The Cup

A short, yet powerful moment in one's life.

They sat across the table from each other. The air in the small apartment was hot and heavy with humidity.

The humidity caused the walls to sweat in the cramped kitchen they were sitting in. Even the table had a sheen of moisture on it.

The table was bare save for Tate's arms and the cup resting on the table between them.

Tate was staring intently at his hands folded not far from the cup.

Hannah was staring fixedly at the cup; tears mixed with the sweat rolling down her face, to fall heedlessly to the table top.

She sat motionless, unspeaking, with a nausea growing inside her.

Tate could no longer handle the tension. He raised his eyes, first to the cup, then to Hannah. A bead of sweat dripped from his forehead, down his nose; his eyes glistened with tears.

He had tried to set her mind at ease, to let her know it would be at alright. They had gone through rougher times, but he still could not get through to her. The cup was his last idea.

He had tried to explain to her that even though the apartment was small and sparsely furnished and money was tight they could make anything work.

He then showed her the cup. The walls of the cup gave it form and structure, but use of the cup was derived from the empty space inside it. An empty cup was full of potential as it hasn't a defined task.

Their home was much the same; structurally there, yet empty save for the sparse furnishings. It had not been given a full task yet, but it would when the baby was born. Right now it was just a structure full of potential to become a family's first home.

Tate met Hannah's eyes and saw her sudden flash of understanding. They could do this. The apartment would soon become their family home.

She stood up and wrapped her arms around Tate, crying tears of joy. Over his shoulder she looked at the cup on the empty table, in the sparse apartment and smiled. The cup, after all, it was empty.

Author's Note

This is a brief story that I wrote in about ten minutes after being inspired by a cup. Please give honest feedback as usual.