Monday, October 27, 2014

Start of the next


An Affair.

The small dark green car, an old model Ford escort pulled up on Courtland Street next to the entrance to G-Deck. One of the occupants, a woman, quickly kissed the other, a man. Then she said, “Next week my love?”
“Next week. Do you think he suspects us?”
“No, as far as he knows I'm at an administrative meeting.”
“Good. I like paperwork.”
She reached over and gave his crotch a squeeze, “I like latex work, myself.”
They kissed again and she slipped out. Then she walked along the sunny sidewalk to the pedestrian entrance on the fourth floor of the parking deck. There had been a holdup in the Atlanta traffic and she was late, but if she hurried there was still time to reach her car and drive to pick up her husband at work in time for dinner.
She didn't realize that anything was wrong until she sat inside the car and he was there.
“Sam!”
He pointed a paper bag at her. She knew what it contained. He hunted hogs and bear in the mountains. It was his .44 Magnum. If he pulled the trigger it would splatter her brains on the wall outside.
He said, “Drive.”
“Where? Can we talk? I didn't mean to hurt you Sam.”
“Too late. Get on 75 and keep going.”
“Sam?”
“I packed your pack. You always wanted to walk the AT. This is your chance.”
“What do you mean?”
“Start walking. North.”
“Sam, please.”
“I have nothing else to say to you. When you get to Maine, you can call me.”
“But, Sam.”
“Laura, it's better this way. Right now I'm so upset and angry with you that I could do something awful. I need time. You need time. I'll pay your credit card, food, backpacking supplies only. You climb Katahdin, then we'll talk. If we still want to. You settle down somewhere, then I'll know it's over.”
“Sam, I love you.”
“Funny way to love me. Seeing that bastard accountant. How many others?”
There wasn't anything she could reply to that.
“Laura, this is cheaper than a f**king lawyer.”
She glanced at him, when traffic permitted. He sat there frowning. When he wasn't frowning his face was drawn. Sam had been so fun when they'd dated, and the first years of their marriage had been blissful. Then there was that awful word, infertile, that the doctor's had said. It wasn't even worth trying a donor egg. Marriage wasn't so much fun after that.

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