Summer Soap, Pat 11: Love is... Alexis’s deep dive into the subject

Madam Alexis:

Calum was absolutely insufferable, but watching him squirm in his seat was helping to fight the urge to smack him. That, and I was actually enjoying finally being able to speak on what I had been listening to for so long.

“...still with me, Calum? So, love and desire have to be one. And desire cannot be an entity, it is a thread that exists between people and objects, the desire for something.

“So if love and desire are one, then love cannot be an entity either, it is also the thread that connects people.”

His eyes were glazed over, caught like a deer in the headlights. I didn’t care, and continued while he sipped the Ichiban.

“But now that we have that misunderstanding out of the way, I’ll tell you how you’re close. Yes, love does have a lot to do with beauty. We love and desire that which is beautiful, and it is obvious to say love first starts when we see someone or something beautiful, right?”

Calum perked up at that, a faint smile trailing his lips.

“But, your point is lacking depth.” He shrunk back into himself. “That’s like saying every flame is just the spark that ignited it. It’s idiotic. Maybe the young and stupid,” and male, I thought to myself, “such as you only ever reach this stage of carnal attraction. But love continues on in many more stages.

“Because love only grows from that point of initial attraction. For those who are truly in love, every conversation with the other brings about a greater appreciation for their mind and other parts within.

“Sometimes, years pass within this stage, but still, the love only grows and evolves as you begin to understand the other person.

“And then from there,” I continued, “slowly, one starts to notice the pieces that they love about the other person present in many more people.”

“So, you’re saying loving someone makes you cheat on them?” The cretin chimed in. “Even I’m not that bad.”

It took every ounce of willpower not to slap my palm into my forehead. “No,” I snapped, before cooling. “But I can see how you got there. No, think of it like... How you have a type in women. Maybe you find the same physical features attractive. Now try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, Calum, and imagine having a type not based on physical features, but something from their mind instead. That’s the next stage.

“You begin to see those facets that you love so much in other people, and you open yourself to seeing more. Not in a way of infidelity, but more like... appreciation! Like how we were talking about before.

“And from there, the development of love is still just as gradual. Step by step, you begin to love the depth behind someone, and behind everyone, more than their appearance. Their mind, their soul or spirit, or whatever you believe in.

“But that doesn’t mean you don’t find them beautiful. See, the object of love and desire stays the same: beautiful things. It’s just the definition of beauty that changes.

Calum looked as though he were going to fall asleep now but I was on a roll. As I spoke, the thoughts within my mind were developing. I was learning what I was going to say as I went, but all the past days were coming together.

“And so, love grows and grows and grows. Soon you’re not only coming to love the mental and spiritual, but also the effects and products of that love in the world. Institutions and laws.

“Here, I’ll ground it for you. People who have been together for years will eventually come to love the institution of marriage and their government for enabling an officially recognised measure of love, and the institution even adds incentives and bonuses for achieving that love. Or - or - or my voice was rising too high, words flying out too quickly.

“Take long distance relationships as an example! People originally from different countries or even continents. With time they’ll come to appreciate the naturalisation process, so they can be with each other - maybe. That one doesn’t quite work as well actually.

“But from there I’m still researching. Love has to keep evolving and developing as it did before. There has to be another adjustment to the definition of beauty. It has to get larger. There must be some deeper connection, some deeper, Absolute Beauty.”

“Ha!” A voice scoffed from behind me, one I had forgotten to worry about in the midst of my rant. “Maybe if you weren’t so off.”

Calum perked up in his seat once more, sitting straighter, eyes flipping between the two of us.

“Excuse you,” the voice called again, dragging the vowel until I turned toward him. Bran stood to the side, barely, swaying in a drunken stupor. He had a finger extended, pointing toward my chest. It too trailed and danced in the air.

I had the feeling that if I simply waited a few minutes, Bran would fall unconscious at my feet. Alas, I was not so lucky. “You owe me my interview, and this time I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Calum was sliding from his seat, vainly trying to sneak away. But Bran staggered in his direction, slinking an arm over his shoulders as he took the seat behind Calum.