Furry Blur

by Barbara Unkovic

David made his final preparations in the bedroom. He fluffed the feather pillows and turned back the blue and white striped bed cover on Clarice’s side of the bed. His final romantic touch was to switch on the lamp in the corner of the room and watch as it washed a soft glow over the pale blue walls.

He could still hear Clarice pottering below in the kitchen as he smelt the heady fragrance from the blue hyacinths in the vase on the small table underneath the bedroom window.

By the time he returned from downstairs where he’d gone to lock the door Clarice was already in bed. Only her faded blue eyes were visible above the edge of the bed cover.

He drew the curtains before he began to undress slowly and deliberately. He’d always been proud of his body. First he took off his shirt and exposed his lean torso. Next, came his trousers and underpants leaving his muscular legs to be admired. He glanced across at the bed just to make sure that Clarice was still watching him and noted a half smile crinkling the corner of her eye. He knew she’d always admired his firm ass and as he continued to look at her he flagrantly turned his back towards her. Then, much to his dismay, she began to frown.

He had forgotten that last week they had celebrated her eightieth birthday and that she never wore her glasses in bed. As he continued to look at her, she screwed up her eyes tightly.

Try as she might Clarice could see no more than a furry blur.