IVY (Rini)

ivy

Author's note: I'm a huge music fan and keep getting these ideas when listening. This one turned out being way longer than expected. Again, please be gentle & let me know your thoughts :)

How's one to know?
I'd meet you where the spirit meets the bones
In a faith forgotten land
In from the snow
Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow
Tarnished but so grand

Nini had just gotten to the country club's lounge when the snow started to pick up. She shivered as she tried warming up by the fire while she contemplated if going home would be worth facing the snow. Not too long after she made her decision, another victim of the weather came in looking for solace. He had a head of wavy hair lightly covered in snow and was wearing a blue plaid scarf that complimented his brown eyes. Gorgeous brown eyes that then found her as she was shamelessly examining his entrance.

"Good afternoon" he let out. Silently appreciating her frame as well from what he can see from what her winter coat let him make out.

"Hi, sor-ry, snow got you too?" She quickly let out so she tried not to make it too awkward from her previous staring.

"Yeah, I didn't plan to be here this week so it took me by surprise. I'm Ricky."

She smiled at his charm and responded with a smile, "Nini, nice to meet you."

He reached his hand across to her and she took it gingerly, gasping at the coldness the met her.

"Sorry, didn't think they'd still be cold" he apologized as his face rested on a lazy smile.

"It's okay" she didn't mind it at all as her hand might have been cold, she felt a heat in her soul that crept all the way up to her cheeks. Ricky feigned ignorance at her blush and asked if he could join her next to the fire.

They spoke for hours. Ordered dinner, then desserts and finally moved over to one of the bar lounges to enjoy each other's company more. By the end of the night both were certain they wanted to meet again. So, when the sun had long gone down and the snow had let up enough for the roads to be cleared neither wanted to face the inevitable.

"I'd love to see you again" Ricky smiled as he took her hand. Nini's smile had finally faltered a bit since the beginning of the night.

"I'd love to too" she said hesitantly.
"But..."

"It's nothing, it's just that... I'm married" she finally disclosed. Feeling his hand slip away.

"Oh"

"Yeah"

"I'd still love to see you again" he said after a moment.

"Ricky..."

"As friends" he quickly added "you're an amazing woman Nini, I like talking to you and would like it to be intentional next time"

"Of course" her smile quickly returning as she put her number in his phone and sent a quick message to herself.

They hugged goodbye, both noticing the bittersweetness of it all. Feeling as if they were letting go of something they had never really caught in the first place.

——————————————————————
And the old widow goes to the stone every day
But I don't, I just sit here and wait
Grieving for the living

2 months later

Nini's not oblivious, she knows her husband is cheating on her; his excuses had been even more ridiculous lately, but that's not what's gotten her so riled up and staring out of her bedroom window. It's the fact that it's the first of his affairs where she knew what love was supposed to feel like. Where she had someone to love that could love her in return, Ricky.