Gently does it


'I love you.' he said looking at her hands folded over the crumpled white sheet, stars of light dancing off the red varnish on her perfectly manicured nails.
She didn't take her eyes off the ceiling.
'OK' she said.
OK? OK? Is that how she responds to the opening his heart to her, leaving him raw, exposed. It was her fault, she made him love her and he was sure she loved him too. She had to. There had been the gentle caresses, the way she way she ran her fingers over his balding head, the things she had told him that she'd never told anyone like her dream of becoming a nurse, and the love making, she couldn't have been faking it, could she? Could she? He stared at her tousled mane all aflame and pronounced the words once more.
'I. love. you.' he uttered each word one after the other because that was it, she hadn't understood what he'd said before.
'OK' same tone, eyes still on the ceiling. Then, she pulled her legs to her chest, sat up and looked at him.
'Be a dear and put the cash on the dresser. You do understand I can't see you again?' He nodded, gingerly placing the notes in the heart shaped dish on her dresser and sloped off.

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