How do I say this?

She is upset
and regrets that he has behaved so contrarily
She is silent or curt when she speaks
She doesn’t look him in the eye
nor allows his touch to brush her
even casually.
But her eyes are alive
and she has left the window open
for him to make up
not overtly, not immediately.
He must be subtle and sensitive
and coax her gently, perhaps silently
He must apologize yet not be servile.
Gestures will help.
And casually, as if nothing ever happened,
she will be the same again.
perhaps in an hour, perhaps in a few days –
seldom longer

This is not a gender thing
We could have begun by saying
“He is upset…”

In Hindi, there is one word to describe this – “roothna”
In English, I struggle with sentences and paragraphs,
sometimes entire chapters.


(In appreciation of all you transcreators and translators)
(c) November 2006