NovelEnglishAbner hadn't actually forgotten his phone; it was just an excuse.
At the moment, his mind was a jumble, and he wasn't ready to head down just yet.
Going down meant they would have to part ways.
He looked down, thinking about lighting up a cigarette, but as he glanced at his reflection on the glass wall beside him, he put the
cigarette back in the pack. He didn't want the scarf to catch the scent of smoke.
He lingered upstairs for seven or eight minutes before slowly making his way down.
Shirley had been working overtrecently, preparing for a course out of town. After pulling two all-nighters, she had dosed off,
her head resting on the steering wheel.
When Abner opened the car door, she didn't wake up.
He slid back into the passenger seat and quietly shut the door.
Only then did he lean in for a closer look at her.
Shirley's skin was flawless, and with her eyes closed, her eyelashes cast soft shadows on her cheeks.
Abner's gaze settled on her lips, naturally upturned at the corners, giving her a look of approachability, even in her sleep.
He hesitated for a few seconds, wanting to get closer, but then a tapping sound from outside the window startled him. Another car
was trying to get out, blocked by Shirley's parked vehicle.
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Perhaps out of guilt, Abner sat up straight in an instant.
Shirley woke up, glanced at the time, and brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
"Why didn't you wake me? Did you forget something?"
"No, nothing."
She pressed the gas pedal, and the car moved forward.
They stopped again at the hotel entrance, and Abner asked, "How long will you be away for the training?"
"About three days or so."
Abner wanted to say more, but Shirley's phone rang. It was the man she was supposed to meet on a blind date.
Her voice remained gentle as she apologized for being stuck in traffic, then gestured for Abner to get out.
But Abner didn't move.
After ending the call, Shirley was puzzled, "Abner?"
"Shirley, how long have you known this blind date guy?"
A laugh escaped her, "Well, if | knew him well, would he still be a blind date? This is the first tI'm meeting him, but his parents
and mine were college friends."
"You're willing to marry someone you hardly know? If you're going to marry, shouldn't it be someone you really know, like someone
you've been acquainted with for years?"
"If there was someone like that around me, | probably would have been married by now, and my mom wouldn't have to keep
nagging."
"There is someone."
His response was too definitive.
Shirley laughed again, raising her hand as if to ruffle his hair, but then hesitated, her hand hanging in the air.
Abner grabbed her hand and firmly placed it on his head.
Shirley felt her hand burn as if on fire. She wanted to pull away, but the thought was fleeting.
Her palm felt the softness of his hair, while her hand's back felt the heat of his palm.
The atmosphere turned delicate in an instant.
What seemed like an eternity was only a few seconds of pause. She curled her fingers uncomfortably, and Abner quickly let go.
They both turned their heads towards the nearest windows, left and right, creating a sudden distance between them.
No words were exchanged.
Shirley felt warm and rolled down the window a bit.
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The car's air conditioning was on, and the chill from outside made the temperature drop a few notches.
Abner got out, closed the door, and walked around to her side.
As Shirley was about to say goodbye, he took off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck.
His fingertips accidentally brushed her earlobe, causing her skin to tingle uncomfortably.
Abner didn't say anything, but stepped back and watched her, waiting for her to drive away.
Shirley smiled and said, "Then, see you next time."
With that, she hit the gas.
As the car drove away, she couldn't resist glancing in the rearview mirror.
Abner was still standing there.
Her heart twinged for a moment; it seemed that in all their partings since they had met, she was always the one to leave first,
while Abner stood and watched.
She stopped the car and massaged her temples.
Then she quickly comforted herself with the thought that back then, he had just cfrom the countryside and lacked a sense of
security, which made him cling to her.
Now, five years had passed since their separation, and any deep dependency should have faded.
This time, it seemed only she was still stuck in place, always seeing him as a child.
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