| Fix Making it work |
| Author: Minnie Rating: PG Category: Original Fiction Notes: Please do not archive elsewhere without permission I don't know where this came from but I couldn't stop it once it started. For C who's always there for me. Archive Date: 6/13/2002 You and Matt had another screaming fight. Not that anyone was screaming except you in your head. "Do something. I want this to work," his eyes said. You did your best, soothed, kissed and loved. All the while, the screams got louder. You saw Matt walking down the street, holding hands with another girl, and you smiled. Then hurled a glass at the big screen TV when you got home. You were playing poker one night -- god knows why because you never played poker before and didn't even know the rules but it seemed like an interesting game -- when Matt looked up from his cards and grinned at you. "This is good, isn't it?" You blinked and said, "Yeah." He put his hand on top of yours, the one that was resting on the table. It felt warm. Matt rushed home from work and grabbed you off the couch. He was laughing, saying something about a promotion and a raise. You felt light-headed because he picked you up too fast and you had been lying on the couch for too long. You smelled someone else's perfume on his shirt and gave him a slow kiss. Your head felt a little better. The letters in the house rental ads started crossing into each other and you put the newspaper away, rubbing your fingers on your temple. You looked for the tea cup and sipped. You hated cold tea. You woke Matt up when you slammed the door to the medicine cabinet. He came inside the bathroom and asked you what was wrong. "I can't find the Visine." "You look funny with red eyes." Matt bought you a DVD player for your birthday. He thought you didn't know and he spent a lot of time in the den wrapping it. He was always clumsy at wrapping presents. You made some noises about the pretty wrapping paper he chose and how you pictured him at a Hallmark store, telling the saleslady that their gift wrapping service wasn't necessary. You brushed your lips across his forehead after you saw the DVD player and told Matt you wanted to hook it up right away. "Sure you don't me need to do it? I'm good at that stuff, you know." Not very modest but he was Mr. Electronics Whiz. "I'm sure. Besides you got me the present I wanted." You told him you could muddle along but "If I really need help, I'll ask you, okay?" He gave you an hour. You sat on the floor, stared at the crisscrossed wires, wondering where the red one plugged into. It seemed so easy at the start. The manual said to put this here and that there and voila, everything would work. You did everything as instructed but the damn DVD still wouldn't turn on. Or do anything. You read the instructions one more time. An hour later, Matt poked a smiling face into the living room. "Look who's here to rescue you!" You kept staring at the tangled mess on the floor. "I can't get it to work." "That's why I'm here." You lift your eyes, glance at the TV Matt bought two months ago. It was smaller, a 17" inch. Not as nice as the big screen but still nice. There was a dark shadow on the turned-off screen that had your shape. "I can't get it to work." You said again and looked at him, sad and haunted. You shook your head as if you didn't know how the words got there, got out. "I can -- " His voice hitched. "No." You lowered your head, not wanting to see that thing in his eyes, the one that brought all the silent screams. Your knees were up and your chin rested somewhere between them. You wanted to curl up into a ball and never be stretched out again. It scared you, scared you much because you didn't want to take back the words. "I can't get it to work." A third time and you felt like throwing up. You heard footsteps leave the living room. The boxes were packed and you told the guy in the blue jumpsuit to be careful with one, the one marked "Bedroom". You grabbed your purse, rooted through it and sighed when you came up empty. "I found it." Matt told you. He took your hand, put something small and light in it. A bottle of Visine was in your palm. "Oh. Thanks." He gave you a small tight smile. You gripped the bottle then let it slide to the floor. "Keep it," you murmured. The door closed softly as you walked out. -End- HOME ORIGINAL FICTION FAN FICTION |