6
They listened together to the night noises and the breeze as it rustled through the trees. Somewhere a mocking bird trilled in the night. She remembered one that sang in the night a long time ago when she was a child and how her mother and she had marveled that a bird would sing in the night.
She was filled with peace and she chose not to move her had from his wrist. He sat quietly so as not to disturb her touch. He felt a measure of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time.
She turned slightly in the darkness to study what she could of his form next to her. For quite awhile she looked at his black hair, his pale face with it's scars, the shape of his delicate features and his dark body. She saw how his scissor hands caught and reflected the moonlight and she thought for a moment how strangely beautiful they were. Long, slender and exquisite. She remembered the skill and care with which he had clipped and shaped the hair of women and pets during his time in town and she marveled at the memory. She felt a twinge of jealousy at his skill but she also felt a sincere admiration.
There were a myriad of scissors of many different sizes that made up each hand and she couldn't imagine how he managed to coordinate them as he did to so skillfully create the hairstyles without ever leaving so much as a scratch on anyone human or animal. It occurred to her that they were just as wonderful in their construction as her own hands - just different.
She was unsure how long they sat together but she knew a good deal of time had passed. She didn't want to leave but knew she had to.
"Edward," she broke the silence. "I think I'd better go now."
His heart began to sink. She lifted her hand from his wrist. He felt the warmth of her hand linger for a few moments, then he spoke, "What's your name?"
"Nora."
"Do you think you could come again sometime, Nora?"
"Could I? I mean would you let me?" she asked. She felt it was just too wonderful that he had asked.
"I would like you to," he said quietly. "We could look at the lights again."
"Oh Edward, I would really like that. Thank you." she spoke softly. "But I'm not sure when I can come again."
"When you can then." He looked down.
"Ok Edward. I'm going now." She carried the chair back to it's place but only so she could linger a bit longer. Then she started down the dark stairs.
"Goodbye," she called softly.
"Goodbye," he whispered.
He heard the door close and through the window he watched her get into her car and leave. But hope, like a soft warm glow lingered within him and he slept deeply and peacefully that night.
They listened together to the night noises and the breeze as it rustled through the trees. Somewhere a mocking bird trilled in the night. She remembered one that sang in the night a long time ago when she was a child and how her mother and she had marveled that a bird would sing in the night.
She was filled with peace and she chose not to move her had from his wrist. He sat quietly so as not to disturb her touch. He felt a measure of peace that he hadn't felt in a long time.
She turned slightly in the darkness to study what she could of his form next to her. For quite awhile she looked at his black hair, his pale face with it's scars, the shape of his delicate features and his dark body. She saw how his scissor hands caught and reflected the moonlight and she thought for a moment how strangely beautiful they were. Long, slender and exquisite. She remembered the skill and care with which he had clipped and shaped the hair of women and pets during his time in town and she marveled at the memory. She felt a twinge of jealousy at his skill but she also felt a sincere admiration.
There were a myriad of scissors of many different sizes that made up each hand and she couldn't imagine how he managed to coordinate them as he did to so skillfully create the hairstyles without ever leaving so much as a scratch on anyone human or animal. It occurred to her that they were just as wonderful in their construction as her own hands - just different.
She was unsure how long they sat together but she knew a good deal of time had passed. She didn't want to leave but knew she had to.
"Edward," she broke the silence. "I think I'd better go now."
His heart began to sink. She lifted her hand from his wrist. He felt the warmth of her hand linger for a few moments, then he spoke, "What's your name?"
"Nora."
"Do you think you could come again sometime, Nora?"
"Could I? I mean would you let me?" she asked. She felt it was just too wonderful that he had asked.
"I would like you to," he said quietly. "We could look at the lights again."
"Oh Edward, I would really like that. Thank you." she spoke softly. "But I'm not sure when I can come again."
"When you can then." He looked down.
"Ok Edward. I'm going now." She carried the chair back to it's place but only so she could linger a bit longer. Then she started down the dark stairs.
"Goodbye," she called softly.
"Goodbye," he whispered.
He heard the door close and through the window he watched her get into her car and leave. But hope, like a soft warm glow lingered within him and he slept deeply and peacefully that night.