Holland thought his heart might stop he heard the sound of his name falling out of her lips again. But he heard it in his mind again and again. The elocution was perfect, especially the conservation of the ‘h’ sound on the front. It made his name sound rounded almost beginning with a vowel.
He forced himself to stop thinking of it, his mind latching on to the way she moved. Seeming to glide. She was probably the most elegant woman he’d ever seen, and he’d seen Julianna looking fairly stunning at times. He pondered the physics of her skirt swishing around her calves, envisioning the particles in the air swirling around her like synchronized swimmers.
The way her hair seemed to emanate light. The lift of her cheek when she smiled. The hue of her eyes. How did she exist? He was completely undone by that smile. He felt naked before her.
Holland scratched self-consciously at his face, hearing the hairs on his cheeks bristling under his fingernails. He’d shaved the day prior but didn’t find the time to clean up again that morning so Holland had a good eighth of an inch of thick stubble that he suddenly felt very embarrassed about. He felt like urine covered, scruffy, wrinkled mess before this polished woman. Why hadn’t Owen told him to dress up?
Rose lifted her head from where it was hiding against her father’s shoulder when she was addressed. She hadn’t heard a woman’s voice in a while. She’d never heard an accent like that before. She cocked her head when the woman spoke to her.
“Rose.” She answered. She drew out her name and bowed her head against Holland’s shoulder again. She peaked at the woman from the corner of her eye. Her fingers busied themselves nervously with Holland’s collar pulling his plaid shirt askew.
Holland didn’t like the feeling and gently removed the collar from her fingers, and moved Rose around to the other side of his body so he could set his shirt straight again.
She pointed her finger at the woman and asked, “What your name?”
“What is your name.” Holland corrected. He tried to comb his fingers through her hair which was somehow already tangled. Rose pushed his hands away and fussed at him. His mind flashed to earlier that day. The sound of her screaming while he tried to manage her hair. “Her name is Aphrodite.” He answered for his daughter, testing the name out for himself.
Her mouth worked to repeat the name but something like “A-fo-eye-tee.” Came out.
She shied away and put strands of her hair into her mouth chewing on them. Holland pulled Rose’s hair from her mouth. “Don’t put your hair in your mouth.” His voice was as patient as he could force. How many times that day had he repeated those instructions? He wondered whether her mother had ever policed the behavior. He wondered whether it was her way of expressing distress.
“Daddy no.” She whined and pushed at his hands.
Holland sighed and gave Aphrodite an apologetic look. “We’re still getting used to each other.” His face tightened when the words left his mouth realizing that she had no context for why he and his toddler were somehow not previously acquainted.
Now she would not only know that he looked like a mess but that his personal life was a mess as well. A fact which his ex had spared no effort reminding him.
Somewhere in the middle of this Owen had announced, “I’m going to see if Julianna needs help,” and sidled away from the conversation. He mounted the stairs and hovered in the doorway of the nursery watching mother and son fight one another. “Well Holland’s fixated.” He said finally to announce himself before moving into the room.
He forced himself to stop thinking of it, his mind latching on to the way she moved. Seeming to glide. She was probably the most elegant woman he’d ever seen, and he’d seen Julianna looking fairly stunning at times. He pondered the physics of her skirt swishing around her calves, envisioning the particles in the air swirling around her like synchronized swimmers.
The way her hair seemed to emanate light. The lift of her cheek when she smiled. The hue of her eyes. How did she exist? He was completely undone by that smile. He felt naked before her.
Holland scratched self-consciously at his face, hearing the hairs on his cheeks bristling under his fingernails. He’d shaved the day prior but didn’t find the time to clean up again that morning so Holland had a good eighth of an inch of thick stubble that he suddenly felt very embarrassed about. He felt like urine covered, scruffy, wrinkled mess before this polished woman. Why hadn’t Owen told him to dress up?
Rose lifted her head from where it was hiding against her father’s shoulder when she was addressed. She hadn’t heard a woman’s voice in a while. She’d never heard an accent like that before. She cocked her head when the woman spoke to her.
“Rose.” She answered. She drew out her name and bowed her head against Holland’s shoulder again. She peaked at the woman from the corner of her eye. Her fingers busied themselves nervously with Holland’s collar pulling his plaid shirt askew.
Holland didn’t like the feeling and gently removed the collar from her fingers, and moved Rose around to the other side of his body so he could set his shirt straight again.
She pointed her finger at the woman and asked, “What your name?”
“What is your name.” Holland corrected. He tried to comb his fingers through her hair which was somehow already tangled. Rose pushed his hands away and fussed at him. His mind flashed to earlier that day. The sound of her screaming while he tried to manage her hair. “Her name is Aphrodite.” He answered for his daughter, testing the name out for himself.
Her mouth worked to repeat the name but something like “A-fo-eye-tee.” Came out.
She shied away and put strands of her hair into her mouth chewing on them. Holland pulled Rose’s hair from her mouth. “Don’t put your hair in your mouth.” His voice was as patient as he could force. How many times that day had he repeated those instructions? He wondered whether her mother had ever policed the behavior. He wondered whether it was her way of expressing distress.
“Daddy no.” She whined and pushed at his hands.
