When There Is Nothing Left But Love

A single wall separated the two rooms. Sound traveled easily across the balconies.

I rang the bell of the neighboring villa. Joseph answered the door. When he saw me, he started ever so slightly, then asked, “Mrs. Fuller, is something wrong?”

I paused, then smiled at him winningly. “Were you aware that we were neighbors?” It was peculiar that Joseph hadn’t asked me what I was doing here. Instead, he had immediately seized on something going awry.

Joseph’s eyes darted uneasily. He avoided the question altogether and exclaimed brightly, “Please come in!”

“No need for that,” I assured him. “It’s time for dinner, and you just moved in today. I suppose you haven’t had the time to cook. Would you like to join me?”

Joseph smiled but insisted on showing me in.

I felt it rather peculiar of him to do so. It all made sense to me, however, after I’d stepped and caught sight of the man himself seated on the grey couch and reading a book.

The one who had pushed for this move must have been Ashton rather than Joseph.

“Mrs. Fuller, let me get you a glass of water!” Joseph chirped, already darting out of the room in haste.

I remained standing where I was in the living room, tension creeping up my spine. I searched my mind frantically for something to say. Linda’s words flashed across my mind and I blurted, “Thank you for the ointment you sent me today afternoon!”

Ashton’s eyes never left his book. He casually turned a page, then replied coolly, “OK.”

Silence returned to the room.

I gulped, then continued, “Are you planning to stay here?”

in having

had anything to eat. I’ve already made dinner. Do you want

shut. He got his feet and replied

set his book down

living room bearing a glass of water. He froze when he saw Ashton stalking out. Joseph hurriedly shoved the glass of water towards me, saying,

head and replied, “No need. Come over and have dinner

nodded, smiling sheepishly. “Thank you for

to stand

arrayed the dishes on the table. When she saw us enter, Nora beamed, remarking, “What a crowd we have today! It’s been

wasn’t present. Turning towards Nora, I asked, “Did you call Mr. Murphy to come

face coloring slightly. “He’ll be down in a

rather unusual reaction, I probed, “Is something

said in a

after getting changed. He didn’t seem surprised to see Ashton and merely greeted

feeling that everyone was privy to some information I was clueless

abruptly asked. I raised my head and

you spending it with anyone? Why don’t you

is this woman trying to

likewise had looked up from his plate. It was Joseph, however, who spoke. “I think tomorrow’s

besides,” Nora exclaimed. She enthusiastically shifted her attention to Armond, pressing, “Mr. Murphy, will you

collected self. He eyed Nora,

“I’m

erupted into a fit of violent coughing. Flustered, he reached out for the