Dannie IsNotHere
08-17-2003, 09:58 PM
Maybe this one'll be better...
Rebecca Howe
I can’t believe what happened today. Don and I were in the kitchen. I was sitting at the table reading, and Don was making lunch. Don served me, sat down and said something that shocked me; I could hardly breathe.
“Rebecca? I know I said I’d never do anything to hurt you, but I know this will hurt you, so I’m going back on my word,” he began.
“What is it, Don?” I asked, overly concerned.
“Rebecca...” he sighed. “My company suddenly went really big, and I gained a load of money. I’m rich, Rebecca.”
“That’s wonderful! How could that not hurt me?”
He sighed again. “I don’t think you understand. I’m too rich. I’m not sure what to do. So something has to go.”
“What are you saying exactly?” I drew in a breath.
“I’m leaving you.”
I heard his words. But I couldn’t take them in. I let out the breath and looked down at my lap. Suddenly- I don’t know where the words came from- but I found myself saying, “So, Don. Who’s the girl?”
I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. I watched as Don’s face filled with deep hurt. “I’m sorry.” I whispered.
“Rebecca, there is no girl. It’s my job. I swear to God.”
I got up and left the kitchen. I ran into our bedroom and threw myself on the bed. But I didn’t cry. I couldn’t tell what was going through my head. No feeling was there. It was like- my mind became a total blank, and I wasn’t even alive. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my back. Don was sitting beside me. I looked up, and then the tears spilled out. Don pulled my face to his chest, and he just held me. I let him. I wanted to pretend nothing happened- that is was all just a dream.
“Don...” I spoke as I began to calm down. “Don, why are you doing this? I thought you loved me.”
“Rebecca, I always have and always will love you. But right now, I need to go and be with my company. I don’t have time for anything else.”
I pulled away and jumped up. I ran out of the house. I had no idea where I wanted to go- I just went to where my feet lead me.......
Cheers.
I looked at the old sign. It was very dirty, and a few parts were rusted. I walked down the stairs and into the old tavern. I looked around and saw no familiar faces. Memories flooded in my head. Sam and his come-ons, Norm and his beer-drinking, Cliff and his dumb stories, and good, sweet old Woody. Mores tears blurred my vision. I wondered if anyone I worked with was still there. I took a few steps inside. I knew I was a mess, with mascara drippings staining my cheeks, my hair one big knot, and my eyes red and puffy. I didn’t care, though. It was a comfort just being there. I sat at a table.
I watched someone come from the back room and walk behind the bar.
“Sam?” My voice was choked up. I stood up.
Sam looked up, startled. His eyed nearly bugged out when he saw me. “Re-Rebecca?”
“Yes. It’s me.” I ran around to the bar, and Sam wrapped me up in a big hug.
We pulled away, and Sam studied me. “Rebecca? What’s wrong?”
“Don...” I was getting another lump in my throat. “Don... he said he was going to leave me. Just because he’s rich! How low can you get?” I was now more angry then mad.
“Oh, wow. God, that’s horrible.” He hugged me again.
“Afternoon, everybody,” called a voice.
It had to be Norm.
I pulled away and yelled with everyone else. “Norm!”
Norm walked around to his normal bar stool, not noticing me. “Hi, Norm. Beer, as usual?” I asked.
“No, make it two.” I chuckled. Norm still didn’t realize I was there.
“Here ya go. Oh, and let’s see about your tab...”
“What? you never care about my- Rebecca?”
“Hi, Norm.” Norm stood up on his stool and we hugged. “If you guys’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go into the restroom and get cleaned up.”
“Okay,” the men said in unison.
I was walking toward the restroom, and passed Woody. I froze. “Woody?”
Woody turned around. “Ms. Howe? Er... Mrs. Santry?”
“Ms. Howe- I mean. Rebecca... Woody,” I replied.
“Hi, Rebecca... oh, I can’t do it. Hi, Ms. Howe.” Woody hugged me and I hugged back. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s a long story... Sam’ll explain it to you.” I walked past him and into the restroom.
