The One With Two Pairs Of Eyes

Mary felt the wall as she walked to reach the entrance, where stood a massive door, bigger than that of a usual country house. Around her stood mighty walls coloured pure as milk. Every step that she took closer to the door threw her heart out of its place. She felt as if it was travelling up north. She felt trapped. But it was not long before that her palms landed on the door and she gasped a mouthful of uncertain air.

"Not everything has changed. And I envy you for that" she said as she ran her hands over the door feeling like an outsider, as if she was re-learning the fine carvings and all that grandeur of the mighty door.

For a moment she lost track of time, but with little effort, she hurriedly opened the giant latch. It felt quite like a small achievement. Without further ado, she flung open the door to the soft morning sun that kissed her after months. She felt warm and loved. Still, cautious as ever, she stepped down the twin steps and set her foot on the porch. A layer of autumn leaves crunched beneath her shoes. The sound of it brought a faint smile on her face, but it only stayed for a moment, almost too short to be true. But it was.

She took a few calculated steps ahead, carefully, as if she was learning to walk again, all on her own. On feeling the patio chairs, just as she stopped, she felt something rushing towards her and the force filled up her body from head to toe. It was Roxy. She heard him jumping on the leaves, barking merrily.

She was overwhelmed. “Roxy!” she exclaimed, turning round and round in the same place, trying to sense his direction right. And as his barks became clearer, she leaned on the black lamp post next to the patio chair and threw her arms wide open, smiling endlessly and waiting to feel him impatiently. And she was right in leaning against the chair, for had she not, she wouldn’t have been able to contain Roxy's longing in a single embrace, all at the mercy of her senses.

“My dear Roxy, how I missed you!” she said as her favourite fellow tugged at her floor-length olive dress, trying to get her to sit in her usual chair.

“You see, you will have to slow down,” said Mary, as she tried to get him off her torso and down on her lap.

“How clever you are, my boy!” she said reaching her hand under his neck.

“You like it!” she said gently stroking her fingers beneath his thick coat of black fur and he sighed in response.

She felt his stomach rise and fall.

“I promise, it won’t be long before things improve but I can’t be sure if it will all be like before,” she frowned raising her head above, trying to catch the warm sun rays as if they were signals.

“I have to rely on my senses, if not all, at least on the ones that are spared” her eyes moisten as she gulped down a sob.

“And I hope I’m looking my best” she says feeling her curls tucked into a low bun.

“Because Matthew can still see me from wherever he is, I know he can. He has two pairs of eyes now” she smiled.

Roxy whimpered in response and she muttered “I don’t know who is lucky after all, him or me”.

Image Credits: earnestestime