Shattered Glass

Danny’s hands shook with anticipation-his heart doing that annoying fluttering thing every so often. He sat there completely silent in the empty apartment staring at the dark brown coffee table pressed against his shins. The faint sound of traffic and daily buzz of the city could be heard six stories below.
         Danny stared at his mug of coffee-half drunken and cold-sitting next to the other mug full to the rim, but untouched. Karlie was late again, but he waited for her this time, because she had something to tell him.
He was aroused from his nervous comatose as the noise of the apartment door opening sounded to his right. Karlie stood there, just inside the frame of the door looking pale and frazzled. Stiffly she made her way to the center of the living room. Her arms and legs moved in jerky motions; Danny would have laughed at the sight of his usually so laid-back and collected girlfriend looking like a robot with a serious wedgy if he had not been so anxious.
She stopped in front of Danny, seeming to assess the situation, and then turned left slightly, nodding to herself reassuringly. Stray strands of cinnamon hair fell out of her messy bun into her face. Blowing out a shaky breath she sat in the chair opposite of Danny. She crossed her legs and laced her fingers settling them in her lap. Diffidently she met his eyes, smiling a small smile which did not reach her hazel eyes, usually so full of life.
There they sat-Danny shooting glances at his girlfriend every few seconds, while Karlie sat rigid in her chair, fiddling with the hem of her purple sweat-shirt. The phone rang, but neither of them got up to answer it.
The, at first, soft fluttering in Danny’s heart grew more persistent and more profound, and his mouth grew dry. He knew whatever was about to come out of his love’s mouth was going to be life altering. Hopefully it was news for the better.
“Danny,” she spoke apprehensively, “I have some big news.” He smiled a fake smile in response, encouraging her to continue. His insides twisted into knots-a small sense of worry burrowing deep into his gut.
She took in a shaky breath-her throat made an odd rattling noise. She went on looking down, “Danny…I’m-I’m pregnant.” The words hung in the air like a never-ending poignant note. The corners of Danny’s mouth started to curve upwards, but stopped mid-smile. Realization washed over him.
He felt saddened and a little relieved, “Karlie, baby, that’s not possible. I’m sorry, but you know that!” he chuckled; “I mean we’ve never had…” he trailed off. Understanding crashed into him like a freight train at full speed. “I know Danny. The baby-it’s not yours.” She replied quietly.
There was a faint ringing in Danny’s ears and a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. “I see.” Danny’s voice was flat and emotionless. “Well, I guess I need to move out then.” He appeared completely calm-very nonchalant.
On the inside though, he was broken. All that came to his mind was a mental picture of shattered glass-maybe a once breath-taking glass sculpture. Now nothing more than small jagged pieces of glass that if touched would cut deep into the skin.
“Danny, I-” with an earsplitting crash the coffee mug hit the wall behind Karlie’s head. Porcelain shards rained down into the pool of stale coffee slowly soaking in to the carpet. Karlie jumped yelping almost inaudibly.
At the sound of her cry, Danny looked away from the dent in the yellow wall tear tracked with dark brown liquid, and settled hid gaze on Karlie’s form. His arm still tense and fist clenched.
Her mascara ran down her now blotchy skin. Small shallow breaths emitted from her mouth. She looked as if she was going to say something, but Danny quickly cut her off. “Don’t.” he said looking down at his shoes. “Anything you say will only make it worse.” 
Glancing up he saw her give a small nod, her chin trembling. Her mouth gaped open suddenly and a raw shriek escaped. Her eyes widened and she clapped her hands over mouth as her body started to lurch forward as sobs racked her body.  Feral sounds cracking like whips from beneath her fingers.
It pained Danny to see her this way, and a few tears escaped his eyes, but he blinked them back lifting his face towards the ceiling and shutting his eyes closed tight. A hoarse sigh erupted from his chest as he stood.
He walked around the couch to the glass window overlooking the busy streets of downtown Chicago while lost in thought. He turned back to survey the apartment. It had been Karlie’s and his home for a little more than two years. Next month, the sixteenth, would be their four year anniversary.
He sighed and dutifully made his way to the front door at the opposite end of the room. He grabbed his coat from the rack and sluggishly, as if in a sleepy stupor, shrugged into his jacket.
Turning left, he walked into the attached kitchenette. Struggling a bit, he retrieved his key from his pocket of his blue jeans. He looked at the small golden key in the palm of his hand and shifted it around so that it glittered in the light. He could still make out his name carved into the top of it.
It should have been a lot easier to drop the key onto the counter and walk away, but he found it to be one of the hardest things to accomplish in his life. Finally he was able to release the key and it clattered with a resounding thunk of finality against the fake tile counter. The key mocked him sitting there next to the old loaf of bread.
Closing his eyes he pivoted to the right-his sneakers squeaking on the linoleum floor- and he headed back towards the door. Without another glance back, he left his home, his love, his life, and a dark coffee stain on the apartment’s carpet behind him.