Welcome to The Spot Writers. This month’s prompt: Newspapers and news
sites show a plethora of depressing stuff from floods and wildfires and other
environmental problems, to mass shootings, to refugee problems and other
political and social crises. Write a story focused on a depressing occurrence and
give it a happy ending.
This week’s story comes from Cathy MacKenzie. Cathy’s
novel, WOLVES DON’T KNOCK, is available from her locally or on Amazon,
to great reviews.
***
Downtown Meetings by Cathy MacKenzie
“Did you go downtown this morning?” Simon asked, entering the kitchen.
I jerked around from the counter, dropping the dishtowel as I did so.
“Why?”
“I saw you driving down Main Street with the top down.”
The top down? I breathed a sigh of relief. “Nope, not me.”
“It sure looked like you.”
“You know I never have the top down when I'm alone.”
“And why is that?”
“Because it’s presumptuous. Like I’m flaunting. You know I hate
attention.”
He laughed. “Well, it looked like you.”
“When did you think you saw me?” I bent over to pick up the towel, glad
to have something in my hands.
“Oh, I guess it was around eleven or so. I had to go to a meeting on
Churchill.”
“Wasn’t me. There's lots of red mustangs.”
“Yeah, I know.” He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed me.
When he broke away, he asked, “What's for dinner?”
“Meat loaf.” Simon’s favourite.
After dinner, he disappeared downstairs to his man cave.
I plonked to the kitchen chair. Scary stuff, that was. Had he seen me in
my red Mustang with the top up, trying to catch me in a lie? No, he had no
inkling.
My life was simple and carefree, with very few problems as compared to
those who endure such catastrophes as forest fires, tornados, and hurricanes. Why
did I want to create a disastrous situation when there was no need for one? Simon
was a perfect husband and provider. Sure, we had the odd spat—what married
couple didn't? I should be more grateful for him and my life.
I finished the dishes and headed to the bedroom, intending to read in
bed. Instead, I pondered, unable to concentrate on the book. Sweat poured over
me, and I threw off the blanket. What had I been thinking? Could I have
gone through with it?
If Simon had actually seen a woman resembling me in a car similar to
mine, what a cruel coincidence. I very rarely drive downtown. What a fluke he’d
been there the same morning I was.
I hadn’t been attracted to Rob, not with his receding hairline, paunchy
belly, and seventies-style clothing. Not up to my standards, for sure, and I
should have exited the mall immediately when I saw him—the guy who waited by
the fountain. Despite my initial reaction, we enjoyed conversation over lunch. I
was taken aback when he mentioned his wife and how it would kill her if she
discovered he’d been hooking up with other women.
Gee, what should he expect? He had joined Dates & Mates, a local
dating site, specifically for sexual partners. It would kill Simon, too, if he
ever found out I was a member. But this was my first time. Rob was the first
anonymous guy I’d connected with online, the first guy I’d met in person.
“She never wants it anymore,” Rob had said. “She has a condition.” He rattled
off the medical term, which was foreign to me.
I had almost blurted, “So, because she can't—or won't—engage in sex that
gives you permission to seek sex elsewhere?” But I kept my mouth shut. Who was
I to talk? I was as bad as he was.
I wondered what sort of marriage Rob had, and that's what had knocked the
sense into me, thinking of his innocent, unsuspecting wife at home, waiting for
her husband, not knowing of his double life.
This was all
foreign to me. Cheating and lies. And what about my love for Simon, my husband
of ten years? Didn't he deserve better? I had thought I needed excitement in my
life, but I already had the best husband. I didn’t want another. It was pure
luck Simon hadn’t caught me.
Suddenly, I was
cold and yanked the covers over me. Minutes later I heard Simon coming up the
stairs. He would keep me warm, as he always did.
***
The Spot Writers—Our Members:
Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/
Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/
Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com
Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.ca/
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