For Better or Worse

[chanaud]

theGatsby and I hope you enjoy this dark comedy.

Without glancing at the clock, Lauren knew she was late. She couldn’t leave just yet. She had to find the navy blue pumps that matched her business suit. While she crawled across the Mexican floor tile peeking under every piece of furniture, she can feel her hair hanging low against her back and leaving a transparent wet spot on her blouse, causing her to shudder from the cold icky feeling.

This wasn’t a good morning. Somehow the alarm never woke her. Actually, Lauren vaguely remembered hearing the buzz but Peter turned it off immediately without allowing Lauren to wake slowly. He knew she has to wake slowly with NPR News playing in the background. Instead, she fell back asleep to the dead silence. Only when their cat, Chandler jumped between Peter and her did she wake up startled to see a bright stream of light peeking through the curtains.

Yes! She exclaimed loudly. A started groan came from the next room. Dammit him! It’s his fault I’m late. Bitterness filled her. It always did when she is reminded of Peter resigning from his prominent position with Bishop, Draper and McNabb to pursue his writing career. Writing career. Ha! He’s never wrote anything in his life. What made him think he couldn’t write now or a year ago when she had to return to work to pacify the creditors.

“Laren babe, make sure you leave the coffeepot on."

Lauren cringed at being called babe. It was a name you called a bimbo. It was in the same line as sweetums, cupcake, bambi, and pumpkin. She certainly didn’t qualify to be a bimbo. After all she was just given the title Account Executive just last week.

Her long limbs carried her to the kitchen. Usually the smell of her morning habit pacified her senses but lately it didn’t. She poured a healthy portion in her silver traveling mug. Just when the pot almost reached the burner, her hand stopped. An evil grin smoothed the fine lines on her face. Her usually warm brown eyes darkened to a shade farer than the brew itself. Whistling a child’s tune, Lauren poured the remainder of the pot down the drain and turned the cold faucet on to watch the dark liquid disappear without a trace.

Hhmmm…maybe, this day won’t be so bad after all. Lauren mused as she hurried out the door with briefcase in hand before Peter woke to find her grinning with guilt.

 

[theGatsby]

Peter woke slowly, peacefully. He could hear Lauren stumbling about in the house. His eyes cracked to the new day slowly, her cat crawled up his stomach and curled on his chest purring. The only pussy attention he got these days, had endeared him to the once hated beast.

“Lauren babe, make sure you leave the coffeepot on." Peter managed to blurt out though the house as he slowly sat up to the edge of the bed.

He pulled up his silk pajama bottoms covering his bare ass and plodded across the cold tile out of the bedroom just in time to see Lauren dart out of the house.

Peter lazily scratched the three day growth of scraggly beard on his chin as he wlaked into the kitchen. A smirk slipped across his mouth as he looked down at the empty pot sitting on the still turned on burner. Shaking his head with a chuckle, Peter started about making a new pot.

It had been almost a year since Peter had resigned from the firm. He had been one case away from partnership and six figures, when sitting in a negotiation he had an option. He remembers the moment as if he were still living it. As a matter fo fact that choice has haunted him since.

The gentle older woman and her hometown lawyer had gotten themselves over their heads, and as Peter looked through the brief he saw it. A simple mistake in the complaint form, but one Peter could use to exploit them and turn the tables completely around and actually make money for his corporate client at the cost of ruining this simple lady and her small time lawyer too. Peter remembers looking over his shoulder to see old man Bishop walk past the glass doors to the opulent conference room and give him the thumbs up. He remembers the silence that feel throughout the room as his mind reeled. Use the mistake, make partner, or help and save this woman and her family. He looked up over his glasses at the overweight lawyer shifting uncomfortably in his seat. The lady nervously wringing her hands on a old handkercheif. Peter remembers his long sigh. In that moment he chose poorly.

The lawyer was eventually dis-barred for misrepresentation and the lady had to declare bankruptsy, selling her family home and most of her possesions to pay off her debt and legal fees. Peter was congratulated, awarded the partnership, a new car and corner office. He was the hottest lawyer in the firm and quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town. Major corporations began to flock to his door.

But his door remained closed, his mind slipped into a depression. He began to write short stories instead of briefs. Researching characters, instead of cases. Then on a lunch break he ventured into a small bookstore and discovered a new world. He met a quiet woman who introduced him to writing, real writing. He bcame obsessed. He knew he had the next great American novel locked in his brain. He left the firm and focused on his craft.

At first Lauren had been skeptical but proud. As the months wore on, her pride was replaced with concern. As she started back to work the concern turned to resentment, and now disgust. Peter shrugged it off mostly. He sat in front of his laptop for hours everyday, writing. Well he did a lot of staring too. Now after a few months of inspiration he found himself deep in the meat of his novel and blocked. Completely blocked. No words, no images, came to him as before. Frustration filled his soul. As he sipped from his fresh cup of coffee he stared at the laptop in contempt. Today, just like yesterday, and the day before that and so on, today he would knock through his block. Today he would write.

Right after he finished his coffe and watched the Today Show.