Rebecca Howe
I can’t believe what happened today. Don and I were in the kitchen. I was sitting at the table reading, and Don was making lunch. Don served me, sat down and said something that shocked me; I could hardly breathe.
“Rebecca? I know I said I’d never do anything to hurt you, but I know this will hurt you, so I’m going back on my word,” he began.
“What is it, Don?” I asked, overly concerned.
“Rebecca...” he sighed. “My company suddenly went really big, and I gained a load of money. I’m rich, Rebecca.”
“That’s wonderful! How could that not hurt me?”
He sighed again. “I don’t think you understand. I’m too rich. I’m not sure what to do. So something has to go.”
“What are you saying exactly?” I drew in a breath.
“I’m leaving you.”
I heard his words. But I couldn’t take them in. I let out the breath and looked down at my lap. Suddenly- I don’t know where the words came from- but I found myself saying, “So, Don. Who’s the girl?”
I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. I watched as Don’s face filled with deep hurt. “I’m sorry.” I whispered.
“Rebecca, there is no girl. It’s my job. I swear to God.”
I got up and left the kitchen. I ran into our bedroom and threw myself on the bed. But I didn’t cry. I couldn’t tell what was going through my head. No feeling was there. It was like- my mind became a total blank, and I wasn’t even alive. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my back. Don was sitting beside me. I looked up, and then the tears spilled out. Don pulled my face to his chest, and he just held me. I let him. I wanted to pretend nothing happened- that is was all just a dream.
“Don...” I spoke as I began to calm down. “Don, why are you doing this? I thought you loved me.”
“Rebecca, I always have and always will love you. But right now, I need to go and be with my company. I don’t have time for anything else.”
I pulled away and jumped up. I ran out of the house. I had no idea where I wanted to go- I just went to where my feet lead me.......
Cheers.
I looked at the old sign. It was very dirty, and a few parts were rusted. I walked down the stairs and into the old tavern. I looked around and saw no familiar faces. Memories flooded in my head. Sam and his come-ons, Norm and his beer-drinking, Cliff and his dumb stories, and good, sweet old Woody. Mores tears blurred my vision. I wondered if anyone I worked with was still there. I took a few steps inside. I knew I was a mess, with mascara drippings staining my cheeks, my hair one big knot, and my eyes red and puffy. I didn’t care, though. It was a comfort just being there. I sat at a table.
I watched someone come from the back room and walk behind the bar.
“Sam?” My voice was choked up. I stood up.
Sam looked up, startled. His eyed nearly bugged out when he saw me. “Re-Rebecca?”
“Yes. It’s me.” I ran around to the bar, and Sam wrapped me up in a big hug.
We pulled away, and Sam studied me. “Rebecca? What’s wrong?”
“Don...” I was getting another lump in my throat. “Don... he said he was going to leave me. Just because he’s rich! How low can you get?” I was now more angry then mad.
“Oh, wow. God, that’s horrible.” He hugged me again.
“Afternoon, everybody,” called a voice.
It had to be Norm.
I pulled away and yelled with everyone else. “Norm!”
Norm walked around to his normal bar stool, not noticing me. “Hi, Norm. Beer, as usual?” I asked.
“No, make it two.” I chuckled. Norm still didn’t realize I was there.
“Here ya go. Oh, and let’s see about your tab...”
“What? you never care about my- Rebecca?”
“Hi, Norm.” Norm stood up on his stool and we hugged. “If you guys’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go into the restroom and get cleaned up.”
“Okay,” the men said in unison.
I was walking toward the restroom, and passed Woody. I froze. “Woody?”
Woody turned around. “Ms. Howe? Er... Mrs. Santry?”
“Ms. Howe- I mean. Rebecca... Woody,” I replied.
“Hi, Rebecca... oh, I can’t do it. Hi, Ms. Howe.” Woody hugged me and I hugged back. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s a long story... Sam’ll explain it to you.” I walked past him and into the restroom.