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Jenna knew the TV News misreported the cause of death. It was not due to injuries from a crash, it
was due to divorce. Michael started dying the moment it became final.
That’s what his note said the day after he signed the papers,
“I’m dying. I can’t bear to be
apart. Please, take me back.” Michael
was oblivious to Jenna’s reasons for leaving him. He always tried to predict her every
desire. She didn’t even have to think. Whatever was best for her, Michael
anticipated and provided.
Jenna did not take him back.
Still, due to a little insecurity on her part and Michael’s incessant
pleading, she agreed to be his friend.
Immediately, Michael showered her with gifts, flowers, and daily letters
describing his infinite love. He
insisted on helping her move. He
decorated her new apartment, then, weekly stocked her refrigerator with all her
favorite goodies. He even gave her money
when she was short, which was actually quite often due to Jenna’s sophisticated
tastes.
Though Jenna appreciated some of Michael’s attentions, she
resented his constant presence. “You’re
so lucky. You’ve got the perfect ex and
you don’t even know it,” her friends would often say. This made her resent him
even more. She started experiencing the
exact feelings she had when she wanted to divorce him. Once again, she wanted to extricate him from
her life.
Gradually, Jenna’s determination to stay divorced became more
and more evident and Michael began to lose enthusiasm in trying to win her back. One day at work, he was introduced to a woman
who seemed lost in life. She was new to town and to her job. Her divorce had just finalized and Michael
felt obliged to help her. The woman was
grateful for Michael’s suffocating thoughtfulness. He recalled how Jenna was grateful too before
she married him.
When Jenna had to do her own food shopping, she was
surprised at Michael’s negligence, and disturbed at the high price of groceries. But, she felt certain Michael’s old ways
would soon resume.
They did not. And
Jenna experienced a most uncomfortable feeling.
She missed Michael dreadfully – she was accustomed to all he had to give. Maybe he was the perfect ex after all.
But, wisely realizing that nobody’s perfect, and consoling
herself by knowing that Michael would give to no one else, Jenna artfully and
secretly sabotaged the brakes in his car.
****
Oh I've known people like that. Nice twist at the end.
ReplyDeleteThis one started off as an ordinary conflict between spouses. Love is not equal. We love in different ways and in different degrees. But then things seem to have gotten out of hand and the ending is bizarre. Film material maybe.
ReplyDeleteI think this couple deserve each other. They are both crazy.
Great post for the theme.
Best wishes,
Anna
Anna's RFW #38
oh dang...def a hitchcock ending there...i was just feeling happy for him and had forgotten you already told us that death had happened...nicely done myrna
ReplyDeleteDear Myrna,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Romantic Friday Writers!
I'm awestruck...this is some fine writing from you. For sure these two have some serious issues, but whoa...I wasn't expecting that twist at the end! I'd have to agree with Brian...definitely some Hitchcock going on. Nicely done my dear!
Sands Of Unfaithfulness
Greetings, Myrna. Love the telling of a smothering relationship.
ReplyDeleteFor readability purposes, it would be helpful to have an extra space between the paragraphs.
So nice to e-meet you.
Poor Michael! No matter what he did, he couldn't get it right
ReplyDeleteOMG! That was a shock at the end. I also love how you wove in 'the perfect ex' into the story. And there was a nice touch of dry humor with the high cost of groceries.
ReplyDeleteAwesome job Myrna, I was expecting one of your beautiful poems, but you've proven you can push yourself to other forms too. Well done :)
Hello Myrna. Great that you came on board with a bang! A nice twisty little tale you've woven here. I wasn't expecting the ending.
ReplyDeleteThis links to Andy's poem for this prompt - 'A wise man will always let go of what does not belong to him, but the foolish man will cry for what he believes is still his...'
A warm welcome and I hope to see you writing more of your flash for the group.
Denise
Very wonderful read! Evil! From first sentence to last your writing braids in all the foreshadowing and character and detailed events that make the story seamless and gorgeous and perfect. I look forward to reading more of your work.
ReplyDeletethe end shocked me!
ReplyDeletethank you ma'am...smiles....hope you have a great saturday!
ReplyDeleteoh heck...great story telling myrna..so she's responsible for his two deaths then...ugh.how can she live with that...sorry that i somehow missed this...was a bit busy those last days...happy saturday!!
ReplyDeleteGreat story, my friend. You are on a roll here.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't expecting that at the end! WOW! What a twist!
ReplyDeleteGreat flash. Too much attention irritates and then rankles when withdrawn...she wanted a dog not a husband, I liked the fact that you made your nasty character the focal point.
ReplyDeleteOh that was fun!
ReplyDeleteThis engaged me all the way through Myrna. I even felt suffocated by Michael. When I divorced my first husband, it was under similar circumstances - but I never sabotaged his brakes when he finally moved on, lol.
ReplyDeleteThis was well written, emotive, and the flow pulled me ever forward to read more. The ending was a neat twist, and made me giggle and agree :)
.......dhole
Yes, I have known that too... resenting a guy because all of your friends thought you were stupid for breaking up with him.
ReplyDeleteYikes!
ReplyDeleteI like how different this story is in the way that men can sometimes seem perfect to outsiders, but the adoration is sometimes too much. And often seems to be more about themselves and their insecurities than it is about you.
What a shocking ending, though! Wow.
Oh, this was good, liked the way it ended, so unexpected.;) The matters of love can lead people to do unspeakable things.;)
ReplyDeleteHave a great week ahead dear Myrna,
xoxo
I didn't know that you can write prose too ~ What a perfect ex he is ~ too much can be suffocating as well ~
ReplyDeleteNice twist at the ending, I didn't see it coming ~
What a finish - wasn't expecting that at all! Just today I was thinking of writing a post on people who love too much!
ReplyDelete