A Light In the Darkness
He paused for a moment when he reached the driveway, holding up his cellphone like a flashlight to check the number on the mailbox. The numbers wiggled a little when he tried to focus on them, but it was definitely his mailbox. Just before the display flickered off, the clock ticked over to 3:07am.
He blinked up at the house. The light was on in the living room.
She should’ve been asleep by now. She always was. Not one of those folks who stays up late. Not any fun at all anymore.
She must’ve left the light on for him this time. A light to bring him home. Their home.
They’d had bad times before, and this was another, but they’d hung on before. No matter how mad she was at him for going out and drinking, she never would’ve left the light on if she didn’t mean him to come home.
He patted their mailbox and happily, carefully walked up the driveway. He fumbled with his key for a moment, but then just tried the knob. It opened.
She wouldn’t have left it unlocked if she didn’t mean him to come home.
He stumbled into the living room, trying to be quiet. She finished putting a book in the box in front of her and stood up. “You’re home”, she said.
“I am. I got talking to a buddy, and one thing and another, y’know.” He took a couple steps into the room, thought better of it, and sat heavily down on the couch.
“I know.”
“You didn’t have to leave the light on for me. I could’ve made it by myself … but it was like a beacon bringing me home to you. And you’re awake to meet me …” his voice dropped to a mutter. “You didn’t have to leave it on for me.”
She looked over at the couch, and his eyes followed hers, seeing blankets and a pillow there next to him. “No,” she said, as she flipped the switch and shut the door behind her, “I left it on for me.”
Follow