While She Can Still Smell Them

Chapter 5

My hands were calloused and I'm sure the joints were inflamed.

I spent all day in the yard. I woke up before the sun rose. I didn't go in until after the hospice nurse had left. Her parents, Ida and Charles came over and had been watching the kids today. When I finally came in from the yard, Ida was in the kitchen cooking beef stew. Charles was showing the children

Our eyes met as I entered the bedroom. I nodded in her direction and grunted a hello. She sat up straighter in the bed and looked to her hands that were resting in her lap.

"I missed you today" she said still staring at her hands.

"I missed you too, but I thought you could use some space from me." I said as I moved to our bathroom.

I went to the bathroom to wash the sweat and dirt from me. I knew she was feeling guilty, but I didn't want to let her off so easily. Yes, she was upset but she was wrong. I would forgive her, I already had, but she needed to apologize.

She entered the bathroom timidly. I ignored her as I washed my hands. She stood behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry." she said into my shirt.

"Huh?" I said with a seriously, but if she were to look up from my shirt she would see the humor in my face. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

She slapped my shoulder. " you heard me, you lummox."

At that, I turn in her embrace and wrap my arms around her.

"you know, I am getting old, and getting hard of hearing."

" Yes, I do know. You are getting old." she said with a smirk. "So, I guess I'll repeat it: 'I'm sorry'" She huffed.

I couldn't help but to smile at her chagrin. Elizabeth was a proud woman, and getting her to apologize was a feat within itself.

"You were right. " She continued begrudgingly. "I wanted to get rid of the flowers because they were reminding that I am wilting too. I'm nothing but skin and bones. My hair is flat. My skin is pallid. I used to be beautiful, Tom. Now what? I've always been the beauty, you've been the brawn. You are still so strong, how is that fair?

She looked up to me with tears in her eyes. The sight of the sorrow in her eyes nearly brought me to my knees. I took her face in my hands, and with everything in me I told her

"You were beautiful. You are beautiful. You will forever be- beautiful. Someone could hit you in the face with an 'Ugly Stick' and you would still be prettier than any model in a magazine."

She chuckled and my chest felt ten time lighter.

"Oh, how love is blind" she cooed.

"And as far as I'm concerned" I continued despite her dig "You, my darling, are the beauty and brawn. The grace and courage you have shown in all this has only solidified that fact..."

I pecked her lips. A slight smile was left on them.

"Besides, Darling. People never thought I was the brawn- it's clear that I'm the brains of this operation." I said as I eased out of her grip and fled to the bedroom.