In Other Words

Mickey Fisher opened his mouth, only to release a stream of nonsensical words that were most definitely not English. Well, it might have been some semblance of English, but it didn't make sense. Even to Laurel Richards, who had known Mickey for longer than she could remember. He might not have had many words, but Laurel always understood what he was trying to say in the end. It was just said in other words.

She sighed, a soft smile spreading across her lips as he approached, grinning brightly back at her. Ever the dapper gentleman, Mickey was dressed as if he'd just come from an evening cocktail reception in a dinner jacket of blue-green velvety suede. He might have, she reasoned. Mickey attended lots of fancy formal dinners for this charity or that fundraiser. She'd even accompanied him to a few. Just not this one, and she felt suddenly underdressed in her floaty mint green dress.

Mickey proffered his arm, smile unwavering, and she looped it through her own. He waltzed her around the expanse of the otherwise empty gazebo with gentle grace, their path lit by a few street lamps along the edges. With anyone else, Laurel would have been self conscious and worried about prying eyes judging them. But Mickey had this way of taking her away to another world. Another world where it was just the two of them, enjoying each other's company.

Pausing midstep, Mickey looked at her, eyes shining as he pointed at the bright full moon in the sky above them.
"Do you want to go to the moon Mickey?" Laurel asked.
He shook his head, let go of his hands and pointed, this time to himself, then her, and finally, back up at the moon.
"You want to go to the moon with me?"
Again, he shook his head. He pointed again; at himself, her, then the moon before laying his hand flat in the air and swiping it sideways.
Laurel gasped as understanding set in. It was like he'd read her mind. "It is kind of like we're on the moon!"
Mickey's grin widened.
"In other words," she said, smiling, "another world."
Again he nodded.
"I like us having our own little world."
Mickey's grin widened more, lighting his eyes and making them sparkle. Reaching out, he took her hand, kissing it before pulling her closer and starting to dance her round again.

They danced long enough for her to lose track of time. It must have been well after midnight be the time he pulled away. But Mickey held on to her hands, still beaming. He looked at Laurel in silence. She waited. He stayed silent. Suddenly, she realised that he was waiting. But she wasn't sure what for. "In other words?" she tried questioningly, wincing.
He nodded before letting go of his hands. As he pointed and signed, Laurel translated aloud to herself.
First, he pointed at himself.
"I."
Next, at his chest.
"Love," she said, making a heart shape with her hands.
Finally, he pointed at her.
"You." Laurel stopped, her jaw dropping a few inches. "Wait.. What?" She signed and spoke back to him slowly, still half in shock.
"You," She pointed to him.
"Love," made a heart shape with her hands over her chest.
"Me?" she pointed at herself.
Eagerly, he nodded.
"In other words," she filled in for him after a moment.
He signed again, pointing to himself, his chest and then at her.
"I love you."

Just A Blip

It's just a blip, it's just a blip, it's just a blip. Alex Murphy had said the same words over and over so many times he'd lost count. He felt like a broken record. The world as he knew it seemed on the verge of imploding. The life he'd built for himself felt like it hinged upon this one moment. This one decision. A decision that wasn't even up to him. 

Alex felt it ironic that he was a Murphy when the fate of his future lay in the hands of Mrs. Murphy. Well, soon to be ex Mrs Murphy. If things had been reversed, he might have thought it a sign in the beautiful lens that was hindsight. He would have beat himself up. He would have convinced himself that he should have seen it coming all along.  

She'd given him a taste of the life he'd always dreamed of. A life he'd longed for. Love, children, family. A life, full and rich. Then, she'd ripped it all away, like pulling a rug from beneath his feet. He'd been left on his knees, reeling as he watched them disappear. 

Somehow, she'd turned him into the bad guy. His life had been turned upside down in an instant. He didn't remember the last time he'd spoken properly to his little girl, or spent quality time with his son. "It's just a blip," he told himself again. And it was. 

His kids were still there, even if he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen them. He just had to wait, and let fate run it's course. Because he knew, somewhere, deep down, that this wouldn't last forever. He was just in a blip, but it would go away, and life would be back to normal again. A new normal, maybe. But normal all the same.

One day, he'd look back on this time and remember the hurt and the heartache. He'd remember the fearful what if's that haunted his thoughts and the stress of the weight of all of it, resting upon him. One day, he'd remember all of it and breathe a sigh of relief that it was all over. But he'd smile too, knowing that it'd had to happen. He'd needed the reminder. The reminder that he was stronger than he thought he was. That he was a fighter, and that he could make it through. That no matter how bad it seemed, he would come out on the other side.