I met someone today.

"Darling, I wish you wouldn't smoke." Her eyes were fixed on the divisions of her mahogany hair. Sometimes, he wondered whether that was her real hair color, because it seemed so unnatural. But, even though he wondered, it never occurred to him to ask. The world of women would likely forever be an enigma to him.

"I don't." He leaned over the sink and splashed cold water onto his face. His eyes followed her fingers, skillfully using her comb to section her hair off into long lines before wrapping them in metal cylinders.

"Yes, you did. And you did today. I can smell it." He gargled a mouthful of alcohol. "And you promised me you wouldn't. So, I think that means you owe me." She held out her hand expectantly. He filled it with a half-empty box of cigarettes momentarily.

"I didn't mean to. I really wish you wouldn't throw them away, Lucy." But, they were already in with the rubbish before he finished his plea. "They're so expensive." She showed no recognition of him speaking at all, but continued to curl her hair. He placed his hands on her hips, dodging her hands when they reached close to his face to place another strand of hair into a curler.

"I really wish you wouldn't smoke, but I guess you never think about what I want. So then, why should I think about what you want?" He closed his eyes.

"Darling, don't do this to me, please. I had such an awful day at work. Let's not argue tonight."

"What happened at work?" Her voice lightened from iron to copper. He nodded, his eyes closed even tighter.

"This boy…. Just, this boy."

"How old was he?"

"I don't know. He couldn't have been much older than fifteen. He came in unconscious and half-dead already. Severely abused, black, and blue, and every color a contusion can be, lacerated up and down his back, like he'd been flogged." He kissed her neck. "How can someone you've never even met get so under your skin? I didn't even find out his name, but when he opened his eyes, and looked at me as if his world was ending, and I was the last hope, I swear, darling, it was like a fledgling, imprinting on me, clasping to my hand. I couldn't let go of him, not when he was like that."

He finally opened his eyes, and caught her looking at him in the mirror, only for a second. "I'm almost done," she said. "Do you know if he made it?" He nodded.

"Is it strange?" Her lips silenced his worry.

But, he knew everything was different.