Lonely by RW Grimm

She never knew when he was going to come back. He came to her when he needed help and she always gave it to him, but right after that he always left and her loneliness would return.

Each time she saw him and his brother walking across the hills, closer and closer to her home, her heart swelled with happiness, a smile came to her face, and she counted the seconds until his arrival.

Each time she watched him leave, shrinking among the rolling countryside, her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach like a stone, her smile crashed down, and she counted the seconds until his next arrival.

Sometimes she didn't want to fix him up, not out of spite, but so he would stay longer, be with her longer. But she couldn't do that to him, it just wasn't right.

But was it right that he didn't notice her the way she did him? It sounded selfish, but she hated how his obsession controlled him, blinded him from things. Like her feelings. The little stolen glances towards him, or the small smiles she gave him. They all went unnoticed by him as he continued his search.

The only consolation she had was that once his search was done, once he'd finally obtained his obsession, he'd come back home, to her. He'd no longer be blinded, he would see her feelings, and hopefully, return them.

That was her one true hope. But that hope was a long way off, and for now she could only dream it.

On some days she could do nothing but think about him, wondering if he was safe, or even alive. His obsession led him everywhere, everywhere except to her, unless he needed her.

When he needed her she helped. It was all she could do. If helping him meant he'd complete his search, then she'd do whatever he needed.

The sooner he completed his search…

The sooner he obtained his obsession…

The sooner he'd come home…

To her…

And she'd welcome him with open arms.

Until then…

She could only hope…

And wait…

And feel nothing but the empty loneliness within her heart.

END