Colorblind

Truths & Consequences

George's POV

I walk into the apartment and drop my keys lightly into the key bowl by the door. All the lights are off but the light from the streetlights below bleed in through the blinds. I glance at the clock, it's just after midnight. At first, I head for the closet to grab a spare blanket to sleep on the couch but then something catches my eye. There are two suitcases lined up neatly near the staircase. My heart hitches in my throat and my thoughts are going a mile a minute.

"Alma?" I call out

The only sounds I hear are the happenings of the city below.

"Alma?" I say louder.

Still nothing.

Suddenly thinking the worst, I rush up the stairs.

"Alma" I yell before hitting the bedroom door.

With no response, I throw open the bedroom door to find a pile of empty sheets. I can tell that there isn't a body in them before I even turn on the light, but I turn it on just to be sure.

I make my way to the bed and notice that the sheets are wrinkled as if someone had laid in them. Then in the midst of thoughts racing through my mind, I hear a noise in the bathroom. I head towards the bathroom door.

"Alma?" I say.

In response I hear the sound of retching and a splash in the toilet.

I sigh and slowly open the door to see Alma sitting on the floor basically with her head in the toilet. I rush to her side and sit on the floor next to her. I rub her back gently. When she is finished, she moves away from me and leans her head against the wall. I reach up and flush the toilet. Then I get up and grab a glass that is sitting near the sink. I fill it up with water.

I hand it to her and say "Here."

She looks up at me and doesn't say anything.

"Take it." I say.

"Help me off the floor first" She says as she reaches out her hand towards me.

I take her hand and pull her up.

She takes the glass of water and swishes it around her mouth before splitting it into the sink.

"Baby's on a mean streak today." She says.

She walks past me and out of the bathroom. I watch her in the doorway as she climbs into bed, pulls the covers over herself and settles in.

"By all means, stand there all night but at least turn the bathroom light off." She says.

Realizing that I am just standing there with a glass of half empty water in my hands, I dump the remainder of the water in the sink and set it down. I turn off the bathroom light on the way out.

I sit down on the bed and say "I am sorry."

Alma mumbles back "I know you are, as you should be."

I sigh and look at her, but I can barely make out her face in the darkness of the room even with the moonlight shining through the window.

"We have to at least talk about this." I say.

"So, talk." Alma says back.

"I saw the letter downstairs. Are you really going leaving me?" I ask.

"That was the plan." Alma says back.

"What happened to for better or for worse?" I ask.

"What happened to the to love and to hold?" She retorts back.