Amidst the Fallen Petals

He was ever gentle with her always careful composed never passing the boundaries never asking too much a man of his culture and bearing didn’t move too fast She was a flower pristine...virginal a flower he had plucked from her family’s garden with their blessing she was safe in his keeping though her scent drove him mad its floral fragrance fascinating deliriously desirous she was fresh and innocent he meant to make her bloom He was patient It was enough that she had consented to be his she admired him that he knew it would be enough enough for now… And so he waited willing for her to feel admiration turn to love love turn to passion and so, he put her in a vase filled with the nourishment of his love and he tended to her admiring her his fragrant rose Tonight he showed her the home that would be hers theirs…. But what was this? that look in her eye different the shyness gone he saw…. longing her face radiant her lips inviting petal pink to match her cheeks his rose his flower HIS and yet he dared not touch her that way for fear of crushing her in his rough hands She whispered ever so lightly perhaps he dreamed it maybe it was the breeze whispering through the window as it danced in her hair No, there it was again… “It is time… I am ready.” the meaning of her words hung in the space between them making it impossible to breathe or even to think And he watched incapable of movement as she stepped away from him in the middle of the room she turned to look at him and one by one she unfurled the petals of her clothing and let them fall down fluttering to the floor layer upon layer…discarded all the while as she undressed ever so slowly her eyes invited him There she stood with no covering her raven hair cascaded down her skin reaching down to the curve of her breasts covering what he had only seen touched tasted in dreams… but this this was real she was real and she held out her hand to him "Do I please you?" her voice caressed the words for she knew the power of her beauty she must have seen the answer there in his eyes for she moved forward ever so slightly “Come…come to me, my love…” He was there in an instant his arms around her he was there before the lilting cadence of her last word had a chance to fade away She smiled, once again a little shy She reached up to him letting him melt into her kiss as she slowly drew him down There surrounded by the strewn petals on the floor of their home in the bed of his heart he claimed her as his own... his flower his rose amidst the fallen petals... he heard her sigh Eileen Manassian Ghali