Cold glass left a chilly imprint on my forehead, as it rested against it. The roadside trees and shrubs formed a blur of greens, causing the illusion like we’d been thrust into hyperspace. The ebony silhouette of the hillside against the backdrop of the night sky was hypnotising, appearing ominous and beautiful all at the same time. For an hour and a half now, the monotonous tone of his voice had filled the tin can on wheels that we were travelling in. One client after another drawing his attention to the phone in his hand. Business always came first. How could one person’s voice conjure up feelings of love and contempt all rolled into one? Almost absentmindedly, an index finger reached up to readjust the earphones of my MP3 player. It was silent for now, but strangely a comfort to know at the click of a switch I could find distraction from the world around me.
It was often at these times, when the boredom from being “on the road” set in, that my mind would wander. Slowly fading memories from moments passed, would often invade precious head space. It was the only thing that could cure the monotony of travel. And as I fell into the reverie, I took the opportunity to find that distraction. Without a thought I flipped the switch on my MP3 player, the deafening sound of “Fall Out Boy” enveloped my senses. The scenery before me seemed to slowly disappear into a hazy mass, the reality before me fading out. There had been happier times between us both, and although I could not pinpoint the exact moment that things had seemed to take a turn for the worst, there was no denying that things were not the same since her.
Debbie, with her satin glazed flowing hair, auburn in colour until the sunlight hit her head and it erupted into flamed tendrils. It was no wonder she had caught his attention, as it was quite an alluring effect, I could not deny her that much. Before she had come along, life had been simpler, life had been fun. Spontaneous, was the word I would have used to describe our relationship back then. Unplanned escapes to the art centre for coffee and lunch, unscheduled jaunts through the city gardens simply to enjoy the sun that had invaded the skies for the day, the classic dinner and movies was a favourite twosome treat. We always drew attention, double glances as he paraded me, a much younger woman about on his arm. But then came Debbie, illicitly prancing her way into our lives. Her hypnotic blue eyes acting as a seductive back up in case her blush locks failed.
Damn Debbie had been a favourite catch phrase of mine that I had coined. He had told me that she was simply a business acquaintance that he had met. I should have known better, and if I was being completely honest with myself, a part of me had always known. I was not a complete fool, although he may have thought so. But female intuition is strong, especially when conversations around the dinner table consisted of “Debbie said this,” or “Debbie did this” followed by amused chortles and snorts, which made him sound like a walrus in heat. Meals around the table and evenings spent together slowly began to dwindle, as later hours were required at work. Late nights, turned into early morning returns home as he stumbled through the door at some ungodly hour. What man would work such arduous hours if he had me at home, unless it had something to do with Debbie. It would seem he did take me for a fool after all.
He had even had the audacity to bring that woman into our very own home. He may as well have slapped me across the face. But of course I had to be polite as she giggled like a silly school girl, prancing around like a starlet. Every so often she would place her hand on his arm in what most would consider a flirtatious manner. It took every ounce of strength that I had to stop myself from pouring the spaghetti bolognaise into her lap. How dare they flaunt it before my very eyes, those lying bastards.
Something had to be done about this female invasion. What normal women wouldn’t get jealous and vengeful. Many an evening was spent planning and scheming of ways to take down this seductive witch. It had become like an obsession, notebooks engraved with a rainbow of flower and heart doodles, full of inventive ways to destroy the woman and have her evicted from our lives. Thankfully I didn’t have to carry out any of my heinous plans that were driven by a woman scorned. My grandfather had always said the best revenge was to simply sit back and watch them stuff up their own life. How right he was, Oh sweet, sweet revenge. I was never told the exact reasons Debbie no longer worked at the company, he told me she had been relocated to another branch, but I knew better. That stupid tart had probably committed fraud or something of a similar nature. There was no way she could be as perfect as she made out.
My face screwed up like a bulldog chewing a wasp as the final notes of “teenagers scare the living shit out of me” rang out in my ears. Quietly I flicked the switch on my MP3 player, the sudden silence in my ears was deafening. However, it wasn’t to last long as the blaring sound of a horn screaming past us in the night, dragged me back to reality. Once again I was aware of his voice beside me, causing a cringe to form. “Sure thing babe,” another pause as the garbled voice on the other end of the phone babbled on for a moment longer, “Not a problem babe, I’ll get that sorted straight away, take care, buh-bye.” I hated it when he called those other women babe; he was such a flirtatious businessman. Those naive women always lapped it up and ate out of his hand, I hated it; babe was my pet name dammit!
My smile was forced as he tucked the phone away at last, casting a glance my way, he didn’t seem to notice that I was faking happiness towards him. His hand reached out to tweak at my nose as he so often did. It was our thing, and no matter what always seemed to get a chuckle from me. How could I hate him when he grinned like that, and seemed so enthusiastic about life in general, that was of course one of the things I loved about him, his infectious love for life. And he knew that, he knew how to play me just like one of his customers, he knew how to win my affection every time. “Shall we stop at McDonalds for a sundae?!” A little wink accompanied his question, causing a small snort filled laugh to escape from me, as a solid nod of my head was given, “Sure thing Dad.”
SONG CREDIT
“Teenagers”
My Chemical Romance
2006
Written by
Lyla Arthurs
July 2007
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