Poetry Corner with Merrie Destefano
Sentimental Ending
“I’m not one for sentimental endings. Not
this time.”
That’s what he said. When he slammed the car door. When he walked away into blue velvet. Those were his words, each one like the drumbeat to a funeral dirge, like the handful of stones I’m forced to carry in my heart.
Sometimes I repeat them to myself, roll the syllables over my tongue. When the midnight pours in my window, cold and dark. When my bed feels as empty as my soul. Sometimes I imagine another ending and I write it down.
“I’m not one for sentimental endings. But
this is a beginning—”
He would lean toward me, over cracked vinyl seats, cup my face in his hands and look into my eyes. The single tear sliding down my cheek would take his breath away for a moment, then he would kiss it away . . .
“I’m not one for sentimental endings. But
this is breaking my heart—”
He would weep; he would beg me to stay. He would promise to change, to be different, to do anything I ask. One hand would slide over mine and he would pull me back into his arms. My face would be wet from his tears . . .
“I’m not one for sentimental endings. Not
this time.”
I would turn away from him, the words still warm in my mouth. I would open the car door, swing my legs out onto pavement, stand up and feel an intoxicating sense of freedom. I am leaving him and he is devastated . . .
Of all my imagined endings, this last one is my favorite, the one I rehearse when the ache drives me to my knees, the one that gets me through the day when I feel like a shadow walking through bright crowds.
Excerpt:
He nodded, head lowered. Then he lifted his gaze until he was staring into her eyes. One hand rested on her shoulder. “I won’t tell anyone your secret, Elspeth. You’re safe with me.”
Then he leaned closer, his scent overwhelming, his thoughts like the wind through the leaves, a wild rushing, his skin like the embrace of the forest. His lips touched hers and she could hear his heart beating. She slid her arms around his waist, leaning into the kiss, suddenly wanting more. She wanted to cast an enchantment, to lead him into sleep, to harvest his dreams. Wanted to walk into a dream with him, to see the hidden world on the other side of his eyelids. Wanted to know everything about him.
The kiss had only just begun and already she wanted another.
His arms were around her then, and the winter chill disappeared. In its place, fire crackled through her limbs, from her fingertips to her feet.
She could see it then, the world inside him. Tender and gentle as a spring morning, the shadows of night lingering at the edge of the wood, a handful of stars scattered across a pale sky.
She never knew that humans could be filled with so much magic.
It was her first Hunt and she had chosen her prey wisely.
About the Author:
Multiple-award-winning author Merrie Destefano writes lyrical tales of magic,
mystery, and hope. Her traditional books have been published by HarperCollins,
Entangled Teen, and Walter Foster, while her indie imprint is Ruby Slippers
Press. Her novels have won awards in both the science fiction and fantasy
categories.
She worked for Focus on the Family, The Word For Today, Engaged Media, and PJS
Publications, and her magazine experience includes editor of Victorian Homes
magazine, Zombies magazine, Haunted: Mysteries And Legends magazine, American
Farmhouse Style magazine, Vintage Gardens magazine and founding editor of
Cottages and Bungalows magazine. Her co-authored art books include How To Draw
Vampires, How To Draw Zombies, and How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Fairy Tales. Her
edited books include The Man God Uses by Chuck Smith, Oil Pastel Step-By-Step
by Nathan Rohlander, and The Art of Drawing Fantasy Characters by Jacob Glaser.
Born in the Midwest, Merrie now lives in Southern California, where she runs on
caffeine, and shares her home with rescue dogs and cats. And although she
dearly loves science fiction, in her heart of hearts, she still doesn’t believe
airplanes should be able to fly.
WEBSITE: http://www.merriedestefano.com/
BLOG: http://merriedestefano.blog/
NEWSLETTER: http://www.merriedestefano.com/newsletter1.html
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/merriedestefano/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MerrieDestefano
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Merrie-Destefano-127750623906184/
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/merrie-destefano
AUDIOBOOKS: https://www.audible.com/author/Merrie-Destefano/B0048L6NYO
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