The kitchen phone started ringing at midnight
Gina hollered down the stairs not to pick it up
Bad boyfriend - let it ring
And ring and ring and ring
Then he'd hang up
I'd fall back to sleep
Five minutes later, suddenly more ringing
I hit the ceiling
I tried to sleep through it, no luck
Gina said, ignore it, he'll stop
But he didn't stop
More ringing
I said, "Gina if he thinks you're alone he isn't going to stop"
"You wanna talk to him, Johnny?"
"He hears my voice he knows your not alone, that's
enough sometimes to get a guy to settle down."
"Sure, Johnny if you think it'll work have a talk with him."
"I'll do that."
"But don't be mean, don't threaten. Don't get him mad at
me."
"Are you afraid of him, Gina?"
She shrugged and fidgeted, ran her fingers through her hair
"No of course not." Her voice cracked.
This guy was living rent-free in her head; not good.
"Half a me misses him half a me wants to run away."
"Emotionally conflicted is no way to live, Gina"
"I know. I can't...I just... I, I, I..." StutteringUnfinished
thoughts
Followed by tears, heaving sobs shakes
"When his wife came to the door I just wanted to crawl into
a hole and die."
"It's not your fault. He lied to you."
"Why do I feel like it's all my fault?"
"Because your the person who puts the noose around your
own neck in order to save someone else."
"Never heard it explained that way before."
Gina stepped closer and put her head on my chest
I took her in my arms, sat back down on the couch and
held her until the tears and sobs and shaking stopped.
Finally, sleep.
***
The next morning we both woke up at the same time
Gina said, "thanks for last night, Johnny."
"It's alright, sweet...I mean Gina. Least I can do"
"Sweetheart's alright."
Why am I suddenly bashful?
She smiled, took my hand in hers
"You talked me off the ledge, Johnny."
"I'll always be here to protect you Gina."
"I know."
***
Breakfast: Two slices of toast and a cup of coffee
Newports for Gina
She wrote something in a notebook then tore the page out,
Gave it to me.
This is what my mother was probably trying to tell you
Before she blew chunks all over the floor
I looked at it.
"This where he works?" I asked
Yes.
"Gina, you know who I am, this could get ugly."
"I know who you are and the special talents you possess."
"Are you sure you want to let the dog off the chain?"
"I can't go through this again."
What I went through last night.
"As you wish, my love."
"Make him wish he'd never met me."
About the Creator
David Parham
Writer, Filmmaker, Digital artist.
The ever Changing Complexities of Life, Fear, Mysteries and Capturing that which may not be there Tomorrow.
Complex, Change, Fear, Mystery, Tomorrow & Capture. Six reasons I write.
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