Glassless Window

Their eyes met over the line of books on the shelf, and the first thought that went through her head is that she wish her hair was the color of his eyes. A deep, rich brown, staring back at her, the gaze inquisitive as much as it was surprised at this unexpected intrusion into what must have been a private moment. Her fingers brushed the top of the book she had been reaching for, knowing she should continue her search for a new addition to her library, but unwilling to be the first to break the contact. In that moment, it seemed to her that doing so would cause something to crumble, to shatter before its due time.

His eyes narrowed slightly, now considering her as she did him, and she could see the emotions floating across his face as they must have moved through his mind. Such an expressive face in a world where revealing one's heart led only to heartache and sorrow. A smile, a giggle brushed her lips, mirrored on his face a second later. Though soft, the sound rang through the still shelves, and she found herself turning away, instinct controlling her body as a flash of embarrassment flooded her senses.

Even as she recognized the moment for what it was, she felt ice slip through her spine, settling firmly in her stomach. Her eyes turning back up towards the small window, he was already turning away, making his way down the aisle. The spine of the book felt rough to the touch, her hand dropping to her side as she considered the situation. A word, even a touch could restart the moment, save something from the crackling pieces of the moment. One step, two, three...

Her feet carried her to the end of the bookshelf, her eyes shooting to the left to see where he had gone.

"Daddy!"

The beautiful little girl ran up to him, his arm catching her up and holding her to him, the love evident between their faces. He glanced over his shoulder, their eyes meeting once more, the apology clear. But what did he have to apologize for? She gave him a final smile before he and his daughter walked away. After all, it wasn't every day that two souls had such a memorable encounter so suddenly in the fantasy section of the local book store.