Coral Part 1 & 2

brainstorming

She didn’t come. 

 

F**k.  

 

He ran his fingers roughly through his hair and glanced in several different directions.  

 

I can’t believe she had the audacity to stand me up.  

 

Ducking out of the gas station door, he immediately lit up his cigarette. Except, it didn’t want to light. Besides, the torrent of rain that drenched it as soon as he stepped out, the end was wet from holding it in his mouth for the last half an hour.  

 

Stupid b***h, he thought slamming his cigarette into the gutter. He knew this was his last chance to appeal to her, but he couldn’t help but fume at the thought of her standing him up. After all the begging and pleading, he had finally gotten through to her and now here he was looking like a fool once again. Liam hopped in his car and gassed it up immediately.  

 

What did I do this time? What was it? I'm such a fool.  

 

The pity wouldn’t stop pouring in. His wife must be seeing another man. He was obsessed with the thought. Barely a couple months into a divorce and she must be screwing another man! He lit another cigarette, rolled the window down. Liam didn’t mind the rain so much when it was drowning out his own thoughts, his thoughts of her. Yes, his obsession with her. He realized it was governing his life. Yes, he realized he was an idiot. But she....no, she couldn’t possibly be cheating. Cheating? It’s not as if they were together. But he loved her like they were. He couldn’t shake it. It never subsided for a minute and he cursed his own feelings for her. But she was an angel... 

 

I should go there now. I should see her. She still loves me, I know it.  

 

His fingers curled around the drink sitting next to him in the console. In a Styrofoam cup he had mixed both rum and juice that had become a concoction of danger. The alcohol was trivial to him compared to the pain. In his head there were daydreams of her.  

 

Coral is such warm color, such a warm feeling.  

 

As he thought of her name, his felt his own heart squeeze. The tears, the disappointment, clouded his vision. That was until he swallowed it. He swallowed it like the fool he was and kept driving, determined to see her at least once.  

 Part 2

She sat at the window of the shop staring out absent-mindedly. Coral swallowed the knot in her throat that constantly rose.  

 

My body is taunting me. It’s goddamn taunting me for standing him up.  

 

Slamming her hands down, she rose and started fidgeting nervously within the shop. An hour left at work and she could be free. It wasn’t that she had wanted to stand him up but a last-minute call and maybe a bit of stubbornness had kept her from calling and warning Liam.  

 

I really don’t owe him anything. He’s such a jerk.  

 

She reminded herself that it had been him who had pleaded and begged to see her once more. She really didn’t want to see him....Or that is what she was going to keep telling herself. Coral was sure the jerk was just on his way to make sure she hadn’t moved on in her life without him. Oh how she wanted to move on without him! The weight of him was like an anchor. And so she, determined to lift this weight, temporarily tossed him from her mind and began working even more vigorously cleaning up the small bookshop. Coral hummed melancholy tunes and as she swept, dusted, and organized; she seemed to float away in her own imagination to a better place. 

 

That was until about 30 minutes in. She glanced up and there was Liam standing at the bookshop door.  

 

His black curly hair soaked and dangling into his eyes, he seemed to be trying to look inside of the bookshop. Coral duly noted that he didn’t have a raincoat nor hat. He was standing in the midst of the rain in only a short-sleeved shirt and cargo shorts.  

 

I hate him.  

 

She sighed and dragged her feet slowly to the bookshop door.  

 

I did not want to see you, really.  

 

 As she unlocked the door, Liam kind of pushed his way through, leaving her no room, and sprinkling her with his wet clothing.  

 

He didn’t ask nor wait before he threw himself onto one of the bookstores sofas. Already, Coral’s temper was boiling inside.  

 

“You said you would meet me!” Liam cried out. He swept back the wet hair from his eyes and glared at her accusingly.  

 

He smells like alcohol. 

 

“Why are you here?” she sighed. 

 

“You said you would meet with me.” He repeated not removing his gaze.  

 

“I did...” She began. 

 

“Then why didn’t you?! I waited a couple of hours for you.” 

 

“You see I’m at work Liam.” She rolled his name across her lips almost sarcastically. She could tell he noticed it as he straightened his back a bit.  

 

“You could have told me that Coral.” He continued glaring at her unforgivingly. And so, she turned away from him defiantly.  

 

“It wasn’t a promise or anything.” She said while walking away. “I said maybe.” 

 

“Ah, I forgot, you are no good at promises.” He spat. 

 

Her back still turned, “There is no emergency. Did you need to see me that badly?” 

 

She sent the question at him like an accusation, intending to damage his pride as a man. For as long as they had known each other, for as long as they had been married, he had been a prideful man.  So his answer certainly came as a shock to her. 

 

Under his breath as a gentle whisper, “Yes Coral, that badly.”