Stone

By Coco Jane

“Hello, Gavin darling,” said Belinda, breathless. “Sorry I’m late. Sarah didn’t show up for work, and I had to take three extra patients.” She sat on the stone and unpacked the lunch.

Gavin was silent.

Belinda bit into her tuna sandwich. “I ordered new curtains for the kitchen. Little green leaves. Won’t those look nice?”

Gavin did not reply.

She munched quietly for a while, then wiped watermelon juice from her chin. She said to him, “Wow, time to get back to work already. See you tomorrow, love.”

Belinda patted his stone, mounted her bicycle, and pedaled out of the cemetery.