I Never Said I Love You: A Novel by Sarah Magee

Author:Sarah Magee [Magee, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-04T16:00:00+00:00

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“I dreamed about you last night,” I told Nao Kao in the fall, as the leaves began to turn, as we in America began to come to terms with the extent to which 2020 was destined to be our collective annus horribilis.

“What was I doing?”

“You were mad at me. So mad. Shouting at me about drinking the water. We must have been in Laos because we were at lunch and I wanted a bottle – factory sealed and branded, preferably Danone – and you accused me of being dramatic and making a fuss.”

“And?”

“You tossed your napkin onto the table, balled up your fists, jammed them in your pockets, and stalked away.”

The laughing reaction popped up.

“Water is fine here. You can drink.”

“Not likely. I’m sure it is fine for you, but Delhi Belly is for real, so I’m just saying, if I ever come to Vientiane, don’t make me drink the water.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Ha! That’s what you said in the dream.”

“So, what’s the campus like these days? Quiet?”

“You have no idea. These should be the best months of the year. The band, high-stepping through the practice field in the bright afternoon, the drumline pounding out their rhythms.”

“Go on.”

“I am missing it all. The smell of burgers on the grill wafting from the cafeterias. The student orgs handing out ice cream cups alongside pamphlets and flyers. The great white event tents that should go up by midweek in preparation for the pre-game tailgates. This year, the music of student life has given way to the music of nature, to crickets and birds and the wind softly rustling the leaves. The library is all but empty, the fountains are drained, and the footpaths are deserted. So many signs, Nao Kao: keep your distance, wear your mask, complete your health screening. They are plastered everywhere.

“Only the shell of fall remains, the unbroken blue of the sky, the crisp mornings giving way to the sunbaked warmth of the afternoon, the green of the leaves yielding gradually to the yellows and oranges and reds, reminders that some rhythms, at least, remain untouched.”

“Thank you,” he said, “You made me feel just now like I was there again. Even after all these years, I miss it sometimes. It is still my second home.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.