You 're the only one who can make her laugh . [ WP ]

`` Marlene?'' Tanner asked incredulously. 
 
 Marlene grabbed him roughly by the hand and led him quickly through the winding streets. 
 
 `` Where are we–'' 
 
 `` Shh!'' She silenced him abruptly. Throngs of people bustled about on their daily business, only noticing the frantic woman and confused man to glower at the pair for bumping into them. 
 
 `` I do n't see why I have to keep quiet,'' he protested. `` I'm all but being kidnapped here.'' 
 
 `` Because I told you to. I ca n't abide your incessant prattling.'' 
 
 `` City streets hardly seem the place to seek peace and quiet. Why ca n't I–'' 
 
 `` You've always asked too many questions. You'll have your answers. Now *Shut. Up. *'' Marlene's voice was laced with poison, deadly serious. Tanner fell silent. 
 
 She led him through narrower and narrower streets, farther and farther off the beaten path. She ran with impressive speed for someone her age, practically dragging the man behind her. 
 
 `` Might we walk?'' Tanner asked as Marlene practically dragged him around another sharp bend in the road. She did n't answer, except to pick up her speed even more. 
 
 As they flew down the streets, the buildings got lower and more spread out. Vast, barren fields stretched out along the sides of the now-straight road, punctuated by the run-down buildings at the edge of the city. As they ran, Tanner realized, with a clenched stomach, that he recognized the streets, the worn buildings. They were relics of a forgotten time. 
 
 -- - 
 
 A peal of laughter escaped the beautiful woman's cherry lips. She grinned broadly and clasped her paramour ’ s hand as they made their way down the broad expanse of Main Street. He leaned close to her ear and whispered something else, which brought about another delighted giggle. She covered her mouth bashfully with her free hand. 
 
 `` Tanner, stop! I swear, ” she managed between bursts of laughter. 
 
 “ You wanted the story, my fair Cecilia. ” He gave her a smooth peck on the cheek, as confident and easy as breathing. 
 
 “ If I ’ d wanted all the *scandalous details* I ’ d have asked for them. ” She turned her head slightly away, playfully aloof. 
 
 Tanner brought his hand around to touch her cheek, turning her face back towards his. “ Who are you to shy from scandal? You ’ re all but drowning in it. ” This time, he kissed her full on the lips. 
 
 -- - 
 
 “ You spend far too much time with that boy, Cici, ” Marlene chided. “ What will people think? ” 
 
 “ What of it? I am being courted by a fine gentleman. ” Cecilia twisted her long, dark hair elegantly into an intricate updo. Her makeup drew heavy attention to her mouth, which she drew into a knowing smile. The neckline of her dress walked the line between tastefulness and immodesty as carefully as a tightrope. 
 
 “ I ’ ve heard some unsavory rumours about him. You must know what people say… ” 
 
 “ Marlene, I ’ ve heard it all. They are every one of them liars. Tanner is a scholar and a gentleman. He ’ s attending university, he tells me. For engineering, an upstanding and respectable occupation for a young man. ” She donned diamond earrings and a necklace that would hardly improve a sensible person ’ s opinion of her amply exposed skin. A knock came from the front door. “ He ’ s here! ” Cecilia exclaimed. Her eyes were alight with giddiness and laughter. 
 
 -- - 
 
 She returned with a secret on her lips, a story only for Marlene. It was a tale whispered furtively, teeming with excitement and elation and love, and the tiniest, barest hint of fear. It was the sort of secret that became public business very, very quickly. 
 
 With the long summer days grew the rumours and Cecilia ’ s tiny fear. By fall, the whole town knew. Even if no one had said a word, they would have known eventually. She could barely conceal it. 
 
 Cecilia and Tanner were wed in the winter; it was the proper thing to do. And when the child was born, he left his studies, took a factory job, and set to caring for his small, unexpected family. But Cecilia no longer laughed when he whispered in her ear, and he had never intended to settle anywhere for long. So he left, and she wept, and carried on raising the child with a stoic resilience. 
 
 She fed him and sang to him and told him stories, she worked to support him and got him an education, she smiled for his triumphs and comforted him in his failures, but she never, ever laughed. 
 
 When the war came, she proudly saw him off. He smiled and promised to bring her back strange and wonderful stories from across the world, stories to make his mother laugh. He never got the chance. 
 
 -- - 
 
 Marlene slowed to a stop in front of an old, one story house. Cecilia ’ s house, Tanner noticed. Our house. 
 
 “ Why have you brought me here? ” He asked, shaken. The memories came flooding back, as if the dam that had been hiding them had suddenly broken. Marlene remained silent, walking slowly towards the front door. “ *MARLENE! * ” 
 
 Marlene turned around, her hand on the doorknob. “ Please, ” she pleaded in a whisper so soft it was barely audible, “ You ’ re the only one who can make her laugh. ” She opened the door, and Tanner followed her inside. She led him down a short hallway and into a dimly lit bedroom. 
 
 On the bed lay his young love, his beautiful Cecilia, gaunt and dying. She looked up at him, her eyes widening imperceptibly. 
 
 Tanner edged forward and knelt by her bedside. “ Cecilia, ” he whispered, “ you look gorgeous. ” 
 
 For the first time in fifty years, her eyes lit up, the corners of her lips formed a tired smile, and she laughed.
