We Knew of Laughter and Dancing

Love’s as warm as tears

Photo by Alvin Mahmudov

It was the wind chimes that gave her away.

She phoned in the evening, just after I put Charlotte to bed and clicked on the soft glow of her ballerina nightlight. My phone buzzing, I quietly shut Charlotte’s bedroom door and tip-toed down the hallway to my study.

I shut the door behind me and answered.

“Hi babe, I’m just checking in,” my wife Jillian said.

“How’s the conference going?” I asked.

“Oh, you know, the usual. Sales and distribution strategies, marketing innovations, and budget tips to extend our resources,” she said.

I heard the distinctive jingle of wind chimes through the phone.

“What’s that? Wind chimes?”

Silence.

“Jillian, are you there?”

“Yeah, sorry, some of the ladies and I went for drinks and we’re sitting in this outside bar. Someone bumped into the wind chimes. Anyway, how’s Charlotte? Is she still up?”

“No, I just put her to bed. She has ballet practice tomorrow morning,” I said.

“Oh yeah, Saturday ballet class. Well, my flight home is tomorrow night, so I guess I’ll see you two then.”