Holland sighed and gave Aphrodite an apologetic look. “We’re still getting used to each other.” His face tightened when the words left his mouth realizing that she had no context for why he and his toddler were somehow not previously acquainted.
Now she would not only know that he looked like a mess but that his personal life was a mess as well. A fact which his ex had spared no effort reminding him.
Somewhere in the middle of this Owen had announced, “I’m going to see if Julianna needs help,” and sidled away from the conversation. He mounted the stairs and hovered in the doorway of the nursery watching mother and son fight one another. “Well Holland’s fixated.” He said finally to announce himself before moving into the room.
Bitch, I'm limited edition.
The following 1 user Likes saronym's post: megs
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Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-29-2016, 02:32 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-29-2016, 02:59 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-29-2016, 10:19 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-30-2016, 12:22 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-01-2016, 01:48 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-01-2016, 02:21 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-03-2016, 09:41 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-04-2016, 11:31 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-04-2016, 06:35 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-04-2016, 08:12 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-05-2016, 12:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-05-2016, 01:37 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-05-2016, 11:28 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-06-2016, 10:28 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-08-2016, 10:49 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-09-2016, 01:40 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-09-2016, 05:03 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-10-2016, 09:52 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-10-2016, 10:23 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-11-2016, 12:31 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-12-2016, 02:10 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-12-2016, 03:40 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-12-2016, 08:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-13-2016, 10:34 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-14-2016, 10:04 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-15-2016, 06:16 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-16-2016, 10:41 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-01-2016, 12:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-01-2016, 05:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-02-2016, 10:44 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-11-2016, 05:02 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-16-2016, 11:20 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-28-2016, 10:00 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2017, 06:27 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-13-2017, 11:00 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-14-2017, 11:49 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 04-13-2017, 03:46 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 07:30 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 04-24-2017, 07:51 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-24-2017, 09:42 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 04-30-2017, 12:50 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-30-2017, 07:11 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 05-05-2017, 11:50 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 05-06-2017, 03:45 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 05-06-2017, 09:37 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 05-07-2017, 03:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 05-07-2017, 11:03 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 07:26 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 05-18-2017, 04:43 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 08-03-2017, 12:15 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 08-13-2017, 06:48 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 08-13-2017, 08:30 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 08-26-2017, 05:03 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 08-26-2017, 05:47 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 08-28-2017, 06:51 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-02-2017, 03:27 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-04-2017, 10:42 PM
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RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-08-2017, 04:35 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-10-2017, 03:05 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-10-2017, 09:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-14-2017, 01:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-03-2017, 12:59 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-19-2017, 08:11 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 12-01-2017, 07:38 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-19-2018, 06:02 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 01-21-2018, 01:56 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-30-2018, 10:24 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 02-18-2018, 08:14 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 06-24-2018, 05:38 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 06-24-2018, 08:30 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 06-26-2018, 04:38 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 06-30-2018, 10:33 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 07-04-2018, 10:02 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 07-09-2018, 10:47 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 07-21-2018, 02:34 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2018, 10:57 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-10-2019, 12:07 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-10-2019, 03:42 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-11-2019, 03:13 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-11-2019, 08:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-12-2019, 03:50 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-13-2019, 01:57 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-13-2019, 10:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-17-2019, 04:36 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-09-2019, 05:43 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-10-2019, 12:33 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-10-2019, 09:50 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-11-2019, 05:02 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-12-2019, 05:05 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-13-2019, 04:15 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-13-2019, 03:13 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-15-2019, 03:14 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-29-2019, 06:49 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-30-2019, 10:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-31-2019, 10:26 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-31-2019, 09:09 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-07-2019, 01:28 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 04-09-2019, 09:12 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-11-2019, 12:40 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 04-15-2019, 09:01 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 05-27-2019, 12:57 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 04-30-2019, 11:10 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 06-01-2019, 04:43 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 08-14-2019, 04:51 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 08-19-2019, 03:54 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 08-20-2019, 10:18 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 08-22-2019, 12:42 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-18-2019, 01:39 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-20-2019, 02:32 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 09-27-2019, 05:55 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 09-27-2019, 06:08 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-15-2019, 11:38 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-15-2019, 11:59 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-16-2019, 03:43 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-17-2019, 09:16 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2019, 07:06 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2019, 11:02 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-18-2019, 05:29 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-20-2019, 02:06 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-18-2019, 06:08 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 10-21-2019, 08:05 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-03-2019, 11:49 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2019, 04:15 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-03-2019, 04:54 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-10-2019, 02:48 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-04-2019, 01:06 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-11-2019, 01:21 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-13-2019, 11:48 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-17-2019, 03:39 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-18-2019, 08:55 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-18-2019, 05:22 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 11-20-2019, 11:13 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-24-2019, 01:38 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 01-07-2020, 05:09 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 01-12-2020, 06:09 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 01-18-2020, 07:55 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 03-01-2020, 06:58 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 07-06-2020, 07:49 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-08-2020, 05:30 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-14-2020, 11:53 AM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 01-24-2020, 07:35 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 03-02-2020, 12:03 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 07-09-2020, 12:36 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2020, 09:05 PM
RE: Reiterations [Closed] - by megs - 11-03-2020, 08:47 PM