I’ve decided to start posting some of my own writing on this blog in the hope that it will inspire me to start writing fiction again. This story was written back in 2012, and I’m avoiding the temptation to revise. It’s not very good, but I wanted to do my own short adaptation of a popular fairy tale. There are two versions of this story, and I was wanting to create a story from two different views. This story is going up as it was originally written with the hopes that I can develop my writing and make this into something better.
After
(2012)
“I talked to Rose on the phone yesterday,” said the woman. “She and Paul said they could meet us for dinner Friday night.”
“That’s fine,” replied the man, reading his newspaper and taking a bit of his breakfast. Nothing like burnt bacon. Again.
“Paul got a new marketing position. It’s great news for them. His salary will nearly double.”
“That’s wonderful,” said John. He took another bite, meanwhile taking a look at his wife for the first time that morning. I remember when she used to get dressed and ready before breakfast.
John knew the time would come when he would have to her about Susan. He had been keeping this secret for over three months now. He wasn’t sure how long he could continue to pretend that everything was alright between them. As he looked at his wife, John thought back on all of the things that had changed since twelve years ago. He remembered the way she danced. When they first got together, Ella had been so full of life, so naive and innocent about the world. John remembered being attracted to that innocence. Where had it gone? Jon studied around his paper at his wife’s features as she ate her toast. She looked so much older now, so much of that shine gone.
She had gained weight since the baby was born. John didn’t have any problems with Ella gaining some weight, but it didn’t stop there. The weight continued to increase, and with it John saw the fire in her dwindle down until now it just felt like a stranger was in his house with him. When they first married, she used to clean everything from top to bottom, often whistling so happily as she worked.
“I also got a call from Visa,” said Ella, talking after taking a bite of toast. We’re behind for the month again.
“I’ll take care of it when I get off work tonight,” said John, pretending to be interested in his paper.
He had promised her the world, the life only queens could imagine. John felt like he made good on that promise. After all, they have a nice house, two cars, money in the bank. Finances could get a little tight sometimes but what married couple didn’t have that problem now and again. Work had been steady, he had honestly tried to accommodate her in every possible way since getting married.
“How late are you working tonight?” asked Ella.
“Not sure. Might have to be late. Doug needs those finance reports done for the quarter by the end of the week,: he replied, turning a page in the paper. I can’t keep this up for much longer. Tonight. I’ll tell her tonight.
He had met Susan at work. At first, it had just been two friends giving some harmless flirting now and again. Then it turned into two friends having lunch together every day. Now, it was going to different hotels for an hour or two at a time. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel guilty. He felt like shit every night when he came home. Things were just so different now.
“I cleaned out the sink last night,” said Ella. “You left your glass in the living room again.”
“Sorry, I got tired and wasn’t thinking,” John replied. Is this really all that she can find to talk about? She used to be so different, so loyal, now just nitpicking all the time.
“Don’t forget Danielle has a soccer game this Saturday. You promised her you would make it to this one.
She has reminded me about the game twice a day every day for the past two weeks. I’ll remember. “”I’ll be there,” said John, looking at his watch. “I better head off. I told Doug I would be in early.” Rising up, John gave Ella a kiss on the cheek and proceeded to head out the door. The truth was he had promised Susan he would try to see her at work before 8:00 today.
As he had his hand on the doorknob to leave, John heard his wife say, “Happy Anniversary.” As he closed the door, he muttered the words back under his breath.
Ella sat at the breakfast table for a while after John left. She wondered how long before he told her. She used to cry about it, but didn’t really have the energy for it anymore. She didn’t understand how things had gotten this way. John used to be so attentive, so romantic, such a Prince to her. And now? She knew about his little affair with Susan. she had to be twenty if that. Ella had thought about leaving, but where would she go without money? Also, there was Danielle to think about. She couldn’t do that to her.
“It was supposed to be forever,” she whispered to herself.
Without putting the dishes in the sink, Ella walked into her bedroom and opened the closet door. She still remembered that night she met Jon, how he promised to give her the world. How they danced the night way. His promises of taking her away from the horrible life she grew up on. All those promises. She looked at the back of the closet at the dress she wore that night. She then removed a box from a shelf and opened it. the shoes still sparkled as they had all those years ago. Shoes of perfect clear glass. “Happily every after,” she said to nobody. Ella felt a tear begin but started thinking about the cleaning which stopped it from coming. Instead, she laid down on the bed and dreamed of better times.
I Would Rather Be Reading 