Missing Piece
'We can't do this' said Keith unable to meet her eyes. He was feeling rather awkward.
Sophie stared at him for a moment and then said, 'Now you can't even look at me in the eye?'
Gathering courage, Keith finally looked up at her. She wasn't crying nor did she look angry. He knew she was a strong woman. Yet there was something he could see in her eyes. A strong emotion.
Sadness. Disappointment. Yes. That's what it was.
He had failed her. He had chickened out at the eleventh hour. She had stood her ground firmly even when she had to face the wrath of his wife and daughter.
Keith had known from the beginning that their relationship had no future yet he had fallen in love with her.
He and his wife Megan had been married for several years. They had a teenage daughter. Everything was going on fine yet something was amiss. Like a piece of a puzzle.
The void in his life had been filled with arrival of Sophie. She had completed his puzzle. She had been the missing piece of the jigsaw.
She had turned his world upside down. She had taught him to live and laugh once again. She had taught him to love. She had taught him to embrace his long lost passion once again: Playing Piano.
And he had fallen deeply. It wasn't an infatuation. She had stirred something deep inside him. She had added lustre to his dull and boring life.
He had been sure that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Sophie. They had planned to elope right after his Piano concert. Everything was set.
But then, one telephone call had changed everything. His daughter's accident had woken him from his perfect reverie. The stark reality had hit him really hard. He was horrified at the thought of what he was about to do.
He knew he couldn't be selfish. He couldn't hurt his daughter and his wife for his own happiness. That's when he had decided to stay with his family. It was a hard decision but Sophie had to go. They had no future together.
'Sophie I am really sorry but we just can't -'
'Don't' Sophie interrupted him. 'Don't apologize' she said stepping closer to him.
He inhaled her familiar fruity scent. The memories of their first kiss came flooding back to him.
His mind was telling him to back off. He wasn't supposed to have feelings for Sophie anymore. This was wrong. This was insane. Yet it felt so damn right. Infact it felt perfect.
He knew that his wife was tending to their daughter in the other room. He caste a wary glance at the doorway.
Sophie stepped towards him cupped his face. 'Do you make love to her, Keith?'
'What?' he asked.
'When was the last time you made love to your wife? When was the last time you kissed her?'
'What's that got to do with us?' Keith demanded.
'I want to know. Please Keith' she persisted, stroking his unshaven cheek.
Keith sighed. 'A very long time ago' he confessed.
'Before you and I...' her voice trailed off.
'Yes' he said truthfully.
'Are you happy with her?' asked Sophie.
'What? Look don't do this now... Please Sophie. Let's not talk about all this. Anyway it doesn't matter -'
'It does. To me.' she said.
'No. No. No. Please Sophie... I have to go. Lauren and Megan need me. I can't be with you' said Keith trying to push her away.
Instead of backing off, she lifted her mouth to his and kissed him gently.
There was only a moment's hesitation on his part and then he was kissing her back. It was slow and sensuous in the beginning, sending tremors of pleasure through them.
Slowly her hands went under his shirt to feel his muscled chest. She deepened the kiss, which was almost hungry. She pressed her body against his and Keith froze.
He was jolted back to his senses. Horrified that he was kissing someone else while his wife and daughter were right in the next room, he pulled back. He grabbed her wrists and distanced himself from her.
'No Sophie... I can't... I am sorry' he said.
She stared at him, her chest heaving.
'You really don't have to be scared of your wife so much. Just tell -'
'I am not scared of her!' Keith growled. 'We can't be together. It has to be like this' he said.
'I want you to be happy Keith. I really do.' said Sophie.
'I am going to be very happy. I am happy with my wife and my daughter.' said Keith in a voice which left no room for further conversation.
Keith looked at her. She had an affronted, cold look. For a minute he thought she was going to cry, but then she said, 'Well, that settles everything then. Take care Keith.' she said.
Grabbing her bag, she made her way towards the door. Hesitating slightly, she turned to look at him for one last time. His face was impassive.
'I really hope you will be happy Keith' she said and disappeared out of sight.
O-o-o-o
As Keith now posed for the perfect happy family photograph with his wife and daughter, he plastered a fake smile on his face thinking about Sophie. He realised she had truly gone, leaving his puzzle incomplete as ever.
*** THE END ***