RESURGENCE

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Dan pulled into the driveway of his home. The wave of nausea had subsided, and all that remained was a mild headache. He switched the engine off and sat in the car looking at his house. To someone else watching him at that instant, it would have appeared that he was too drunk. He stayed still and took a few breaths. One step at a time, said a weak voice from a far corner of his mind. He got out of the car and slowly walked from the driveway to the stone path leading up to the front door. He had built that stone walkway all by himself and, every time he walked on it, he felt proud. No other house in the town could boast of such an original piece of construction. It’s a work of art, he thought. 

Just as he approached the front door, the fragrance of home calmed his wrecked senses. The wooden front door, with its pale brown color and a dull luster, brought a relief to his tired bones. The rocky afternoon is behind me, he thought. I’ve been working too hard, gotta take a couple of days off. Chip can handle it without me. The job will go on. Morgan took a week off when his old man popped. I could make something up, could say that an uncle or a nephew died. A couple of days off work, that's all I need to rejuvenate.

He looked at the two yellow light holders on either side of the front door. Judy had chosen those out of a fancy home catalogue because yellow lilies were the first flowers he ever gave her. She loved yellow lilies. Too bad, he thought. If I didn’t feel like shit, I would’ve brought her some tonight. A warmth grew in is body as he thought of Judy. He felt almost normal and didn't realize that he was smiling as he opened the front door. 

As he got inside the house, a feeling of gratitude came over him. His home was like a sacred space that protected him from everything. It was his fortress, and he felt as if a veil had been lifted off his eyes and his mind worked with absolute clarity. The flow of his thoughts had become streamlined. He entered the living room and stood by the comfortable sofa chair he usually sat in to watch the TV. He admired the wooden bookshelf that he had built years ago. It was full with mostly best-seller paperbacks he had bought from the local library sale at a dollar a piece. Out of habit, he went over to the wall opposite to the bookshelf and admired the ever-so-slightly crooked painting. He straightened it. It was an exquisite Korean piece of art he had bought at a flea market years ago. He wasn't sure if it was North or South Korean, and he didn't care either. It was a beautiful piece that he would show off to all the guests who came through his house. The painting was of a golden cat playing in a garden full of roses as a beautiful black butterfly flew across the yellow sky. The colors used in the painting were bright, and it cheered up his mood further. The whole house seemed alive, welcoming and comforting him, as if it was aware of the games his mind had played that afternoon. He felt untouchable in his abode. The aroma of mint tea captured his attention, and he heard Judy working in the kitchen. He peeked into the living room to see the dining table ready for dinner with plates, silverware, and napkins. He quietly walked into the kitchen.

“Hey love,” he said. “It smells delicious.”

“Wow!” said Judy as she turned around with a startled look on her face and a hand on her chest. “You scared me honey.”

“I am sorry, love, didn't mean to sneak up on you.”

He kissed her. She kissed him back.

“Dinner is almost ready,” she said. “Just give me five minutes. You can take a shower if you like, and it’ll be done by the time you’re out. It would have been ready by now but I got a little distracted this afternoon.” 

“I missed you, sweetie pie,” he said.

“I missed you too, I love when you’re around,” she said and pressed her palms against his back as she hugged him. It was exactly what he needed—to feel loved.