A Tinn’s tale

t was a good thing the nights were shorter at that time of the year, Jantine often thought. It meant she had little time to let her mind wander to gloomy things in Summer nights.

Often would she wake in the middle of the night, shaking with cold although it would be a hot and sweaty Summer night. At times like that, she always was painfully aware of the vacant place beside her.

At times like that, she was sometimes drowsy enough to feel a warm body slipping under the covers with her, comforting her and warming her very heart.

At times like that, she would be certain that it was Dorus, her old and wrinkly Dorus, who had come to fill the gap in her life up again.

Then she would wake up with a start and realize the empty spot was still cold and lonely.

At times like that, she couldn’t fall back asleep the entire night.