“I’m done with you.”
The tone was sharp but somewhat blunted by the chewing. Michelle was surprised to hear it and didn’t know what to make of it as Roger sat there at the breakfast table eating bacon when the words came out. He was fully dressed for work and his briefcase sat in the chair at the breakfast table next to him. It was early for him to be ready, she thought.
“What did you say?”
“I’m done with you.”
He kept chewing, picking up the strip of fatty meat, and raising it to his lips. Washing it down with a sip of coffee.
Michelle realized she hadn’t moved for over a minute. She seemed mesmerized by both Roger’s sentiment and his actions of eating breakfast. It seemed incongruous. That muddled her mind and the anger didn’t raise immediately. But then the fog lifted and she ran over to the table, shaking him.
“What do you mean you are done with me? Where is this coming from? And stop eating that gotdamn bacon for a minute and look at me.”
“You can’t think this is new, can you?” Roger asked, not looking at her.
“Well no. I know we’ve had our troubles but I don’t understand why this seems so final and why is it coming now? We had a great evening last night. And the way you’re telling me so casual and cruel over bacon and coffee?”
“You’re right last night was the best evening we had in a long time but it wasn’t enough. I said to myself, ‘if this is the best night we’ve had in a long time, I know I can do and want better. And so there’s no other time to tell you but now I’m hungry and I want my breakfast. Sit down I made some for you too.”
Michelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing and she ran out of the room, bawling.
Roger finished the last of his bacon, raised a napkin to his lips, and took his last sip of coffee.
He put the dishes in the sink, picked up his briefcase, and walked out the door.
More reading opportunities!
If you have been enjoying this short fiction, read my Kindle Vella, “Doe — Zombies at the Border” about an EMT who learns her brother has been held at the Mexico border, but what she doesn’t know about is the virus outbreak that has begun.