Hello again

She watched him, glass of water to her lips, waiting for his response.  I watched her as she waited for the revelation of their secret.  She didn’t notice me noticing her; noticing them.

I waited as he fumbled for the right words, the words that would exonerate them, or thrust their secret into the light of day.

I asked the question for two reasons:  As a way to gauge my acceptance and as a way to prove my worth.  The answer, as I watched her eyes, pleading for a rejection, pleading for a “no”, proved that what I was, was not enough.

The words fumbled as they came out but they were the “no” she wanted.  Instead, a task to make me seem more important was assigned.  A pity assignment, an assignment of compulsory instead of luxury.

In the darkness I waited.