It was late, almost midnight, and the house was quiet…too quiet. All around her the kitchen lay in chaos after the earlier visit from her kids and their partners. It had been wonderful to have everyone over for dinner, but it was nice to wave them off at the front door too and have the house to herself again.
“Alexa, play my soundtrack,” she instructed as she began to load the dishwasher.
The first song that the “sometimes-not-so-smart” speaker began to play stirred up emotional ghosts from the past.
“Skip,” she stated sharply as she added the cutlery to the basket in the dishwasher.
Soon the kitchen was filled with music. She sang quietly and tunelessly to herself while she worked, content to lose herself in the songs. Music had always been her safe place, her sanctuary, and her playlist held so many precious memories for her.
Still singing, she filled the sink with hot soapy water and began to wash the wine glasses, stacking them carefully on the draining rack. The speaker began to play a song she hadn’t heard for a long, long time. It always reminded her of him. It was the song that had been playing the only time that they had danced together, slightly drunkenly, at a mutual friend’s wedding. That dance was one of her most precious memories of him. They’d trodden on each other’s toes repeatedly as they’d slowly made their way round the dancefloor that night.
Behind her, something in the air stirred. A familiar scent wafted by. She felt hands at her waist, pulling her round and into the all too familiar embrace of her past. Allowing herself to be held, she the arms around her encouraging her to sway in time to the music. Swept up in the moment, she danced slowly round the kitchen, savouring the seconds right through to the dying notes of the song.
From his perch on the breakfast bar, her cat watched the scene, wondering who this man was that was dancing in the kitchen at midnight with his mistress.
(credits to the owner of the image The Heart Speaks via Facebook)
Coral McCallum 