty than love after he died I thought
1:11
that part of my life was closed I wasn't
1:14
looking for anything or anyone I spent
1:17
my days tending to my small garden
1:19
knitting in the evenings and keeping up
1:21
with the usual family gatherings then
1:23
Liam came Liam is my late husband's
1:26
grandson from his first marriage he is
1:29
27 years years old he is tall he has
1:31
these piercing Greene eyes eyes and this
1:33
key intensity about him when he visited
1:36
as a child he was always polite but
1:38
distant nevertheless he came to stay for
1:40
a few eeked at summer a simple visit he
1:43
had stopped by on his way to his family
1:45
in the countryside the first few days
1:48
passed without incident Liam mostly kept
1:51
to himself exploring the nearby forests
1:53
or reading books on the porch I found
1:56
myself watching him from the
2:00
not in a strange way just watching he
2:03
possessed a unique aura that made him
2:06
out there was a sadness about him as if
2:09
he were searching for something he could
2:11
not name it started innocently enough
2:14
one afternoon I was struggling with an
2:16
old wooden fence that needed to be
2:18
repaired Liam offered to help he didn't
2:21
say much he just picked up the tools and
2:24
got to walk observing him at walk
2:26
brought back memories of a younger
2:28
Alfred strong determined and deeply
2:31
focused but where Alfred was always
2:33
grumpy and distant Liam was kind and
2:36
attentive as the days turned into weeks
2:39
we started spending more and more time
2:41
together he would sit on the porch with
2:43
me in the evening sipping his tea as the
2:45
sun sank below the Horizon we would talk
2:48
about everything and nothing and plans
2:51
my memories the little things that make
2:53
up a life there was a comfort in his
2:55
presence a connection I hadn't felt in
2:57
years one afternoon I decided decided to
3:00
clean the attic an area that had not
3:02
been touched since Alfred's death dust
3:04
was floating in the sun's Rays as I
3:06
sorted the old boxes Liam appeared at
3:09
the door his shirt sticking to his skin
3:11
from the summer heat he offered to help
3:13
and before I could protest he was at my
3:15
side lifting a heavy S as if it had no
3:18
weight we found a box full of old photos
3:22
and I couldn't stop smiling as I showed
3:24
him the photos from my youth he examined
3:27
them carefully stroking the edges of the
3:29
mark with his fingers you're so
3:31
beautiful he said when he looked up
3:35
there was something in his eyes that I
3:36
couldn't understand a mixture of
3:38
curiosity longing and something deeper
3:42
the air between us grew heavy thick
3:44
adorned with unspoken words then
3:47
suddenly he kissed me slowly but
3:49
effectively on the lips it was wrong I
3:52
pulled back reflexively but did I want
3:54
it I don't know this time he must have
3:57
noticed my hesitation because he pressed
3:59
himself self tightly to my lips as if I
4:01
had been waiting for this I returned the
4:04
kiss over and over again it went on for
4:07
about 5 minutes and he made the first
4:09
move his hands were on my body I was
4:12
wearing a cream colored dress the
4:14
sensation of the soft touches was
4:16
climbing from my feet to my trap as the
4:18
climb continued the movements inside me
4:20
turned into strange sounds coming from
4:23
my mouth when he heard those sounds he
4:25
didn't want to prolong it any further
4:27
the Bulge of the package was obvious
4:29
from the the outside I was betraying
4:31
Alfred when you realized I was trying to
4:34
pull away he reached his finger into my
4:36
trap after the energy
4:38
eye had in that moment that idea gave
4:41
way to a great desire I told him to do
4:44
it faster he went faster and faster
4:47
until I let out a scream that shook the
4:49
entire house I stood there as if nothing
4:52
had happened and straightened my dress
4:54
when I got up from the floor I noticed
4:56
the wetness of the wood it wasn't sweat
4:59
it was some other liquid later that
5:01
evening as I was making dinner I
5:03
couldn't help but feel his eyes on me he
5:06
sat at the kitchen table his fingers
5:08
tracing patterns on the wood when I
5:10
turned our eyes met and it was as if the
5:13
room had shrunk I dropped the knife in
5:15
my hand and he ran to help me when I
5:18
reached for the knife his hand touched
5:20
mine the touch lasted only a second are
5:23
you okay he asked his voice low almost a
5:25
whisper I nodded pulled my hand away and
5:28
immersed myself in the vegetables but I
5:30
wasn't okay something was moving Inside
5:33
Me Something I couldn't name we can't
5:36
keep doing this I said my voice barely
5:38
audible he didn't answer he just stood
5:40
there his expression unreadable then
5:43
without a word he approached closing the
