A gentleman and a lady

Vacation, Day 7

The seventh day away from work I woke up as I usually did, but today felt different. There were clouds in the sky that spelled a thunderstorm, but it hadn't started yet, and the air held the smell of rain and earth. The breeze was cool, but not enough to bring a chill. I felt better.

I turned off the tv for the first time in days. I turned my phone off and sat on the porch with a cup of coffee, just enjoying the day. I felt like I was finally over everything that had been going on. I finally felt like I didn't need to figure Evelyn out - there never was a need.

The black clouds hid the sun - if I didn't know any better I'd have assumed it was nightfall. After spending some time on the porch, my coffee cup was empty and I used the excuse to go back inside.

I was normally a 'quick shower' kind of person, but I felt like taking a bath today. I sat in the warm water, feeling the weight of the world leave my shoulders gradually. I must've laid in the bathtub for nearly an hour before the water chilled.

I need to go to the store today, I told myself. My grocery situation is getting sad. Reluctantly, I left the bathtub and dried off. I dressed in some jeans and a plain t-shirt, slipping on an old pair of tennis shoes before walking out the door.

I hadn't gone grocery shopping in a while - I was usually so busy I would get takeout fairly regularly - but it felt like an entirely new experience. It was loud, the lights were blindingly bright, and there were so many faces. I came across an aisle with candles and incense. I decided that I would take another bath before bed, this time with candle light. I selected a few - cherry blossom, sandalwood, eucalyptus - before checking out and heading home.

I feel like a normal person, I mused as I sunk into the bathtub for the second time that day. The thought made me undeniably happy, and I held onto it for the rest of the night.

At the end of the night, I opened my bedroom door, looked at my freshly made bed, and decided that there was no reason to sleep on the couch again. I climbed under the cool covers and rested my head on the pillows. As I slowly fell asleep, the rain started to pour outside.