Empty Hand Revolution

Bumpy Spell

Sarah paced the living room of her parents’ ranch style house. “It isn't the job situation that has me worried.” She turned to face the couch where Cosmo sat. The lights in the room had remained off during the sunny afternoon. Now that the sun had sunk low in the western sky, the room became dark.

“It’s your family,” Cosmo said.

“We’ve been in California for six months and things aren't getting any easier. We’ve only two months until our wedding, and you're not even trying.”

“They’ve made up their mind. What else is there for me to do?”

“You could be friendly.” Sarah huffed.

“The first thing your aunt asked me was how many people I’ve beaten. There is no friendly response to that.” Cosmo kept his cool.

Sarah stamped her foot. “I’ve already apologized for that. And besides, you always just assume everything is going to happen the way you see it. You never give anyone else a chance to participate. Things might have turned out differently if you would have asked my parents permission to marry me or at least waited more than two months after our first date to bring it up.”

“I was unfamiliar with the tradition.”

“That’s another thing.” Sarah deflated. “This is a different world than the jungle. It’s hard for my family to understand.”

Cosmo stood. “They do not want to understand.”

“I didn’t understand until you took me to the jungle. To them, it’s all just crazy stories—”

Cosmo shook his head and held up a hand to stop his fiancé from continuing the same well-trodden path. “The next two months won’t do anything to change that.”

“Then maybe we should postpone the wedding.” Sarah turned away.

Cosmo held his breath. He hadn’t expected the argument to come to this. One thing the last three years of courting Sarah had taught him was she did not appreciate being pressured.

He exhaled. “If that is what you want, I can give you space. I’ll move and we’ll postpone the wedding. But none of this changes my belief we shall be married.” The room had grown almost completely dark. Cosmo couldn’t tell if Sarah had begun crying or not.

Her voice quivered. “That’s what I’m talking about. You don’t even care about anyone else’s process. You’ve already made up your mind.”

“I made up my mind three years ago. I don’t know how to unmake it now. That doesn’t mean I don’t care.”

Sarah remained quiet.

“How long?”

“How long what?” Sarah whispered.

“How much time apart do you need?” For the first time during the conversation, Cosmo’s heart sank. As he spoke the word ‘apart’ aloud, the reality of how dire their relationship had become settled in his gut.

“Six months.” Sarah’s voice grew stronger. “We should take six months apart.”

Cosmo strode toward the entryway.

Sarah almost hailed him. Before she could, Cosmo stopped.

He turned to face her and bowed. “Tell your family I said goodbye. I love you.”

“I—” Sarah choked on her words.

“I know. See you in six months.” Cosmo let himself out. He stood in the driveway as the day’s dying light fled beneath the horizon. His chest constricted at the thought of spending another six months without his fiancé.

He opened his car door and plopped in the driver’s seat. Before starting the ’93 Corolla, he determined to return to the northwest. Perhaps Bend, Oregon. He had spent some time there raising money. Or Idaho. He had a friend outside of Boise who had offered to mentor him in residential construction. The Rocky Mountains comforted him.

When life in Delhi had gotten too dangerous, Sarah had offered to sponsor Cosmo’s coming to the United States. At the time, the move had seemed obvious. But living near Sarah’s family had taken a toll.

The more he thought about getting away to Idaho, the more at peace he felt. “Idaho it is.” He started the car and backed out of the drive.