He spent...by Tina Rodriguez©2008

He spent a lot of time, a seriously large amount of time avoiding Susan. Any extra work that came through the office he was always the first to volunteer spare time in dedication to the project, the client, the office. Really he would have taken three jobs and collected garbage in the wee hours of the morning if it meant he didn’t have to go home to her.



The idea of hearing the latest litany of things he did wrong caused him physical pain, and it was a stubborn fight against his own body to turn towards home in the evening. As he would pull up to the house his body would tense naturally into the defensive position, ready for the barrage of noise he knew would come the minute he entered the front door, or the portal to hell as it often felt like. As he turned off the engine he mentally ran through the list of things he could do to keep him busy, excuses to stay away from her. He was sure she would add more to the list when he got in, it never failed, there was always something he failed to do, something he messed up, something he would be punished for.



He gathered his portfolio, stuffed full of papers and files, enough work for a month and if he could just get her to back off long enough he intended to finish it all this weekend. He mentally prepared his story, she always gave him more space when she thought he was flailing at work. With a grim smile he figured she probably was afraid it would affect the flow of money, and she did get upset if anything upset the flow of money.



He heard crickets calling loudly in the dark gloom that covered the house like a desperate shroud of death. Funny how he always thought the night was beautiful every other place but home. Even the moon overhead seemed dimmer, and he imagined it frowned in sympathy for him as he followed the walk to the front door. As he slipped his key into the door the dogs inside began their crazy barking, sounding the alarm that he was home.



“Downy, Gert, Hush, be quiet!” he barked back. He knew she would be on alert and if she wasn’t already in the living room ready to spring on him, she would be on her way down the hall to catch him before he made it to the sanctuary of the bathroom. His only hope, that she was already disposed herself.



The dogs jumped on him as he passed through the door, happy that he was home. There was a time when this would have made him happy, to have these fluffy beasts buffeting him with their over-exuberant love, but it had been the only cheerful greeting he got when he came home for too long, and now it was only a sad reminder of what wasn’t there.



His eyes swept the living room, taking in the chaos that was there. Half folded laundry draped across the couch, toys were scattered like fallen soldiers across a battle field, a stack of books threatened to collapse from the armchair to the floor as he crossed the room and set his portfolio on his desk. It would figure she had no time to pick up, she was probably busy on the computer, or sleeping. Just more things he would have to take care of.



He turned and moved swiftly to the first door in the hall and clicked the lock securely as he closed the door behind him. He made it, he would get a few moments peace at least. He realized he had been holding his breath and let it out in a deep sigh. Avoiding his reflection in the mirror he moved across and settled into the one place he did feel comfortable in his own home.



His mind began to mentally prepare the barriers. He emotionally unplugged, although this was so natural he barely noticed. He could hear sounds of her moving in the back of the house and his heart beat quickened at the thought that she would soon be upon him. He reached into the drawer and pulled out his novel, desperate to escape, hoping to draw out his moment of peace for as long as he could.



by Tina Rodriguez©2008
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