Finding Home

Finding Home

“There is nothing left to say!” Ryan flung down his pen and it bounced across the room.

“Why are you so angry, Ryan? I’ve just walked in the door. The house is a mess, dishes all in sink and the cat is yowling like you haven’t fed her all day. What is going on?” Sandy had had a long day at work, confident that when she got home it would be quiet and Ryan would make her a cup of tea. She had dreamt of the secure balance of home for the last two hours. She plunked herself down in the big green chair in the living room, dropped her purse on the floor and put her feet up on the coffee table. She never let anyone else put feet on the coffee table, but today she was too tired to care.

“Oh, honey, I’m just so frustrated. I’ve been working on this stupid novel all day and all I’ve got is a stack of papers and thousands of words. I have to have this manuscript to the editor by the end of the week. None of it is any good!  How can I send in something that doesn’t even make sense to me!” Ryan quickly scooped up all his papers, stacking them in no particular order at all, just clearing off the table. “Do you want some tea? Cat. - hush up. I’ll feed you but let me get the kettle on first. Tea, honey? Here let me take your coat.”

Sandy was almost asleep. She could hear Ryan saying something and shuffling papers, but just wanted to drift off. She felt her coat being taken from her. Ryan took her shoes off and covered her with a blanket, tucked a pillow under her head. Sandy could hear dishes being put in the sink. The cat was finally quiet except for the crunching of her kibble. The tea kettle whistled, then the aroma of mint tea and clink of a cup on the side table. Sandy smiled and snuggled under the blanket. The last she heard before slipping off into sleep was the clicking of the computer keys.

“Love is that condition in which the happiness

 of another person is essential to your own.”

~ Robert A.Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land