Pills of love

Slipping Through My Fingers (part 1)

Hello everyone :D
Well, this 'pill' comes from a similar situation I've experienced not personally, but in the family... And so I wanted to address it for BennyFrid too... Let's see what you think :)

***

Frida closed the front door slamming it angrily, walking quickly towards the stairs that led upstairs, throwing her purse and coat more or less towards the sofa in the living room, but without really making sure she had hit the mark.

She climbed the stairs quickly and when she disappeared upstairs, the front door opened again, this time by Benny's hand. Slightly out of breath after trying to chase her, he looked around and noticed her coat on the floor a short distance from the sofa and her bag ended up on the glass table, having dropped some frames resting there. Benny sighed for a long time and quietly closed the door behind him. He stood still at the entrance for a few seconds, staring at the ground, biting his lower lip.

He sighed again and walked slowly towards the stairs, taking off his coat, leaving it on a nearby armchair, and starting to unbutton the cuffs of his shirt and then taking off his watch. His eyes always downcast, as he climbed the stairs his gaze lingered on the watch that he was having difficulties to open.

The kids had given it to him for his 35th birthday. He hadn't expected it, usually they gave him articulated artifacts that didn't seem to have any monetary value, but that emotionally worthed more than any jewel that could exist. He wasn't much of a flattering type, hugger or kisser on the forehead, but those four kids had always been able to tap on the softer side of him, even leading him to seek physical contact with them first. Something abstruse if they had told him decades ago.

Without realizing it, he arrived in front of the bedroom door, finding it closed. He closed his eyes briefly and raised his face to the roof, taking a deep breath and opening it up.

Frida was bent over the large chest of drawers next to the bed, searching through her sweaters. She had already undressed and dressed in comfortable house clothes. Benny watched her for long moments in silence, thinking of nothing, with a slight grimacing on his face.

Frida got up quickly, took a look at the long white wool sweater she had found and then closed the open drawer with her leg, putting on the sweater. She turned to the door and saw Benny. She looked at him for a few seconds and then lowered her gaze, stopping to button up her sweater.

"You ok?" Benny murmured, stepping into the room.

Frida looked up quickly and snorted "Perfect" and then she went to the bathroom, firmly closing the door behind her, not giving him time to say anything else.

Benny sighed and walked over to his side of the bed, sitting down and placing his watch on the bedside table before untying his shoes. His movements were slow, almost like an automaton repeating the same gestures day after day. And just like an automaton, he couldn't figure out what he actually felt at that moment. He only knew that he felt a bitterness in his mouth, as if he had eaten something gone bad, a bitterness that ran down his throat from his mouth until it was released in his chest and stomach.

He grimaced and shook his head, abandoning his shoes on the ground and resting his elbows on his knees, sinking his face into his hands.

When he heard water running from the bathroom faucet, Benny lifted his head, still supported by his hands, took a deep breath and stood up slowly. With only his socks on his feet, his footsteps were absolutely silent around the room and when he reached the bathroom door, he hesitated only a moment before knocking lightly.

Only silence was the answer he received.

"Frida... Can we talk?" he said from beyond the door, leaning against the jamb and running his index finger along one of the veins in the door.