|
Perceptions of a Death - Chapter 1
By Chavez
Perceptions of a Death
Chapter 1. Jack Eisenhart
I am a suburban man. I never liked to be in a hurry and I especially didn’t like other people yelling at me. I can be a nice guy in a nice situation. I will be the first to admit that I can be known to lose my temper, but I am a suburban man and when things get hurried and complicated I get angry. I should never have married a city girl. Maybe this was set since the day I married Kate. She grew up in Philadelphia. Her dad is a judge for the city and is old golfing buddies with Kate’s new divorce lawyer. This guy could win a court case drunk against my lawyer.
I met Kate in college. We were in the same graduating class at Drexel University. I was graduating with an undergraduate degree in business; she was graduating with a law degree. I did live in the city for my duration in college and I met Kate at a party our mutual friend put together for New Years. I can honestly say it was love at first sight. Looking back, I can honestly say I think love at first sight is a load of bullshit. After being introduced to each other we talked about everything. She told me about herself and her family. We kissed at the beginning of the New Year and then went back to my place and had our first fuck of the year.
Even in that room with no windows on the millionth floor of that skyscraper, I can look Kate in the eyes and say she is amazing in bed. After college I moved back to the suburbs and she stayed in the city, but the Delaware River did not get in the way of our love. I took the PATCO Speed line to see her almost every day. I eventually talked her into moving in with me and commuting to Philly. We got married shortly after and had two kids; two boys named Brandon and Trey. I became a tires salesman at Pep Boys and she became a lawyer at some firm in Philly. I became the soccer dad. I am not ashamed of that, I love spending time with my kids and I love soccer; win/win.
Everything has changed. Now we are battling over the children. We both want them. She says she can financially support them better and it will be nourishing for them to live in the city with her. I say that I’ve been the predominate caretaker up to this point and it could be traumatizing to take them away from the lives they have now. I don’t even know how it got this far. I think everything can be solved if it is greeted with the right mind and patience to solve it. It’s the impatience that gets me angry and that is the driving force behind Kate’s actions. I don’t think there is any cheating going on; at least not on my side.
Now I am in the elevator with Kate. The meeting decided that this would need to be taken to court. I was hoping it would not come to this. Kate’s dad is a judge. I won’t win in court. The justice system is taking my children away from me and I am incapable of doing anything about it.
“Please Kate. Don’t do this…don’t do this.” I say this without looking at her. I don’t know why, but I can’t look her in the face. This makes me feel so inferior to her. In reality and in the present situation I am. I am powerless.
“I am their mother, Jack. What sort of mother would I be if I did not fight for my children?”
This is some sort of societal cliché she had to fulfill. She lived off of what her friends thought of her. She always had.
“For once, think in the best interest of them and not you.” I’ve already lost. All efforts from this point on were futile.
The elevator door opens and she turns to me, “I am. I make more than double your salary, Jack. You can’t feed and pay for two growing kids with the money you make.”
“I will get a new job, one with higher pay.”
She walks out of the elevator and I follow her. In the center of the lobby she turns around, facing me, and puts a hand on my shoulder, “Jack, my best advice as someone who cares for you and for the children, is too back out of this. Let’s avoid the courts and all of this legal mess, for the children.”
I stare at her. I think of what would become of Trey and Brandon in her care. She would buy them whatever they want. They would get the newest cell phones and have the best clothing. But they would stop playing soccer. They would lose their friends and probably never make ones like them ever again. They would become like her. They would go to a university and get a job where they made lots of money for the sake of making money. I couldn’t let that happen. “As long as you have custody of those kids I will not let up. I am doing what is best for them and I will make sure that is what they get no matter what.” Before I can finish, she leaves. I recap our conversation up to this point in my head. It all could have gone better, but war is ugly and custody battles are even uglier.
I walk outside. It is lightly snowing. Kate is gone. I don’t see her anywhere. I see a bench with a lady holding broken shoes in her hands, and walk over to it and sit down on the opposite side. I throw my head back and let out a big sigh. Kate is going to win this fight because she holds all of the aces. All I have is good intent, and in this city that doesn’t get anything. I close my eyes and try to think straight. There must be something I can do that I am not thinking of. I am interrupted by the voice of the lady sitting on the bench with me. I open my eyes and look at her, “I’m sorry?”
