IsabellaRose

VII NINE MONTHS LATER "But now we have to bump Carolyn, and we can't put her at the same table as my cousin Tony, they dated and it ended ugly." Robert shook his head as Roxanne and her best friend Susan moved little pieces of cardboard around a map of their reception. It was like some kind of miniature wargame where the goal was stalemate, a complete deadlock and inability to move anything else one step further. He wanted to help, but he didn't have a lot of say in the matter. His guests were his best man and two groomsmen, his mother and grandmother, and a couple of cousins that agreed to show up. "Carolyn can sit with my mother," Robert said. "They hit it off at Thanksgiving. It shouldn't be a problem." "Your mom's table is full, babe," Roxanne said. "Inaccurate." He placed his finger on the little square that said 'Robert's Father'. "You're wasting a seat holding one for this guy. He won't be there." Roxanne looked sideways at him and felt that familiar sadness overcome Robert whenever he thought about his absent father. "Babe, I..." "He's never been there, Roxanne." He picked up the little cardboard square and studied it, then flicked it away from the table toward the kitchen. "And I wouldn't want him there." "Did you talk to your mother?" She put her hand on his arm, reassuring, comforting. Susan was up and walked into the kitchen. They obviously needed a moment. "Honey, I know you want me to reach out, to find him, to try to make a connection." He looked her in the eyes then. "I don't want to. He's been nothing to me my entire life. He was just a sperm donor and a one time deposit to a bank account." "Maybe he's changed. Maybe he has regrets. Maybe..." "Maybe he's just a selfish piece of shit." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you. It's just... I did talk to my mother." "Does she know who he is?" She was excited, but tried to keep her voice level. She really thought finding out who his father was, making a connection, meeting him, might help Robert in the long run. At the very least it might help when they finally had kids, medical history if nothing else. "I got the whole story," he said at last. He raised his voice and looked toward the kitchen. "Susan, you might as well come in and hear it straight from me." Susan poked her head in from the kitchen. "I don't want to intrude." "Roxanne trusts you, so I trust you." He motioned toward the chair where she'd been sitting. "Please, have a seat." She did, and looked at Roxanne, taking her other hand. "I asked my mom about my father, who he was, what she knew, how I... came to be." He shook his head like he didn't want to think about it, but continued on. "It was a one night stand. She was a sophomore in college, he was an older, distinguished guy. He paid for her and all her friends all night. It was the seventies. Free love and everything, I guess. She said she didn't really do that, free love or whatever, sleep around, but this one guy must have turned on the charm. She said he just... she went back to his hotel room and they made me. Not on purpose, obviously but that's what happened. Next morning she wanted to know when she'd see him again, he said never, he was married, get the fuck out." Roxanne tried to imagine how it would feel to be dismissed so casually. It made her want to cry. Guys could be such assholes. "She has a single picture of him, a polaroid from that night. They took a bunch of polaroids and he burned them in an ashtray. She said her friends made a joke about how he was a spy or something, but one of her friends kept one, and later gave it to my mom. She said she'll bring it when she flies in so I can see, but honestly, I don't know if I want to." Roxanne sat silent, waiting to see if there was more. "When she found out she was pregnant, she thought about getting an abortion. She had no idea who he was, only that he was married, she'd have to drop out of college... I fucked up her life." "Babe, you didn't..." "I know, I just... it's hard not to feel that way, you know? But she said the same thing. She said I just changed the path of her life from where she thought she wanted to go, to where she needed to be. She said that if she could do it differently the only thing she'd change would be to pick a better father for me, one who would have stayed around, so I didn't have these conflicted feelings. but she'd never change having me, being my mom, you know, things moms say." "Things moms mean," said Susan. She had two little boys of her own. If anyone would know, it would be her. Robert nodded. "I know she means it. I know." Roxanne shook her head. "But you said he gave her a pile of money. How did that happen?" "Random chance." He shook his head like he couldn't believe it himself. "She was in line at the bank. She was showing, big pregnant stomach, and guess who was in line in front of her? The guy, my dad." "That's..." "Unbelievable? Yeah, that's what I said. So she asks if he remembers her, and he says no, all dismissive, barely even looks at her. She shows him the polaroid, the one her friend saved and says, how about now? and all of a sudden he's pulled her out of line and outside, gripping her arm like he wants to pull it off and demanding to know what she wants. She told him he got her pregnant, and he said no. She said it again, and he said how much? He offered her ten thousand dollars to walk away. Sign a paper with his lawyer saying this is the only thing she'll ever ask for, take the money, and never see him again. So that's what she did. She said the document was taped over so she couldn't see his name, but she saw his first name, Richard, but that was all. She signed, took the money, and that was that. My father basically paid my mother to disappear, paid for me to disappear." "Robert, I'm... so sorry," Roxanne felt tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry I made you ask." He shook his head, "You didn't make me. I decided you were right. But now I know that no matter what, he just doesn't matter. He didn't want me or anything to do with me, and I'll never have to see him again. He may have hurt me my whole life by not being there, and now by finding out he just didn't care, but he can't hurt me any more. I can just put the thought of him away and be done with him forever."

