Robyn and Ethan are soul
mates; they’ve been together since university. They promised each other that
they would always be there for each other until Robyn is involved in an
accident that leaves her blind, changing the status quo. Strain is put on the
relationship to the point Ethan can no longer bear it and exists with another
woman on his arm. Robyn is left alone
and devastated not wanting to live anymore. But a dog named Pepsi changes all
that, she becomes her eyes and soon Robyn is bold enough to venture out into
the world again. A world that is totally different to what she knows.
One day Robyn walks into a
coffee shop and her life is changed forever. Carl, tall and handsome behaviour analyst
is swept away by her beauty and vulnerability. His appearance in her life
changes the way she views her loss of sight and she begins to face her life and
make changes for good. Robyn discovers that loosing her sight wasn’t as bad as
she thought it would be.
Excerpt
‘Hello?’
A male voice came from her left side.
‘Are
you talking to me?’
Pepsi
woofed slightly and the gentleman laughed.
‘Yes,
I am. You seem so…so happy so free,’ he said.
‘I
do?’ She had to admit she felt it.
‘Yes,
yes you do. I’m not sure when was the last time I saw someone look so happy, so
content. We all seem pretty rushed now a days.’ His voice was deep but gentle,
Robyn tired to visualise what he looked like. Was he tall, was he short? What
colour were his eyes? Did he have a moustache or a beard, was he fat or was he
thin? Just then she giggled.
‘Share,’
he said.
‘Oh
it’s nothing,’ she smiled.
‘It’s
obviously something because you seem to be laughing.’
‘Well…’
she hesitated and took her time to savour the moment. It had been a long while
since having a conversation like this with someone. ‘I was just trying to
imagine what you look like. You see….I have this crazy thing going on in my
head. I imagine what places look like, how people look by the sounds of their
voices.’ She dropped her head shyly, what was she doing, taking to a faceless
stranger.
‘That
sounds kind of interesting. Do you mind if I join you?’
‘Urm…
no…sure you’re welcome to join me.’
‘Thanks.’
The gentleman shifted and moved over to her table and at that moment a waitress
brought Robyn’s coffee.
‘So
indulge me.
‘Urmm…’
Robyn pursed her lips. ‘That’s going to be pretty hard.’
‘Well
I can start and then you do the same for me.’
‘Well
that’s not really fair is it, you can see me.’
‘I
can, but can I really see you?’
‘Okay…I’m
listening.’ Now he’d got her really interested. ‘What do you see?’
‘A
very very beautiful woman.’ He started and Robyn blushed. ‘She has lovely long
black hair, a cute button nose, lovely brown eyes and even though she can’t see
with those eyes, she can really see. She looks like she’s been through a lot
but right now she’s finally accepting what is and so she’s comfortable. She
loves how her life is turning out, it’s the beginning but she’s beginning to
master control. This is the first time she’s been out to a coffee shop on her
own and she likes the idea....so how am I doing?’
‘Wow…have
you been stalking me? Have we perhaps met?’ she laughed.
‘No,
I’m a physiologist; I study human behaviour and can usually tell a lot by what
you do rather than what you say. Most of what we say is unspoken and more
through our body language. You chose to sit right at the back hoping it was
secluded because you weren’t quite confident about it but then you discovered
it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be and began to listen out for sounds
around you.’
‘So
you’ve been watching me.’
‘Guilty…
but how could I not, you’re beautiful.’
‘Oh
c’mon.’ she laughed.
‘Don’t
be afraid to accept a compliment. You are very beautiful.’
Robyn
pursed her lips together and then a smile appeared on her face. ‘Thank you…someone
used to say that to me a long time ago.’ She thought briefly about Ethan.