5:45
distance between between us while
5:47
avoiding his eyes I noticed the Bold of
5:50
the broccoli visible above his pants I
5:52
don't know why but I held the broccoli
5:54
directly with my hand I started to
5:57
squeeze a little when this was the case
5:59
he didn't hold holded any longer and
6:01
showed the broccoli he lifted me to the
6:03
dining table the broccoli was now inside
6:06
its trap at first it moved slowly back
6:08
and forth its effect on both of us was
6:11
like waves of vibration it made the wine
6:14
glasses on the table sway the kisses
6:17
were like Vines enveloping each other
6:19
our bodies were two bodies but at that
6:22
moment they were one Soul at that moment
6:25
it didn't matter who it was we were both
6:27
like two strangers enjoying themselves
6:29
then my breathing quickened I understood
6:32
the vibration in the broccoli and said
6:33
into me hot drops were flowing through
6:36
the trap with great excitement he pulled
6:38
back and took a deep breath so did I the
6:40
Morning Light was soft filtering through
6:42
the curtains like a gentle reminder of
6:44
everything that had happened I lay there
6:47
daring at the ceiling I was deep in
6:49
thought I could ha Liam moving silently
6:52
around the room his boot scraping on the
6:54
floor I turned my head to see him
6:56
sitting on the edge of the bed his back
7:00
his broad shoulders were tense
7:02
and he was sitting by the door his bag
7:05
already packed my chest felt tight are
7:09
you leaving I asked my voice barely
7:11
above a whisper he nodded his hands
7:14
pausing as he tied his shoelaces he
7:16
didn't turn around I think I should go
7:20
softly I sat up slowly the sheet sliding
7:23
down my back my throat was dry but I
7:26
managed to ask why finally he turned to
7:29
me his green eyes always intense looked
7:33
softer now Mary you know why he said
7:36
sadly his voice full of quiet
7:38
determination this can't go on it's not
7:41
right and you said it yourself I felt
7:43
like I couldn't breathe yes I had said
7:45
that last night I had tried to convince
7:47
both of us that this wasn't something we
7:49
could continue but now with him standing
7:52
there ready to leave I wasn't so sure
7:55
but what if I don't want you to leave
7:57
the words slipped out of my mouth before
7:59
I could stop them he froze his eyes
8:02
locked on mine for a moment it felt like
8:04
time had stopped then he crossed the
8:06
room and knelt in front of me so we were
8:08
face to face Mary he said his voice
8:11
breaking just enough to let me know this
8:13
was as hard for him as it was for me I
8:16
care about you more than I should but
8:18
this isn't fair to you or to me is it's
8:20
going to hurt both of us in the end I
8:23
reached out my fingers brushing against
8:25
his cheek it already hurts I whispered
8:27
my voice trembling I thought I was done
8:29
feeling this way Liam I thought that
8:31
part of me was gone but you you brought
8:33
it back you made me feel alive again he
8:35
closed his leaning into my touch for the
8:38
briefest moment before taking my hand in
8:40
his his warmth grounded me even as his
8:43
words cut through me you've made me feel
8:46
things I didn't know I could he said but
8:49
remaining here and letting
8:51
discontinue would only deepen the hurt
8:54
for both of us I nodded even as tears
8:57
welled up in my eyes I knew he was right
9:00
but that didn't make it any easier so
9:03
does it I asked my voice barely audible
9:07
you're just going to walk away he stood
9:10
his movement slow and deliberate like he
9:12
was fighting every instinct to stay he
9:15
held his bag and slung it over his
9:17
shoulder pausing at the door I'll go he
9:20
said his voice soft almost hesitant but
9:23
Mary if you ever need me you know where
9:25
to find me and just like that he was
9:27
gone as the door clicked shut behind him
9:31
a profound silence enveloped the room
9:33
pressing heavily upon
9:36
me I stayed there for a long time
9:38
staring at the empty space where he had
9:40
just been the house felt so much quieter
9:43
now so much emptier yet as I sat there
9:47
an unfamiliar emotion began to rise
9:51
me yes Liam had left and yes it hurt
9:55
more than I wanted to admit but he had
9:57
also left me with something else
9:59
a reminder of who I was of what I could
10:02
still feel still want I got up and
10:05
walked to the window watching him
10:07
disappear down the path toward the
10:09
forest my hand pressed against the glass
10:12
and a Bittersweet smile tugged at my
10:14
lips goodbye Liam I whispered and thank
10:17
you in that moment I knew I would carry
10:20
this with me this brief impossible
10:23
connection that had changed me in ways I
10:25
couldn't fully understand and maybe just
10:28
maybe that wasn't enough