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The latest challenge is up! This time it's to write about a world where your darkest desires have become reality. Enter now to win! First prize is 2,000 EcchiCredits! I can't wait to read everyone's entries!

I love this idea... I need to find the PERFECT song.

The Challenge "You woke up this morning and your deepest, darkest desire became reality. The weird, deviant thing you don't dare tell anyone else, the dark desire that fuels your midnight fantasies, the scenario that arouses you more than anything else is suddenly just a normal part of reality, no one judges you, and you are free to indulge yourself to your heart's content. Tell us about this new world." As a work of fiction, this can be about you personally, or about a fictional character. Deadline Midnight (EST) Saturday, 18 Mar, 2023 Limits 1 entry per person 2,000 words max per entry Prizes 1st Place: 2,000 EcchiCredits 2nd Place: 1,000 EcchiCredits 3rd Place: 500 EcchiCredits

bad actors

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VI TWENTY SEVEN DAYS LATER Roxanne and Robert had just returned from a whirlwind two week vacation in Europe - four days in Paris, then tours of castles and renaissance culture in the Loire Valley, Mont Saint Michel, and the Normandy Coast. A quick flight to Rome and then to Florence and finally, Venice. It had been gorgeous, relaxing, amazing, and they had taken so many pictures. After taking a day in bed, Robert was casting his photos to the flat screen in the living room while they ate a late lunch. Roxanne looked up to see a photo of the bar they met in flash onto the screen. She tapped Robert on the arm. "Babe, you've hit the end. It's rolling into old stuff." Robert didn't seem to react. His phone was on the coffee table beside his plate, and he was looking up at the television. "Remember that place?" His voice sounded odd. "Of course, "she said, holding her glass. "The best time I ever got stood up." The next picture flashed up was her in that red dress, the same one she'd worn the night they met. "You wore that red dress. I remember wondering who was so special that you'd wear that dress for them." He was still staring at the screen, his voice far away. "I didn't think I had a snowball's chance in a blast furnace, but something in you called to me." Roxanne tilted her head to one side and set down her drink. "You were living in that brownstone on Park Ave," he said, and a picture of the front door of her old apartment appeared. "That's where we kissed for the first time." What was going on? She almost asked, but he started talking again over a series of photos. Selfies of them out on dates, all their dates, it looked like. Bars, ball games, restaurants, theaters, sidewalks, parks, hotel rooms, concerts... it was like he had a slideshow of every date, every wonderful memory they'd made together. The two of them smiling on that dinner cruise out on the lake, him singing karaoke to her in front of the whole bar after that comedy show... who had they seen, again? The two of them kissing on the pier. Susan had taken that picture; it was one of Roxanne's favorites of them. The two of them in their camping chairs wearing those silly fishing hats. The two of them ruling the beer pong table at Dan's party, their undefeated night of beer pong. "In the past almost four years, we've made some great memories," he said, and he turned to look at her. He was acting funny, his movements jerky, his expression nervous as he took her hand and guided her to her feet. As she stood, she looked back at the television. The pictures went back to their most recent cruise, but it was only the pictures of them that they'd had locals and other tourists take. "I thought about doing this in Europe, someplace memorable, but then I realized that all our best memories are just the two of us, and this moment... this is just for us." "As amazing as Europe was, as amazing as everything together has been since the first time I laid eyes on you, I'd like to think it's only the prologue." He dropped to one knee and held up an open box. Roxanne felt her heart leap into her throat. He pulled out the ring, a beautiful, gracefully designed housing for a rather large diamond. She hadn't dared to dream. "Will you write the real story of us together with me? Will you marry me?" Tears came to her eyes and she felt herself gasp and laugh all at once. Her hands had come up to cover her mouth. Her head was nodding, but she couldn't make her voice work. She reached for the ring, pulled back, her heart bursting with all the emotions she was feeling. She tried to talk but only a weird laugh came out. Finally she answered. "Yes," she said. "Oh, Robert. Yes!" He placed the ring on her finger and stood to face her. "I love you," he said. "I love you, too." They kissed. They embraced. The cameras he'd placed around the room got everything.