She gave me a weak smile, “I said that I am sitting here with broken heels at the beginning of a snowstorm and you look like your having an even worse day than I am.”
I smile back at her. She has no idea.
“I am.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Who is this lady? “It’s a long story. I don’t want to hold you up.”
She laughed, “Believe me, I’m not going anywhere.” She places her broken shoes in the space between us and laughs some more.
I tell her about Kate and the kids and the custody battle. I tell this woman who I’ve never met before everything. I leave nothing out. When I finish she sits there for a moment digesting everything.
“Shit. That does suck.”
I throw my head back again and sigh, “No kidding. The worst part is knowing that I am going to lose my kids. I can’t beat Kate.”
“If it is any consolation, you are a good man and you’re an even better father. This Kate, I don’t think she has a fucking clue what she is losing and taking away from these two lucky kids. I am really rooting for you and I will pray for you.”
I notice the cross she is wearing around her neck, “Do you believe in God?”
She smiles, “Yes.”
I laugh to myself, “Knowing Kate she probably has connections to him as well. I am eternally screwed.”
“I’ll pray anyway.”
I have a familiar feeling towards this lady. It reminds me of a certain New Years Party and I am willing to give the feeling one more chance, “What’s your name?”
She offers her hand, “Rebecca.”
I shake, “Rebecca…My grandmother’s name was Rebecca. Rebecca, I am going to do some praying of my own tonight. I’m going to pray and thank God that I met you. I can’t think of a better person to be talking to right now.”
She laughs, “Thank you. That is very flattering.”
“I don’t suppose I could get your telephone number? If only to tell you how this whole thing works out.”
She smiles and pulls out a small piece of paper and writes her number down. I suddenly realize that I haven’t really looked at her that closely. In my mind I have not registered how she looks yet, I’ve been so caught up in our conversation. She has beautiful brown hair and a body that shows she takes care of herself. She hands me the piece of paper. I tuck it into my pocket.
I look at her broken shoes, “I am afraid to ask how you broke both of your heels.”
“Some damn kid on a skateboard almost kills me head on. Four years of high school field hockey maneuver skills finally paid off. Sadly, I never played field hockey in high heels before. These little bastards snapped right off.”
“Wow.”
I watch her smile, “Yeah, its no custody battle, but its enough to get me flustered.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Nope, I have a girlfriend dropping off another pair of shoes right here. She should be here any time soon.”
I get up, “I need to be going. My younger son Trey gets done soccer in a half an hour, but it was very nice meeting you, Rebecca, and I will give you a call.”
We shake hands one more time and I start to make for the other side of the street where there is a subway entrance. I am about to step onto the road when I hear a shout from Rebecca. I spin around, “What?”
“What is your name?”
“Jack.”
I turn back around. Everything feels better. With people like Rebecca still in the world, the corruption of justice and the power of Kate seems almost miniscule to the power of good nature. I don’t think all hope is lost. If I can really appeal to the judge in trial I can still win this battle. I will need to put up a good fight and its going to take a lot of work, but I can do it. For those two kids, I can do anything.
There is a gunshot. I freeze in the middle of the street. I look everywhere. I can’t see where the gunshot came from. I hear a scream. I turn to Rebecca. She is up running toward me waving her hands. I don’t understand, until I turn my head and see the SUV slam into me. I feel weightless for not even a second. It is the strangest sensation I’ve ever felt. I black out.
I open my eyes and see Rebecca looking down at me. She is crying. There are other people surrounding me but they aren’t really there. I see Rebecca. I see Brandon and Trey. They are smiling in their soccer outfits. They look so happy to see me. I feel the snowflakes melt on my face. I love my boys and I will protect them from anything. I see Rebecca.
I can honestly say it was love at first sight.
*Well thats the first chapter. This is the first real fiction i've posted since Tusken which was when I started writing when I was about 13. I am about half way through Chapter 2 of this now and I have the rest already outlined. So tell me what ya think.
12/21/2006 2:46:43 AM
Comment on this fan fiction!
|
|
|
