benefits and
dinners. Frances was not opposed, she wanted to be with him too; but
she needed to create a space that was hers, where she was able to
write. They compromised; she would accompany him to his functions on
the weekends and during the week, he would leave her alone to write.
It worked as a compromise until Frances’ book came out, and it
did well. So well in fact, that she began to get a spot light of her
own; she had even less time to devote to Allen because she had her
own functions and dinners to attend. Her own galas where she was
expected. It was a definite strain on the relationship to have them
both pulled in different directions. Frances knew that new
compromises would have to be struck, but Allen was opposed to change.
He liked the old arrangement, this new one sucked ass.
“ Allen
we need to talk about this like two adult people,” Frances
tried once again on the one night they were both home.
“ What
is there to talk about Frances, you have your shiny new life and you
don’t need me anymore,” he replied.
“ That’s
bullshit and you know it. Why can’t you just be reasonable for
once?” she asked irritably.
“ Oh,
I’m unreasonable? Really ?”
he yelled stalking off to get a drink.
“ Look,
Allen, I don’t have time for your immature sulks right now so
I’m just gonna go and get some work done,” Frances said
heading toward her office.
“ Oh,
I’m too much of a baby for you, am I now? Now that you don’t
need me anymore is that it? Fine, I’m leaving,” Allen
said slamming down his drink and snatching up his car keys.
“ You’re
leaving? Where are you going Allen?” she asked changing
direction to follow him. He’d had more than one drink already,
he wasn’t in any condition to drive.
He
stopped to glare at her. “I have options you know. You’re
not the only girl in the world,” he bit out.
Frances
stared at him. “What does that mean?” she asked in a low
voice.
“ Figure
it out darlin,” he snarled, opening the door and stepping out.
“ You
want to leave me over some bullshit like this? Okay then, go! Leave!”
Frances began pushing Allen until his legs were outside the door.
Then she collapsed on the floor and cried until she had no more
tears. She didn’t expect that he would try to come back. He was
about as mad as she was. It wasn’t her fault; she was trying
her best. She couldn’t help the fact that her book had suddenly blown up; that she was now as
busy as he was. It wasn’t her fault they didn’t get to
spend as much time as they used to together.
It
wasn’t.
Frances
got up, snatched the keys to her jeep and went after him.
Chapter 4
Ambulance
sirens, police cars and a crowd of curious onlookers greeted Allen
when he turned the car into their street. It looked like there had
been some sort of car accident and someone or someones were hurt
pretty badly. The police were directing traffic past the wreckage,
looked like a white car and a green jeep had-
Allen
braked so suddenly, he hit his head on the steering wheel. Thankfully
there was no car behind him but the cop was already walking toward
him waving his arm to indicate he should keep driving. Allen alighted
his vehicle and walked toward the wreckage, heart beating wildly.
“ Sir!
Sir! I’m going to have to ask you to get back into your car
and-“ the cop had reached him and was trying to push him back.
“ That’s
my wife’s car,” Allen heard himself say from a great
distance away. The cop abruptly stopped trying to push him.
*****
The
other driver was in critical condition; his blood alcohol level was
way above the legal limit when he fell asleep at the wheel and
careened into Frances reversing out of their driveway. He’d hit
the jeep on the right side, where Frances was in the driver’s
seat and the only thing that had saved her from certain death was
that her jeep was much higher than his sports car so he’d hit
her low. Still, the damage done was quite enough and