Copyright: The Reclining Gentleman
The carpet-slippered feet dangling above the stairwell said it all; he’d not really invited her round to discuss the divorce.
Stumbling through the detritus of his living-room, all empty bottles and overflowing ashtrays, she found their framed wedding photo. Even through the crazed glass, no-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need.
“I don’t think I love him,” she’d confessed to her bridesmaid.
“Too late now, hon. Deal with it later.”
“I don’t think I like you,” she said, to her reflection in the rear-view mirror as she drove away.
Maybe she’d deal with that later.
On the last leg of our cruise back to port now, and looking forward to full broadband facilities in the next week or so. Apologies if I haven’t got round to reading all submissions, or responded to all comments – sometimes waiting for a page to download is like watching paint dry. Thanks again to Rochelle, our gracious hostess at Friday Fictioneers.
castelsarrasin 
I detect little chance of a reconciliation.
Good piece Sandra.
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Perhaps in the afterlife? Thanks for reading Mick.
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Dear Sandra,
The description of his living room made me want to bolt. A match made slightly lower than heaven? I’m wondering how long this marriage has lasted but find myself relieved that she’s getting out even though she doesn’t feel good about herself right now. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. 🙂
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Goodness!! Procrastination at its best. Great story.
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Thanks Jessie.
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If I read this correct, he’d hung himself. I would guess it’s never too late “before” the marriage. Better than regretting it in leisure. Well written as always, Sandra. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thanks Suzanne. Yes, you were right.
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Ach! (She slaps her forehead with the palm of her hand. I missed the suicide. Perhaps if I’d read it when I was fully awake and caffeinated. 😯
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I didn’t pick up the hanging until Suzanne mentioned it. Now on rereading it is clear to see. Definitely too late. She will have to deal with it now.
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I think she’ll manage, somehow. Thanks for reading.
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That’s marvelous, Sandra, as always!
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Thank you Karen.
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Oh yes.. I think some things are better dealt with earlier. Could have saved a life or two…and it’s much harder dealing with disliking yourself than others.
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So true Bjorn. Thanks for reading.
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Love your writing.. always gives a thought or two.
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So well written, Sandra. “The best reason for doing the right thing today, is tomorrow.” 😕
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Thank you! So true.
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Wow, so powerful, and stunning language: ‘the dazzling headlights of his need’. Wonderful.
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Thanks for reading Claire. 🙂
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Looks like one way or another, she’s moving on. Great story.
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No sense in hanging about… oops!
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I think she made the right decision. Rarely is the other’s need a reason to stay. Hope she comes to terms with herself. Good story Sandra.
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Thanks Irene 🙂
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There is no escaping from your reflection. Hard hitting one, Sandra. Well done.
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Thank you!
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“No-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need.” This line!
Hopefully she learns to deal with her feelings towards herself sooner than she dealt with her feelings towards her husband.
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Yes, that line says it all! Powerful piece about regret and the dangers of appeasement.
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Thanks, glad you liked it.
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Thank you for reading.
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C’est magnifique.
You hit the highest standard, week after week.
I am, once again, enthralled.
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Many thanks CE. So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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Later’s a really good time to handle this. Agreed re that killer headlight line – powerful.
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Thanks Patrick. I’m quite partial to that line myself. 🙂
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Heartbreaking… Life never gives us easy choices.
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And we seldom make the best choices either.
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I did not read the suicide into this at all. I like it so much more now, and I loved it before. She’ll be just fine, I’m confident. Calling her over to see you killed yourself is the ultimate guilt trip! No way will she fall for that in the long run.
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Yes, that opening line was meant to tell the reader all that they needed to know about him and their relationship. But somehow several people missed it. I need to look at that further.
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Don’t blame your skill as a writer. Blame our skill as readers!
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This was a powerful story. Nicely done. I want to know more!
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Thank you!
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Wow.
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Sandra, wow! This story (was it really only 100 words?) just sucked me in and kept me in the moment. Agree with all on that killer headlight line. Too bad she didn’t have the guts to not marry him in the first place…
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Stumbling through the detritus of his living-room
This line says so much. Well done, my dear!
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Thanks for reading Alicia.
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Yes, magnificent! Unrequited love can do that, very sad, and yes, she shouldn’t like herself she led him down the path to his own destruction. Excellent!
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Thanks for reading Yolanda.
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did anybody bother to call the police? 🙂
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Nah! 🙂
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Dazzling headlights of his need. Wow! What a killer line!
