Learning To Trust Again

Rebecca followed Jake as he carried the plates of steaming hot lasagna out onto the balcony and placed them on the table. Despite the wound to his hand he managed to carry both plates at once and took a seat opposite her. Putting the bowl of salad down and the plate of crusty bread, she’d grabbed on the way home so it would be fresh, Rebecca served some of everything for both of them. After his first mouthful Jake looked at her and said ‘this is good.’

‘Thank you’ she replied, looking away with a happy smile. Then knowing, unless they were to eat in silence, she was going to have to initiate conversation because he so rarely did, she asked ‘so how long are you working nights for?’

‘After tonight’ Jake said with a grim expression, ‘one more night.’

Smiling with sympathy at the displeasure evident in his tone she said ‘I take it you don’t like night shift either?’

‘Not a lot’ he replied ‘apart from it being a really slow time, meaning the time drags, I find it difficult sleeping during the day.’

‘I know what you mean’ she said with feeling ‘I’m always exhausted by the end of it because I don’t get enough sleep during the day. I pity people who permanently work night shift. I just couldn’t do it.’

‘Yeah’ Jake agreed ‘I guess you’d get used to it, but from what I can tell, it’s no way to live.’

As they finished their meal Rebecca picked up the plates ‘would you like some coffee?’

Feeling full, but not uncomfortably so, Jake sat back and nodded. ‘Thanks that may help get me through the night.’

With a smile Rebecca asked ‘white, no sugar right’

He nodded ‘good memory.’

Rebecca smiled and shrugged ‘it’s the same way I have it so it wasn’t hard to remember.’ Picking up the plates before he could offer to help, she indicated the living room with her elbow and said ‘make yourself comfortable’ as she carried the plates into kitchen.

Standing as Rebecca moved out of sight, Jake took a last look at the river. He noticed in the diminishing daylight it now looked like a glossy black ribbon snaking its way through the landscape. Turning away he walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch with one arm lying along the low back.

‘Turn on the television if you like’ Rebecca called from the kitchen as she put the plates in the dishwasher, ‘I won’t be long.’

 Looking around Jake found the remote on the coffee table and picking it up, he searched the channels for something to watch. At that time of day there wasn’t much on, but at length, he came across a music channel, showing clips of the latest hits.