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At five o’clock, Marla heard a knock at her door. She had only arrived home thirty minutes earlier from Ben and Delaney’s house. She was expecting Micah since they had agreed that he would come by at this time to collect his belongings from the garage.
Marla opened the door and greeted him. The outside temperature had dropped significantly. She quickly closed the door after he stepped in.
“It’s gotten really cold out there,” he said.
“Yes, it has. Is it usually this cold here in October?” She asked.
“No, the temperature hits the forties at night, but it isn’t usually this cold this early,” he replied.
“Do the cold temperatures keep you from riding your bike?” She asked.
“Yeah, for sure. I tend to do my cardio in the gym during this time of the year, though I’m used to colder temperatures,” he replied.
“Do you realize that we’ve both come from Cincinnati?” she asked.
He laughed. “I do. That’s where all the cool people come from.”
“What part did you live in?” She asked.
“I lived up in Mount Adams,” he replied.
“Oh my gosh! We were practically neighbors. I lived in Hyde Park.”
“Small world.”
Marla could sense his dismissive attitude. It was as if he didn’t want to talk about Cincinnati or his time there. After a moment of awkward silence, she asked, “Would you like to sit and have a cup of coffee? I just got a fire started in the fireplace.”
“It does feel cozy in here. Coffee sounds good. I’ll thaw out before I venture out to the garage to move my stuff.”
“Have a seat. I just brewed a fresh pot of coffee. I’ll be right back,” Marla said.
Micah took a seat on the couch and stretched out his legs in front of the fire.
“You know, this was my favorite spot when I lived here,” he said.
Marla carried two mugs of coffee into the living room. She handed him a cup.
“I put two teaspoons of sugar and some cream in it.”
“Perfect. Thanks,” he said.
“So right where you’re sitting right now was your favorite spot?” She asked.
“Yep,” he nodded. “There’s nothing like the warmth and smell of a wood-burning fireplace.”
“I have to agree with you.”
“Are you feeling more settled?”
“I’m getting there.”
He looked over at her solemnly and asked, “Did you enjoy dinner today?”
“Yeah,” she sighed, “but I’m surprised I didn’t get more questions about my personal life. Actually, I’m glad I didn’t. I just left today feeling like everyone had questions about me.”
Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they stared into the fire.
Micah broke the silence. “You know, I think that everyone at dinner today knows what you’re going through. These are good people. A lot of us have come to Guntersville for shelter from our own past personal storms. Don’t be afraid to ask them or me for anything you need.”
Marla examined him. She wanted to ask him if he had a personal past storm, but she decided this might not be the time. Gratefully, she said, “Thanks. So far, I’m doing okay. Getting to work will be a good thing for me. I need a distraction right now.”
Micah nodded as he stared at the fire. “I understand exactly how you feel.”
They were both silent for several minutes as they stared at the crackling fire.
Finally, Marla asked, “Is that why you moved here? Did you need a distraction?”
Micah didn’t answer. Instead, he changed the subject and pointed toward the wall. “You have a big, empty space on that wall. It looks like you moved that table over. Are you going to put something there? Maybe making room for your Christmas tree?”
Marla looked over at the space he was referring to. She chuckled lightly at first, and said, “I think it’s a little too early for a Christmas tree, though I do put mine up right after Halloween.”
Micah studied her carefully, noticing her mood darken and smile fade.
She became more somber before she added, “I was going to put a very special piece of furniture there, but I can’t now.”
Micah furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Micah could see the sadness in her eyes. Her disposition changed entirely from jovial to irritated as she stared into the fire. He asked, “You seem upset. Do you want to tell me what happened?”
She looked over at him with wet eyes. “No, but thanks for asking. I can’t talk about it right now.”
He scooted toward her on the couch until his leg was touching hers.
Marla looked toward him out of the corner of her eye, feeling self-conscious. Why did he want to be this close to her? She had been like the plague to her father and to Charlie. Why would a man like Micah want to be near her?
Micah took her hand in his and gently whispered, “Just know that you’re not alone.”
She slowly looked over at him until their eyes met. Being this close to him felt both uncomfortable and wonderful. Part of her wanted to be engulfed in his arms, while the other part of her was terrified to be that close to him. She couldn’t speak.
As if Micah was reading her mind, he reached his arm around her and pulled her to him. He said, “Sometimes, we all just need a hug.”
Marla could feel her core heat up and her heart race. She didn’t know how to handle this blatant tenderness from a man. He wasn’t holding anything back. He was genuine, showing her that he cared. She hadn’t felt this way for a long time.
After a few moments, he released her from the hug and stood.
Marla exhaled when she realized she’d been holding her breath. She felt dizzy from his touch and decided she had better sit for a few more seconds. She asked, “Do you need some help with your things in the garage?”
Micah was putting his coat on. “No, there isn’t much out there. I’ll have it loaded into my truck in no time.”
He carried his mug to the kitchen sink.
“I better get to it,” he said. “Thanks for the coffee and the company.”
Marla followed him to the door. “Thanks for coming over.”
“Is the garage locked?”
“No, it’s open.”
“Alright, I’ll be out of there in a few minutes. Thanks for letting me keep my stuff there.”
“No problem.”
As he walked toward the garage, she said, “Maybe I’ll see you at the hospital.”
He waved, and Marla closed the door.
Marla returned to her seat on the couch. Her head was still spinning from Micah’s touch. She had needed some tenderness tonight, and it was as if Micah knew it. The reminder of the grandfather clock had returned her heart pains and feelings of bitterness toward Charlie. She studied the fire. The yellow and orange flames cast shadows in the dim room as the wood crackled and snapped. Despite Micah’s gesture of kindness, her heart felt heavy again. For that afternoon, she hadn’t thought about Charlie or her divorce, or the pain she had been suffering every minute. But with one thought of the grandfather clock, her sorrow had returned. She wondered if the pain would ever lessen. Time was supposed to heal wounds, but could her wounded heart ever really heal? Despite Micah’s show of affection for her tonight, she had trouble believing that he meant it, especially since Charlie had shown her the same tenderness at the beginning of their relationship. It was unfair to Micah, but in her heart, she wondered if he was just having a moment. She reasoned that he was just being nice and that he couldn’t possibly care for her. There must be something about me that is not worthy of true love.
At this thought, a tear rolled down her cheek. Even though her mind told her it was possible, her heart wondered if any man would be able to love her for who she was.