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Thanks! 🙂
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She gets the prize for living in denial. Amazing character, and a riveting storyline. I’m in awe.
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Thanks Margaret! 🙂
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Deadly accurate depiction of a bad reason for marriage.
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Indeed. A recurring nightmare I used to have actually. 🙂
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I read the first paragraph twice and decided he’s hanged himself. Probably best to deal with that later, though that strategy didn’t work out so well at her wedding!
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Indeed it didn’t. Thanks for reading.
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“No-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need.” What a great line! I missed the suicide too until I read some other comments. I don’t know what I thought his dangling feet were about… Anyway, I loved it!
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Glad you got it eventually. 🙂
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I agree this line “…no-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need” was delicious. And what an opening line. This is making every word count. Such exquisite writing, Sandra. What a dreadful reality to have that feeling at your own wedding. Yikes.
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Thanks Amy. The opening line didn’t seem to work in some cases, but I crafted it carefully. Not carefully enough though! 🙂
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He hung himself, right? That’s how I read it.
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Dear Sandra,
I felt the eerie cloak of death from your opening line. I had goose bumps as she made
her way through his wasteland of life. A tragic ending to a marriage filled with debirs.
Outstanding !!!! You never disappoint.
Thank you,
Isadora 😎
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Aw thanks Isadora ! 🙂
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Wish she had not married him . Could have saved herself from the mess that she is entangled. His suicide and her guilt trip.
Their framed wedding photo among all the debris has sealed the fate of the relationship.
Fabulous writing.
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No arguing she shouldn’t have married him, but then we wouldn’t have this marvelous little story. 🙂
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Thank you, glad you liked it.
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Thank you!
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My favorite line was the “dazzling headlights of his needs.” I remember when my needs used to be bright and amazing (at least to me). Don’t know how Connie put up with me all these years. Now, my needs are more like the soft glow of a limp balloon.
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Oh that picture…. 😦 Thanks for reading Russell.
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Procrastination! It’ll getcha every time! 🙂 Great post!
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Thanks Courtney!
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Holy cow, Sandra! Echoes of my life. Eery.
Lily
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Oh dear! 😦 Thanks for reading, Lily.
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Amazing to put all this into 100 words. And such tragedy. She really is caught between a rock and a hard place. If she hadn’t married him, he would have killed himself because of that. Now he did, because she wanted an honest divorce. Emotional blackmail is the worst. While I’m sorry for him, I hope she learns to like herself again.
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So do I. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
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Wow indeed. Yet again, you have crafted one hell of a tale.
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Thanks Francesca. 🙂
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neat, sad and so powerful…”…her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need.” wow!
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Thanks Sumana 🙂
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Great stuff – Loved the description of that house. I can picture it, overflowing ashtrays and all.
Well done.
KT
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Thanks KT.
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I knew that carpet-slippered feet meant something. I re-read that line three times. I should have concentrated more on the next word, dangling.
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Yes, that line wasn’t 100% successful it seems. Thanks for reading Dawn.
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Look Out! A runaway bride on a mission…. It’s not going to be a pleasant honeymoon weekend!
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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We can never run from ourselves no matter how hard we try.
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How true, Joseph. Thanks for visiting
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An excellent take on the prompt, Sandra. I think there are quite a few people who decide they don’t love the person they’re going to marry, but they don’t feel they can back out at the last moment after all the arrangements have been made. Friends and relatives will assure the bride or groom “it’s only cold feet and normal” but it isn’t always. I sing at weddings and can read the body language of the couples. It doesn’t take a lot to predict which marriages will last.
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I used to have recurring nightmares about that very predicament Sarah! Now they’re just about being late for something… 🙂
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Some dazzling descriptions in this one. Very well written as always.
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Thank you!
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Love can be a reason to a lot of pain.Infact love is the reason,people feel pain.
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Very true.
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Would have been easier to just leave him at the alter. Great piece. I really liked “no-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need”. The imagery is magnificent.
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Thank you!
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In my humble opinion, this is one of your best, Sandra. ” no-one could mistake her thousand-yard stare into the dazzling headlights of his need–” this is just sublime!
Personally, I think it’s brilliant that she’s finally following her own needs… but truly excellent writing m’dear!
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Thank you Dawn. I’m flattered by your comment.
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I was going to say the same as stomperdad just above, so I’ll just say ditto. Great writing, as always, Sandra.
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Thanks David.
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