When You Stopped Listening

Summary

Everyone in the circle called me the chatty woman around Wilson Lewis, who had poor hearing and was notoriously aloof. I would stand up for him, take drinks on his behalf, and accompany him to the hospital.

When he had to get his hearing aid adjusted, I would crouch beside the table to replace its batteries for him, yet he never so much as looked up at me.

One time, I drank on his behalf until I was dead drunk at a wine party, but he only glanced down at me calmly.

Another time, I spent the entire morning waiting with him on the day of his follow-up checkup, but he texted his unattainable…