Him

He smiled at her every time she glanced his way...

His muscles moved slowly up and down in his arm when he used them. It was the embrace that sat there, not going anywhere, like a question mark set forever at the end of a sentence. It was one she knew she wished to spend the rest of her life answering.

She was silent as her memories recollected fragments from each day - and each day a perfect day to recollect such valuable fragments. Alert, she knew in that moment of precision in her imgaination, that her heart was right. He was the most interesting person she had ever known.

Together, they sat, and looked into the other - as if heavy with wine - and drank uncontrollably of what was eternally nourishing.

Ava looked and she saw.

The way he used his notebooks, his scraps of paper abandoned everywhere... and this means, anywhere and everywhere. Sainsbury's packets would do the filing!

He had his ways, his artful ways, his moments of expression - even on his own face - and all of it... was utterly endearing.

Hermanus

Today the wind blew so that every leaf shook and the sky hung as it did every day.

There was nothing in particular that stood out on this day. The forest was quiet, there were not many walkers around nor dogs... the trees stood, the earth was there, the sky invisible in parts and the usual routes led her feet forward and through the hills.

It was that time of year when everyone anticipated a change in the seasons and the excitement of Easter loomed. It had been an extraordinary year already.

Hermanus had stepped in front of her, like an exquisite new horizon, and captivated Ava's world. He managed to walk multiple tight ropes at the same time, with artful skill, he unravelled the intricacies of yesterday.

Nobody walked like he did.

Nobody had his voice.

Nobody stared forward in his way, eyes clear and thoughtful.

Nobody had his mouth.

Hermanus loved to dance and Ava loved to laugh. Together, they emerged into that new season when the sky would lighten and the flowers try their best to emerge. It was only spring that would follow, and then the fullness of summer would be next.