Choices

This Story was written for the barnesandnoble.com presents...Write & Win Contests, topic: Fool. The rules, in short, were that the story had to mention the topic, and be 250 words or less. This story recieved an Honorable Mention.

She thrust her hands into the water, dragging another dish to the surface, scrubbing it so hard veins stood out on her forearms. Barely rinsing, she slammed it into the dish rack as hard as she could without shattering it.

She paused to listen, hearing him in the other room, sounds of the television low. He was either ignoring her, or the television was masking the sounds of her anger. Either way, she wasn't satisfied.

He looked up as she stalked in, his features carefully neutral.

"Did you break enough dishes to make yourself feel better?"

Heat flooded her face and she had to fight the urge to hit him.

"No. Did you do enough breaking up our family to make yourself feel better?"

He rolled his eyes. "Norma, don't be a fool. I was right and you know it."

"Right? Right to throw our child out of our lives because you have to always be the one in control?"

"Norma …"

"No! Don't even say it! I take it back. You are not the fool. I am. I am the idiot who stayed with you all these years, and let you force me to make a choice between you and our son!"

She turned, grabbing a sweater as she strode out the front door and down the walkway. His voice rose for a moment, then faded into the cold breeze.

Like everything else in her life, the house disappeared into the darkness behind her.

~April 8, 2005