He seized my wrist.
"I said I'd do that, Laura. Stop this. Stop
punishing yourself."
I tried to swallow, but couldn't. I just stood
there, nodding softly. He embraced me and held me,
stroking my hair.
"Laura, Laura, Laura," he sang. "If I thought I
made you unhappy . ."
"I'm all right," I said, straightening. "Just take
me home. I'll feel better after I get some sleep." "That's right. Things always look better in the
morning, don't they?"
"Not always," I said prophetically. I looked
back at the dining room table. Our dinner had been so
beautiful, so dream-like. Then why was I so confused,
so twisted with mixed feelings?
All the way home, Robert cajoled, pleaded,
begged me not to think poorly of him or myself. He
repeated his love for me and swore he would go to the
ends of the earth to follow me if he had to. He said he
would rather walk on fire than hurt me in any way
ever.
I tried to talk, but all my words got jumbled and
stuck in my throat. All I did was look out the window
at the dark ocean and the crashing waves. I didn't
understand my own feelings. How could I explain
them to him?
"Give me some time," I told him when we
arrived at my house.
Sadly, he nodded.
"I was hoping this would be a special night . . ." "It was," I said. I kissed him quickly on the