V. THREE YEARS LATER Robert felt like his insides were turning into jelly as he took the proffered glass from Mrs. Hammond. His nerves were on edge in a way they'd never been before. Why did he feel this weird need to perform this old fashioned gesture, some ancient ritual that had no bearing on modern society? Because Roxanne liked certain traditions, and when it came to their discussion about marriage, she seemed to be very traditional. Despite wanting a beach or camping wedding, she said she wanted to be married in a church. Despite how independent she was, she followed every tradition when it came to life milestones. He wasn't sure if she'd find this patronizing and sexist or sweet and charming, but he decided he was going to err on the side of tradition when it came to these things. "Thank you," he said, and sipped the water. His mouth was so dry. His heart was thudding in his chest. He took another sip and then set the glass down on a coaster on the expensive looking coffee table. Everything in here looked expensive. "So, Robert," said Mrs. Hammond, he smile and voice equally pleasant, "you said you had something to ask us?" She held her teacup by the tiny handle between her thumb and forefinger, her pinky up, saucer held in the other hand directly under the cup. Mr. Hammond quirked an eyebrow, staring hard at Robert. "Get on with it, young man." He was so damned intimidating. Robert tried to smile, but it didn't seem to want to stick. Every time he looked at Mr. Hammond he felt so small, so inadequate. No one intimidated him like this man did. But he was here for a reason, and he wasn't going to let Roxanne's asshole father care him away. "I came here to," he began, then cleared his throat. " I came here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage." Mrs. Hammond's face lit up, a smile spreading across her meticulously crafted features. She seemed genuinely happy, and that set Robert's mind at ease. But as soon as he looked at Mr. Hammond, his relief faded. Mr. Hammond's stare was flat and emotionless and when he spoke, his voice was filled with disdain. "What makes you think you're good enough for my Roxanne?" "I love your daughter, Sir, and she loves me. All I want to do is make her happy." Mr. Hammond made a sound like a horse snorting. "Love isn't what makes a marriage work, Robert. This isn't a fairytale." "Richard!" Mrs. Hammond looked at her husband as if he were a villain, but Robert quickly continued. "I can provide for Roxanne," Robert said quickly. "I have a great job with a great company and I'm on track for another promotion. I've bought her a ring worth more than three months of my salary. I have enough saved to put a down payment on our first home." Robert heard himself spewing out the words that answered the financial part of the question, even though that wasn't why he wanted to marry Roxanne. Mr. Hammond shook his head as if dismissing Robert. "Robert, my daughter hasn't cared about my opinion since she was thirteen. I have no idea what made you think this would be a good idea." "I'm just..." Robert tried to think, but the situation was out of control. "I wanted to..." "Quit wasting my time," said Mr. Hammond. "Richard!" Mrs. Hammond set down her teacup and saucer, then turned to Robert. "Of course we approve, Robert. We've seen how good you are to Roxanne over the years. We know the two of you will be very happy together." The sideways glance she gave Mr. Hammond seemed to add "unlike us" to her sentence, but she refrained from saying it out loud. Mr. Hammond blew his breath out loudly as if in disagreement, but didn't say a word in contradiction to his wife. Instead he stood, looked down at Robert, and said, "You have your answer. I hope the drive was worth it." Then he turned and walked out of the room. When he was gone, Robert was still staring at the doorway behind him. "Don't worry, Dear," Mrs. Hammond said, placing her hand on Robert's forearm. "Richard doesn't approve of anyone or anything. No one is good enough for him." When he glanced at Mrs. Hammond, Robert thought her eyes said, "even me" but he had no intention of asking along those lines. He simply nodded and said "Thank you." She looked up at him as he stood. "I'm sorry to have bothered you," he said, still trying to understand Richard Hammond's reaction. "You're not a bother, Robert," Mrs. Hammond said. "And I'm sure you and Roxanne will be very happy together. "Thank you." He met her eyes as she stood and saw a sort of resigned acceptance there. "I guess I should get going. I still have a six hour drive ahead of me."

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