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something I've been working on for awhile. comments appreciated!!!
1/Without A Chance
“Please don’t do this Emily. We can work it out.”
“No we can’t Andrew. This isn’t something you just work out,” a woman who looked much younger than she actually was, told her equally young-looking husband.
“What’s not to work out? You’re just not in love with me, right? Isn’t that what you said?” He asked her impatiently. Andrew tried to wrap his arms around her, but she wouldn’t allow him to.
“Exactly, and that’s the end of it Andrew. Nothing you can say will change my mind either, so don’t even try to lay down any of those slick words you’re so good with.” Andrew smiled boyishly, revealing a set of remarkably straight and white teeth.
“So you admit I’m a smooth talker?”
“Don’t do this Andrew. We can’t be together anymore,” Emily told him softly as she continued to fold clothes and pack them tightly into a small black suitcase.
“Why not? I still love you Emily,” he breathed, sitting on the edge of their unmade bed, trying to get her to look at him, but she silently refused. Emily inhaled deeply and rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry Andrew, it’s not about you.”
“Obviously,” he interrupted.
“That’s not what I mean and you know it.” She sat next to him and took his hands. “You did nothing wrong Andrew. It’s all me, okay?”
“What did you do?” He asked innocently. She sighed and tried to smile as sweetly as she possibly could as she said:
“I fell out of love with you.” Emily kissed him ever so gently on the cheek, and slowly resumed packing.
They spent many long moments in silence, Andrew not knowing what to say, and Emily not wanting to say anything more. Emily moved quickly in and out of the room, gathering all sorts of things and trying to shove them into one of only three suitcases she was taking with her. Andrew offered her one of his own cases to take, but she declined quickly. As he was so wrapped up in what could’ve possibly gone wrong, Andrew hadn’t noticed that Emily was now attempting to pack away many articles of clothing, (mainly pink and yellow), that belonged to a small child.
“What are you doing?” He inquired moments later when he went to look out the window and saw all the child’s clothing.
“Packing,” she replied quickly. Andrew moved around the bed and removed a small white shirt with yellow flowers on the front from the suitcase.
“For who, Barbie?” He asked sarcastically. Emily looked up for only a moment to take the shirt back, and then return it to the case.
“No, for Kennedy,” she said quietly. Finally the full extent of the situation at hand hit Andrew like a wave in the ocean.
“You can’t take her,” he said lifelessly.
“Yes I can Andrew. The judge already released her to me,” Emily told him.
“I don’t give a damn what some know-nothing judge did Emily! Kennedy is my daughter too, and you’re not taking her with you!” Andrew shouted, restraining from throwing himself at her.
“Yes I am Andrew, I will not leave her here.”
“Why not? I’m perfectly responsible!” He exclaimed.
“It’s not a question of responsibility, I just won’t be away from her.”
“What about me?! What if I don’t want to be away from her?” Andrew questioned worriedly.
“I’m her mother,” Emily replied simply.
“Well I’m her father!” Emily stared at him intently for a moment.
“It doesn’t matter who you are anymore Andrew,” she replied quietly. Andrew was so stunned that the conversation ended there for a moment and he could not find the words to speak. The moment passed rather quickly though.
“What about the baby?” He asked, frightened.
“”Well obviously it’s coming with me,” she replied rubbing her slightly rounded stomach.
“”Will you call me when you have it?”
“No,” she replied quickly, as if knowing that he would ask. Andrew rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his short black hair as he sat back down on the bed.
“Emily, please . . . Don’t go,” Andrew pleaded one last time. He had nothing else to say. She had already packed up her black Suburban and was ready to go, when a small girl of six came running in with a smile on her face, completely and blissfully oblivious.
“Hi Daddy!” She said brightly, jumping into his arms. On instinct, Andrew hugged the child tight, and didn’t let go.
As if trying to preserve every memory of her, Andrew ran his fingers through the girl’s long black hair, tried to take in her scent, and then looked ever so deeply into her meaningful brown eyes. The girl hugged back as hard as her tiny arms would let her, (which was not very), and yet, Andrew felt weakened.
“Hi baby,” he said, his voice shaking. Kennedy pulled away for a moment and gave Andrew the most pitiful worried look he’d ever seen.
“What’s wrong Daddy?” She asked innocently. Andrew tried to smile so as not to scare her, but a few tears fell down his pale cheeks all the same.
“Nothing baby girl,” he said quietly, “nothing’s wrong.”
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