Love Me Extra

   

They had been on the road for a couple of hours now. Driving without a specific endpoint in mind. His eyes concentrated on the cars on the highway by mentally adding the numbers of the front cars’ license plates together to escape the silence, while hers bored into passing cars and buildings with no reason of contempt.

The eerie whispers of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon' resonating in the car came from the well-worn cassette that the guy discreetly slipped into the deck when they started driving. She scoffed knowing that the driver honestly believed the philosophical sound of Pink Floyd would calm her down.

“Such naivety”, she thought bitterly. The haunting sound actually added more misery to her sullen mood.

 
But then again, perhaps that’s what she needed at the moment. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes before she caught herself and immediately looked away.

She took a small sip from the half-empty cup of Coca-cola from McDonald’s Drive-thru he got for her as more foreign buildings passed her. She sighed lamenting the string of bad news that could not have come at a better time.

Before long, he signaled to the left and made the turn. They were now in residential areas both alien to them. Perfect homes with perfect lawns appeared before their eyes. She wondered what secrets these homes were hiding. She wondered if they were as haunting as hers.

 The car halted to a stop in front of a playground. Young children running around freely came to view. He turned off the engine and swiftly she walked out heading towards the bench in front of the swing set with the drink still in her hand. She sat and stared into the distance.

He joined her a few minutes later after making sure every door of the car was locked. Immediately after he sat down, a ball rolled down to his feet. A boy, no older than 8, came running and apologized. He shrugged and muttered something incoherent, totally at lost at what to say. The puzzled boy left immediately, finally knowing the reason his mother forbade him from talking to strangers.

“Must you always be damn awkward around kids?” She asked condescendingly.

At last he looked at her in the eyes. Meeting her gaze, challenged her to say more cutting words. 

She took the bait. 

Like a balloon pinned, she spurted the wrath she has been holding back the whole day, the whole week. Like any cathartic moment, she erupted. She cursed the job she didn’t even like but paid the bills.  She flamed her team leader who had dull capacities. She cussed the water puddle that ruined her suede oxford boots. She blamed him for every single thing that went wrong. 

Blaming him, blaming him. Because it's easier than to confront the source of her pain.

  

Angrily, she wiped away the tears rolling down her cheek with the back of her hand. Her eyes blazingly looked into his, challenging him to stop her.

He didn’t. He swallowed the words she unreasonably hurled at him as he swallowed his pride.

 After the tears stopped and words failed her, she stalked back to the car. He opened the door for her and she slid in without a grunt of thanks. With her lingering hatred for life, they drove away in the silence much needed. The 70s album continued playing in the rundown vehicle, providing the two people who were lost without words company.

The car drove for hours again before finally stopping in front of her house. She started to walk out but hesitated a second later. She couldn’t look at him so she looked down at the street and mumbled, ”Thank you for loving me extra today.”

To which he replied with “I’d love you extra everyday.”

And somewhere in a playground 65 kilometres away, a half-full cup of Coca-Cola lay forgotten on bench in front of a swing set.




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