Benches

They meet on Wednesday nights while their little girls do gymnastics. Checking off the days, they wait impatiently for the hour to arrive. For the other parents, it is an endless hour, on hard wooden benches that smell of feet, but for them it goes too fast. He sits next to her, wedging his body around hers, giving her his full attention. His eyes looking into hers, their legs barely touching getting as close as they can without drawing attention.

This night she came bearing gifts, a small bag with dinner- turkey sandwiches with avocado slices on whole wheat. She packs a bowl full of sugar snap peas hoping he likes them. His eyes go wide as she takes the lid off revealing the vibrant green.
This is the only way they can eat together. The thrill of being in public without being revealed is pure bliss.
It is not yet time to reveal their love for one another, the girls have already been through too much.
They will wait. There will be more months of gymnastics, further time to talk and listen and grow their relationship.

His hand slowly wraps around her small forearm like ivy up a brick wall. She glances around the gym looking for her daughter. Upon finding her she smiled and waves and returns her gaze towards her new found love. This small touch will hold them both over until next week when they will sit together on the hard benches again.