The path

 

“You don’t understand,” she said, “you don’t understand how important this is.” She looked away. “For the rest, I understand that it is not your priority today. So do as you please when you have time.” She turned and walked back up the path.

–
She watched her go with a sigh. She was certain that before that exact moment she had had a perfectly good reason that would have justified in two brilliant bullet points why she had not worked on the project until now. There was the other job, the second job, the writing project, the film project…but in all honesty she knew that those were excuses. Why hadn’t she said anything, however? Better defended her work, for she had not been idle, she had been productive. When faced with an offense the best defence was none?

You are totally ridiculous, she thought.

She stood in the middle of the path, looking down at her feet. She suddenly wondered if the ground would feel cool to her bare feet. She smiled, reached down, and untied her laces.