A Surprise Visit

Below is the ninth segment of my new short story—’A Surprise Visit’—never published before.

Outside, Beni was just emerging from the old building. Above him the windows were mostly dark and shut. A lone lamppost illuminated him with an umbrella of fuzzy yellow light, as he halted by the turn to the sidewalk, drew his cigarettes pack from his pocket and put one in his mouth. But then he took it out, saying, “Want one?”

A figure rose from the dark corner of the concrete fence, guarded by the bushes, and joined him in the circle of light. “No. Let’s go,” he said.
It was the tall man with the blond hair and black overcoat; the soldier from the old photographs as well.

“Sorry I’m late, Gali. I…” said Beni, hesitating.
“I just came back, don’t worry,” said Gali. “How was it?”
“Difficult.”
“Did you tell her?”
Beni shook his head and lit his cigarette.

They turned to go, the smoke curling up behind them, hanging like a gray cloud over the white building. They crossed the street into the center of the narrow boulevard and continued to walk closely, Gali’s arm over Beni’s shoulder. They headed up towards Ben Yehuda Street, walking against the strong wind, blowing directly at them from the Mediterranean seashore.