Dare To Love

Matt could imagine the military men who had been injured in the line of duty responding to her wonderful smile and melodic voice. Kai’s touch would be sure. His mind wandered over the prospect of what it would be like to love her. He imagined what her thick hair would feel like as he ran his fingers through it. He imagined the velvet feel of her pliant, youthful skin against his own. Kai was fascinating. She was the only woman since Maura who had intrigued him enough to make him want to think about living again instead of just surviving. Dragging in a deep breath, Matt forced himself back to his duties. He halted, studying an old door half torn off its hinges. The rain was slashing in, leaving large puddles on the cracked concrete floor. He stared at them in thoughtful silence.

Was life always a road map filled with contours, wrong turns and dead ends? His eyes narrowed as he studied the lines radiating from beneath his feet. Didn’t it ever have a foreseeable beginning and ending, without the obstacle course that would eventually change life’s direction? No, Matt reminded himself, life was little more than a survival school composed of one gray day after another.

He ambled toward Wright, who remained seated. How did Kai interpret the world? Obviously quite differently than he did. Where he saw perpetual darkness, she saw light. She did her best to heal men’s broken, torn bodies and urge them to reach out and live once more. He smiled slightly as he completed his tour.