Guarding Margaret D.

Procedure

It wasn't until early in the AM, when animated allocations of sunlight flickered through the cracked blinds, that Margaret had dispensed all rampant musings into her expanding work. The typewriter wet with drool, she arose from her desk, commencing a symphonic number of bone rustling from the night's dislodgement. She moved to freshen her disheveled hair when a knock rang out. The events of recent days and Rhys' dejected appearance came to mind as she answered the door. There was but a balmy white envelope occupying her mail caddy; she took it and retreated back into the dormatory, grateful to evade public view in her present state. A sizeable time slot had amassed since the last exchangement of word with her sister. Margaret breached the seal eagerly, it being the only window into the lives of the people so dear to her which she had left behind.

But she knew instantly from the script that it was not from Betty. The distinctive dots of the i she recognized from their shared penmanship lessons in primary school. She couldn't bring herself to read beyond the prescient opening line. 

I doubt you'll make it past this sentence.

She tossed the stationery in the depths of her desk files hoping for it never to emerge again. Charlie Reed had no business prying his way into her affairs. The bastard, he knew exactly what he was doing. This was all an elaborate attempt to reel her into a life she had no desire to lead. She knew of his wishes to seed a family and cultivate them steeped in traditional values, the notion was almost nauseating to Margaret, proud ambition seething within her. Still she knew that if he were to appear outside her door at that very instant she wouldn't be able to help from running into his arms. Attraction was an onerous entity. I personally had no understanding of human attachments either but that is how she had put it so eloquently.

The remainder of the afternoon was rather mundane, the clouds comprised of long and narrow molds cascading into one another. Margaret set out despite the chill onset of winter in want of innovation. She could've feasibly been the only person for miles in the dense forest. Her sole consorts were the accompaniment of the rustling leaves beneath her feet and prattling of distant insects.

She thought of more deep, probing notions until there was a dull ache between her eyes from the cognitive exertion. 

~

There was the next day and the next, junctures seeming to align with little variance. Margaret accomplished her menial classwork with little strain. She spent the remainder of her time lost in thought that was occasionally able to be captured in the written word.  At last, she left her den after deciding to visit the quaint little cafe round the corner. She was seated outside on request at an isolated table under the awning composed of latticework and crowned with an assortment of daisies that had wilted in the cold. She sipped solemly from the cup with intricate floral designs, the lavender in her tea exuding potency. There was a tranquility in the stillness, but a persisting desolate sensation proceeded to overshadow, as if slashing dark marks across the canvas of her experience. One that had pervaded all airs for the past weeks and restrained her to such procedural behavior.

She noticed a familiar pair of brogues in her lowered line of vision, and raised it to meet the oncoming figure.

"May I?" Rhys inquired. Margaret nodded remotely and he brought over an adjacent seat.

"I'll break the ice by saying there's no hard feelings, really. You can't help it if you feel nothing towards me." He laughed with a self-effacing charm, his tone devoid of resentment. That was always an admirable quality of his, finding amusement in his own defecits.

"These days I don't feel much of anything." She conceded whilst sipping her tea and peering on into the distance.

"Then I envy you, I'd find the avoidance of the full spectrum of human emotion to be most convenient."

Margaret couldn't help but smirk.

"Careful there. That was almost a smile, I'd hate to have to deem you fraudulent."

She laughed outright, moving to shield the expression with her handkerchief. But her efforts hardly did much for concealment. 

"Charlatan!" He exclaimed, and they howled with laughter. 

"I missed this." She said.

"Me, you mean."

"God, you're awfully forward."

"Well without the brazen there would only be tedious, drawn out conversations." He observed.

"Perhaps I should join them, because I'm beginning to feel that I may've declined your offer too hastily." 

"You mean to say that episodic loneliness has driven you to once again evaluate your only recourse?"

"Yes, the lot have done the same. It seems to be the zeitgeist." 

"Excellent!" He exclaimed once more with added vehemence.

They abandoned the cafe, arm-in-arm, after receiving one too many glares due to the clamorous nature of their discussions.

"So, what've you been up to in my absence?" She asked. 

"Your crushing rejection halted all of my creative merit."

"Is that so?"

"Tis so. In fact, I've just had a brilliant realization."

"And what is that?"

"Well I suppose it had been accumulating and only reached the summit, but it has to do with the nature of inferiority. How we can't all be an Einstein in our field. And we'd all like to believe that we shall. So there is a sizeable discrepancy between this desire and the actuality of achievement. We crown ourselves sovereign within our dreams, this leaves numerous fictitious monarchs in need of dethronement."

"Have I an invite to your coronation?"

"If I happen to become an Einstein you shall be uncontestedly present."

"With seating of distinction?" 

"The highest." Rhys assured.

She tripped on a break in the path whilst pondering the sentiment.

He caught her by the shoulders, providing stability as they begun an intense bout of eye contact. She drifted off, kicking the pebbles alongside the road.

"I've a realization too." She noted and he perked up instantaneously, drawing closer.

"You're the sweetest diversion." And his lips were on hers, tracing a line down her neck as she vibrated with feeling, the first in what seemed forever.