The second chance

THE SECOND CHANCE

           Paul and Jane married forty years ago; it seems together forever.  For the sake of their relationship, they developed a polite and superficial way to show they care about each other.

           Paul must follow the protocols, go outside, and depending on the season, bringing something to their breakfast table putting near Jane’s place with a cup of warm coffee and a pinch of milk. No sugar please. They have a small conversation, did you sleep well, what you think if this weekend to spend in the park or going to the Ohio river watch the barges.

           They have a perfect Life for an old couple without children. Jane tried, after some years, married, but they never knew exactly know who were unable to have children. They did not ask the doctors; they pray that God provides a baby. However, it seems God was not busy with their wills and one day, they were too old. Jane thought that was better this way. Paul was not fond of children and hardly tolerate the two cats they have in-home. Although everything is smoothy in their lives, it is also a lot of boredom.

           Paul, after breakfast with Jane, found a café with a special young lady called Anita just placed in the corner of his work building in the insurance company.  Day by day, Anita and Paul talk about different subjects, she has two children in the school and a husband who is irresponsive for sex since after the last child born. Those small talks drive them to spend a little more time in a motel nearby. They have a trade, Anita has sex with him, Paul pays some of her bills to buy fancy clothes and jewelry. Sometimes just to justify his money they had kink sex, spicing their relationship. However, Paul does not like kink; he is plain, straight, make safe deals, and does not want to spend time thinking differently or weirdo.

           In Jane’s side, she makes quilts and participating in a club with other ladies and time to time have contests. They also have tea parties and talking about their deals in life. Jane apparently is calm and happy with her husband although sometimes she would like to discuss how boring it is to sit in the room with an insurance worker twenty-four hours by day; it feels as thirty-four hours.  Paul is always in control of the situation saying stories about how his clients are completely insane about many things. He worked eight hours during the weekdays, returning for a dinner that could be various dishes since Jane is a good cook. During the weekends he is wearing a pajama and seldom times make it differently. Eventually, a friend of both inviting them to supper and Paul make the arrangements to bring something to share with them. No surprises, no excitement, one day after another day at the end of the year a pile of days.

           Jane’s friends, on the other hand, telling her absolutely horrible dramas in their lives.  The husband left them alone with children, how badly they were treated. Others have impossible children that behave in disgusting ways and they are happy when they finally went to college. 

           Jane agrees that there are no such problems in her life. Nevertheless, something is missed, there was no bond with her husband at the moment the COVID 19 started.

           She was emotionless, indifferent, things never told, sentiments never sensed. Now, both are isolated in their house. Paul working from home on his computer, Jane playing several computer games, talking with the old girls on skype.  

           Late March, they suspended the Gym for an unknown time, first was the quarantine, but they really never coming back even if it the middle of August. In April, the grocery stores starting to open earlier for old people.  Restaurants are locked, Anita lost her job and moved to her parent’s house with her children.  Her husband, tired of their life, disappeared unknown destination. Her life is upside down. Living with parents is painful; the children are homeschooling, lost her job in a cafeteria, and now she is a delivery girl exposing herself to the disease. Lost Paul who was tedious but a helpful guy with money for her vanities and things. Her husband disappeared for good.  She is upset nowadays. It is not easy for her to stand all at once. She is thinking of selling some of the jewelry but for what? She imagines that perhaps Paul would like her to be back?

 Last time they talked, she said goodbye, and now they are in cities far away from each other. 

           Paul was happy to suspend the paying to Anita’s attention, no services, no payment. They said, ‘see you later’ by iPhone.   One day he decided to block her number and erased the name from his phone.

           At the moment, Paul is watching TV and the political campaign, this year a little awkward by the virus. Jane is near embroidering a small purse wasting her time; she knows that will be no place to show up her art. Suddenly, Paul realized that Jane changed since a year ago, very slowly, losing more than thirty pounds. She bought new clothes and jewelry and because the pandemic, her hair is longer , right now, she colors it in a home with a discrete color that fits with her looks.   Her head looking down and the hair is spread on her face.  She looks stunning younger with a new beautiful, and colorful dress. It is a summer dress with plenty of flowers. 

           In the old days, Jane was a very delightful woman telling the small stories of life and doing everybody happy around her.  But after forty years, seldom times she says a joke and eventually, she shares a pale smile that soon disappears from her face.          

           Paul realizes that Jane was turning her old shape making efforts to become more pleasant to him. But he never noticed before. Then and suddenly, Jane lifted her head and smile to him as she used to do many years ago.  Their eyes meeting, and she asked:

- “What did you say? Any problem?”

           Paul kept in silence for some while before answering her:

- “No, everything is fine. “  

           He realizes that it is a chance for them to recover this time in several ways, lost forever. If it were not the pandemic, he would not find out that his wife is still the beautiful girl he knew once.  Unlike Anita, she never liked kink sex, she like a peaceful encounter with lots of hugs, kisses, and small sweet talk. Afterward, some chocolate and red wine. A relaxing jacuzzi for both and then, they were going to sleep together until the hectic mornings he had. It was so long time ago that he forgot the details, but the beautiful places they visited and sharing the impressions and took pictures. The small gifts they used to buy for each other as a reminder that would make the memories.  Paul looks to her and for the first time in several months, is absolutely sure that they lost each other in the turmoil road of life.  Now, there is a pause in their lives, COVID 19 makes everyone stop in the ways they were walking. Old things lost their meaning. They need to change some ways they used to see things. Paul asks after a while of meditation: _ " Jane, why we do make a casserole for us tonight? We could make it together as in the old days. We have a bottle of excellent, good red wine from California which would fit nicely with the dish. " For the second time that day, Jane smile a beautiful smile she used to have a long time ago.

Paul thinks he has a Second Chance for the marriage. Yes, without a doubt is a second chance. Now, Paul smiled back as the first time they met.