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Wednesday
February 15, 2012
12:11am EST


Content Rating Notice:  Recommended for Readers 18 Years and Older Only
  >> Book >> Writing >> ID #1565859  |   Show DetailsPrinter Friendly Page Tell A Friend
Writing Day By Day
Challenging myself to write 500 words per day!
Rated:
18+
by
This item accepts reviews only.
Entry #653585, added on 06-07-09 @ 7:59 pm EDT
   Entry Access Restriction: None.
June 7--574 WordsEntry #653585










Cold water splashed across Rissa’s feet as she waded across the shallows near her cabin. The creek that ran through the property wandered to the edge of the back yard before setting out across the wooded back pasture. This was Rissa’s spot, her sanctuary when life was trying to beat her down.
Lately, life had been doing just that in the form of her husband, Jerry. He had been staying in town, working late. In fact, in had gotten to be a pattern. He would come home late, tired and she would start on him. All she wanted was a crumb of his time. It was something he hadn’t offered her in a long time. His nights were getting later and later. She worried constantly that her marriage was washing away like the creek over the smooth stones.
He had stuck to his stubborn story that the boss needed him and that they needed the extra cash. Since he was in charge of the finances, she never knew if this was true. It was obvious that they weren’t spending any less or more than usual. The money he gave her for groceries, household needs and herself hadn’t grown since all the overtime.
Rissa sat down on a large rock that stood sentry over the north side of the creek. Sighing to herself, she wondered how they had gotten to this point. They had been so in love. He declared that he still was. But he never showed it anymore. He was too tired all the time. Even on the weekends he wanted nothing more than to veg out in front of the TV or nap. He barely spoke to her nowadays. She figured it was for fear of setting her off. Neither one of them was much of an arguer. Both detested confrontation and they had chosen instead to talk things out. Except for this.
This new situation in their nearly ten years of matrimony had been cause for all out war. Rissa didn’t know herself anymore. She would scream at Jerry about his work taking precedence over her. He would sometimes scream back at her but would more often fall silent. This began the waterworks. Rissa hated for him to see her cry but she couldn’t help herself when he shut down like that.
Tires splattering gravel on the drive startled her from her revelry. It was daylight. He shouldn’t be home for several more hours. He hadn’t come home with the sun still in the sky for months. The truck door slammed and crunching footsteps neared. Rissa took a deep breath and slowly turned toward him. Jerry walked toward her cautiously, testing the waters it seemed. She gave him a wary smile.
“Welcome home honey!”
“Hi darlin’.”
He sat next to her on the rock, their hips touching. He was toying with something in his hand. It was a small box. She gasped. Had he noticed she’d lost her wedding rings. He hadn’t seemed to notice much lately.
“Baby, I saw your rings sitting next to the sink and they looked so worn and small. I wanted to give you what I picked to begin with. I couldn’t afford them at the time but the opportunity for overtime came up at work. So anyway, this is for you.”
Rissa carefully took the small blue box and opened it. Inside, nestled together were a new engagement ring and an eternity band. Rissa cried.






© Copyright 2009 Nikola (UN: nmarshall at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Nikola has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.


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