Sliver of Joy

"...I would go along the hall and down the Marthas' stairs at the back and through the kitchen... I would hurry across the few feet of illuminated lawn... 

I want to see what can be seen, of him, take him in, memorize him, save him up so I can live on the image, later: the lines of his body, the texture of his flesh, the glisten of sweat on his pelt, his long sardonic unrevealing face. I ought to have done that with Luke, paid more attention, to the details, the moles and scars, the singular creases; I didn't and he's fading. Day by day, night by night he recedes, and I become more faithless..." 

- Excerpts from "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood 

In the MGM/Hulu adaptation of the novel, Nick's character and his relationship with June is fleshed out much more as the series progresses.

 

Here's a rough solo cut of a song inspired by June's relationship with Nick:

When we perform this live, Dacey adds beautiful harmony/backing vocals starting on the third verse. When we go to record this in the studio, I'm envisioning mandolin to fill in the spaces between the vocal parts.

Lyrics:

I tiptoe down the hallway 
Pussyfoot down the stairs 
I sneak across the backyard 
Hoping no one's there to see me 
On my way to take my sliver of joy 
On my way to take my sliver of joy 
My sliver of joy 

The Commander's home is a nightmare 
The Commander's wife is a shrew 
But the end of the day holds a sweetness 
If I can make it up your room to see you 
You, my sliver of joy 
You, my sliver of joy 
My sliver of joy 

I don't know if it's true love 
Or just a way to pass the the time 
But here I am risking everything 
For a few hours of sublime and beautiful you 
You, you my sliver of joy 
You, my sliver of joy 
My sliver of joy 

I don't know if it's true love 
Or just some kind of escape 
But if they ever took you away 
My heart would surely break to lose you 
You, you my sliver of joy 
You, my sliver of joy 

I found out yesterday 
The man of mine that they took away 
Is still alive, and he's working from the other side to find me 
And if I ever see him again I will belong to him 
But here and now, despite my vow it's you 
'Cause you are my only sliver of joy 
You are my only sliver of joy 

So I tiptoe down the hallway 
I pussyfoot down the stairs 
I sneak across the backyard 
Hoping no one's there to see me 
On my way to take my sliver of joy 
On my way to take my sliver of joy 
'Cause you, you're my sliver of joy 
You're my sliver of joy.