Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Vol. 40, No. 6, June, 1995

Hey, wow! I knew it wasn’t Seinfield quality, but that one was completely spontaneous. I made it up right on the spur of the moment. Maybe I was getting better at this bon mot business. Maybe if Julia was serious about not hating me I really could keep her verbally captivated and not have to continue assaulting myself.

Ignoring the pain in my head, I turned and looked at the woman I loved.

She didn’t laugh at my baby bon mot, but she smiled so hard a couple of tears welled up in her eyes.

I really think that if I could have lifted my two ton head off those pillows I could have kissed her for real. But I didn’t want to rush things. I might have been reading the moment wrong, so I stayed where I was.

Besides, she was coming back. She said she would.

So I would have time to work up and rehearse some sweet nothings or some hospital-humor bon mots. Something to set the mood. Our first kiss was really going to be something special, and I wanted to do it right.

Julia the goddess was coming back.