Uphill all the Way Excerpt
Giorgio, on his side, didn't look up as she walked around the bed. She was shaken by the peculiar expression on his face, a twist to his lips that wasn't a smile.
For a moment she couldn't speak, shocked by his appearance. His face seemed to have softened and sagged, although he'd lost weight. He had a jowly, loose look that stepped him abruptly forward in years. She tried to catch his dark gaze, wanting him to focus on her face. 'Giorgio?'
But, as Mrs. Zammit had forecast, Giorgio didn't reply. It was beyond belief that he'd ignore her - her! - like that. Impulsively, she took his bare arm, feeling the softness of the hair at his wrist. He must react to her touch, when such electricity used to crackle between them? 'Darling!' she whispered. He twitched, as if to shrug her off.
Her hand on his golden skin was a little dry and lined, and she felt a pang at not making more of an effort. Lately, she hadn't been taking care of herself, not as she used to. Hand cream and moisturiser hadn't figured in her routine. Her mirror this morning had shown her a woman who had been attractive but wasn't bothering, her face bare of make-up and her hair grown out of style and sliding over one eye like a Disney dog's.
Giorgio's flesh felt hot and unresponsive. Even when Judith increased her grip slightly, he remained silent. His face still. The silver that had brushed his hair lately glinted in the light.
Mrs. Zammit looked in balefully through the glass aperture.
Judith wondered whether Johanna had been to see her husband, or had simply signed what forms were necessary to allow her to stay away. Such a waste, when all the time Judith herself was aching to be by Giorgio's side.
'I'm sorry you were so badly hurt,' she murmured, voice catching on her grief. 'I should've stopped you diving without me, it was too soon. I can't sleep for guilt. Forgive me.' He still didn't look at her, but twitched more violently, as if he really wished she'd remove her hand but was too polite to say. Reluctantly, she dropped his wrist and backed off, her head flooding with images. Their love had grown behind closed doors, and the passion had been fierce. His lips at her throat, his body over hers...
Where had it all gone?
Mrs. Zammit opened the door sharply and entered the room, breaking the dream.
Slowly, reluctantly, Judith stepped out, passing silently between Giorgio's parents. The door closed heavily behind her.
