Stolen Passion | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Stolen Passion | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Taylor
01/13/15
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Stolen passion

Tim scanned the traffic crawling by outside the restaurant window. The street lights flickered on. The hiss of tires on the rainy streets blended with the jazz tune playing over the speakers. The smell of ginger and garlic drifted upwards. “Do you remember how badly you needed water on that hike last summer?”

Jessie examined the dark whiskers lining the strong square jaw resting on the closed fist across the table from her. “What are you trying to say?”

“I can’t help it,” whispered Tim. “Everything in me craves this. Her curves and swerves melt my nerves.”

Jessie sliced off another small portion of her steak and chewed it slowly. The blue eyes which had worked their magic all these years looked at her, pleading, then focused back outside again. She swallowed. “I saw the accounts.”

Tim dug into his baked potato and hoisted a generous portion. “I’m working overtime again.” A smirk. Hoisted eyebrows. A head nod.

The knot in Jessie’s stomach tightened. The steak didn’t appear appetizing anymore. “I should have seen it coming.” She pushed the plate aside. “I looked on your computer last month and thought maybe this was just some passing fancy. I was so stupid.” She glanced at the couple across the aisle. They seemed preoccupied in their own romantic event.

Tim waited for his wife to look back at him. Her hazel eyes were still soft. The moisture in the corners hadn't formed into tears yet. He reached out and laid his hand over hers. “I just lost control for a few months. I don’t know what got into me.”

Jessie stared down at the large hand folded over her fist. There was no compulsion to pull away. Neither was there desire to ease the discomfort in Tim. “Are you telling me that you gambled away our investments so you could satisfy some passing passion? You take everything I've worked for and give it away and then you come crawling back to me on our anniversary and hope I’ll just forget it all?”

Tim withdrew his hand and checked the tables around. No one seemed to have paid attention to his wife’s tirade. The waiter stopped by and refilled their water glasses. “Very good,” was all he said to the question on the meal’s satisfaction. The speakers cranked out a version of Blue Suede Shoes. 'We used to roller dance to this'.

Jessie lifted her purse onto the table and dug into it for some Kleenex. She wiped her eyes. “I spent this afternoon looking at those five pictures in the hallway. Our wedding and four anniversaries. I looked at your smile.” She looked Tim in the mouth. “The last one wasn't the same. Why? What did I ever do?”

“I should have talked to you.” Tim shifted in his chair. Jessie continued to push back her auburn hair behind her ears. The blue dragonfly earrings sparkled in the light of the rotating disco ball. No one was dancing. “It’s not you. It’s me.”

Jessie took out her lip stick and applied it. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “My sister says I should walk out on you.” She put the lip stick away. “My brother says he’ll gladly push you in front of a semi.”

Her jaw set firm. Tim twisted off his ring. “Do you want this back too? I’m a guy. I made a mistake.”

Jessie picked up her water glass. 'It would be so easy to throw it in his face'. “Don’t you dare tell me that my dying of thirst is like your craving for an old car.”

Tim stiffened. “A ’67 Firebird is not just an old car.”

“You craved a piece of tin and glass so much that you were willing to leave me without a place to live.” She took a sip and set the glass down. “You gambled away all our savings just so you could satisfy your stupid dream and now you've lost even a chance at that.”

“At least it wasn't another woman.”

“It might as well have been.” Jessie slipped on her coat. “I’m supposed to be your first love. Do you think I’m so stupid to not notice when your heart has shifted?”

Tim pushed his chair back from the table. “What about our anniversary picture?”

Jessie stopped. “When you figure out who or what you crave most then we’ll talk about another picture.” She snatched up her keys and walked out alone.

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