Dolce Amore

Her yells and torments slowly faded from his ears. He had stopped listening to her ravings minutes before. Gazing out on the eastern shores, he watched his love, the one he pledged his heart to, standing in the rising sun. The waves caressed her elfin feet and bit by bit the sand slipped beneath her. Flowing on the wind as a sail on a fair voyager, her raven tresses played about her face, occasionally lingering on the sweetness of her lips. Angelically, her figure was lined in the morning sun, causing an ethereal glow to dance about her beauty.

He loved her.

Most definitely; he could pour out his soul upon her deaf ears, and never worry that she should ever know. Her light, her inner being, was more innocent than the purest gold and her beauty, her love for all things, shined more brilliantly than the sun, even more so than that day.

Rae had stopped screaming. She'd stopped throwing things about the room. Charles glanced in her direction, just in time to see a tear roll down her cheek. She stood there, the bay breeze wafting through the window, playing at her white summer dress, just standing there. "Her?" she asked almost pleading with him.

Yes, yes, it was her, but how could he tell Rae he loved another woman; a woman who could never hear his sentiments, or the wonders of his playing. A woman who would never know the sound of his laughter or the brilliance of his fingers to keys. How could he explain this?

"You're going to leave me... for her?" another tear rolled down her face. He could never stand for her to cry; it always tore him apart, even if he didn't love her. "You're ending our marriage for a deaf woman? Charles, please, talk to me..." her voice trailed off, as did the now continuous flow of water from her eyes.

He looked back to the sea. She stood there, eyes closed, a smile dancing about her lips; oh God those lips. How he longed to just touch them, to melt in her kiss.

"Rae, I... I don't know what happened... it's just... I..." he couldn't finish a thought.

I love her? I love this deaf woman? I fell in love with your sister the day we met? I married you because you loved my music and she could never understand?

"I'm sorry."

It was all he could say. She nodded. It had been three years and a quarter, to the day. Three years. He was throwing away three perfectly good years. For what? For a girl, a mere girl, a deaf girl, a girl who, in his mind, could never enjoy the simple things he longed for. What's worse, he didn't even know if she loved him back. She never spoke. She never understood a word. All she responded to was the workings of hands. Signing. Yet, she would never be able to respond to the workings of his. His beautiful music, all written for his lover. He always said this. Rae always thought it was for herself. Everyone always swooned when he played; they thought it was for Rae. It was for her. His deaf beauty. His radiant angel. His dolce amore. His little dolce amore.

Three perfectly good years, now gone.

"Well, what do you want to do?" Rae had snapped him out of his thoughts again.

"You can stay here. I'll go into the boat house until we figure things out." Charles grabbed some things, and slipping out the screen door, followed the stairs down to the boat house. He paused at the landing. She was headed in. He was sure Rae would tell her, sign his love away. He shook himself. Charles didn't show emotion. It wasn't his style. Except through his art; his music. He'd keep writing. He'd keep playing. All for her. Always for her.

Years went by; he still owned the house on the coast. After all, it was rightfully his. But she had moved on with her sister; Rae had taken her away. He stood at that window, like any other morning, and watched the sun rise on the waters. He saw here, just like every other morning, as clearly as that last day. That day when Rae packed, when she packed, and they left. It was the same day she asked him why. Why? He didn't know. It was impractical. It was a good marriage.

They were happy.

No, Rae was happy. He was in love, but with the girl three rooms down the hallway. He was glad she never was able to catch on to reading lips. It was a God send. He would tell her how much he loved her; he told her every day from the day they met. At the SeaLand Bay Cafe. It was the day they first met. One of his first gigs. He played that day for casual entertainment. Some relaxing sounds for the old retired folk living on SeaLand Bay. She was just sitting there, her knee saving the place of her overturned book. She sat there, head cocked, eyes closed, smiling.

It was her smile.

The first thing to catch his eye. God how her smile was captivating, enticing, mesmerising. She just sat. It wasn't until after his performance that he found she never heard a thing. "Ma'am. Did you enjoy the show?" He asked. She didn't move. "Ma'am?" He was slightly puzzled, and then the bartender told him the saddening news. "Hey Charlie! She can't hear a lick of whachya sayin'. Sorry pal." He soon learned that her sister Rae was the brilliant woman who cared for her, watched over her. Apparently, his love lost her hearing after a terrible storm, and she had suffered damage when the house collapsed on her. He just stared at her beauty. He was in love. No doubt within his mind.

After, he met Rae. She fell in love with him. Not the other way 'round. She loved his music. He liked that. One could say he fell in love with Rae's love of his work. It was a sad fact, but true.

He stood at the bay window, and cried. Charlie never showed emotion, but today was different. It was to be the first of a morning ritual. To cry at her beauty. To weep at her angelic form. To break without her.

He couldn't bare not having her. He'd confront Rae. He'd take her sister and whisk her away. She never did like the city. She had always loved SeaLand Bay. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to have her fall in love with him.

Maybe.