Good Monday morning to all and a Happy Valentine’s Day. I have to say I didn’t pick this prompt specifically for the day. I honestly picked it at random when I was assigning prompts to days in my calendar. So if the prompt seems a little anti-valentines, I apologize. Valentine’s day has never really been a big note on my calendar, regardless of my relationship status. I think it might be my aversion to the color pink and my dislike of milk chocolate. (Huge fan of dark chocolate, don’t really care for the milk chocolate version.) But be that as it may, we still need to press on with the morning writing prompt. If this one really bugs you today, feel free to swap it with one of the other’s for the week. whichever prompt you do (if you are writing along with me) Let’s get going. Set the timer for fifteen minutes and let’s go.
Okay I kind of like this one. It gives my main character dual reasons for leaving and two avenues for havoc to interrupt her attempt at a new life. Plus there is the whole reason she ended up with a home and work situation like this in the first place to work out. Kind of nifty for a Monday.
Monday, February 14th: No matter how sincere he looked, she knew he was lying.
No matter how sincere he looked, she knew he was lying. That much was clear. It wasn’t because he lied before, which he had. It wasn’t that she was suspicious, by and large, she was a generally trusting person. However the day before she was running errands, one of which took her to a section of town she rarely visited. Her box wanted something from one of the antiques dealers. It was the perfect gift for his wife and he managed to get it delivered to the store.
From what Alice gathered it had been a feat that involved multiple transactions for reasons she didn’t want to know about. She had been assured that everything was legal and as she drove across town to pick up her boss’ new acquisition she hoped that he was being honest with her and that she wasn’t participating in some sort of illegal smuggling.
It wasn’t the first time she had thoughts about such things where her boss was concerned. He was born into wealth and used that wealth to make far more than what he had been given. His work by and large helped large sections of humanity and he received many awards and accolades. The problem was that the combination of insulating wealth and the fact that the awards made him feel he could do no wrong, made him feel above the law.
It was the reason she had begun looking for work elsewhere and even gone on a few surreptitious interviews. That morning she was offered a job. The issue was Hank. The job would require her to move out of state and she knew hank was never leaving this town.
Such thoughts consumed her when she happened to look over and see Hank stepping out of the apartment building. He wasn’t alone and as she waited for the light to turn green, she saw him give his companion, a very attractive blonde, a much more than friendly kiss.
It wasn’t the first time she thought Hank might be cheating on her, but he always managed to convince her she was just being paranoid. It was much the same with her boss. Alice drove on when the light changed and she was certain hank never saw her.
She and Hank had been together eight years. She had been working for her boss for twelve. As Alice stared into the earnest and somewhat hurt looking expression on Hank’s face as he told her that he spent the night at his brother’s place, she thought it might be time to leave both of them behind.
Alice let Hank spin out his tale and as always he wound up with his shock and dismay about her lack of trust. He paused, waiting for her to apologize. Alice decided the argument wasn’t worth it and offered the expected apologies for her suspicions. Hank went on his way believing he had once again gotten things settled in the way he preferred.
He walked away and Alice knew she wouldn’t see him for the rest of the day. It was Saturday and he would no doubt spend the day with his friends and she knew there would be a call later that day telling her not to expect him for dinner as he was just going to catch a bite with his brother. Alice let him go and when the door closed behind him, she took stock of what was in the house.
The kitchen ware they had was basic and most of it worn from years of use. The furniture in the living room was mostly Hank and came from his grandfather’s house when he died. As Alice wandered from room to room in their small apartment she realized almost nothing in it was hers. Everything she owned could easily be packed in her car. Leaving would be easier than she imagined. It would just require a little bit of organization.
Ten til Midnight 