Follow that Tale 2

This is the second installment of my Follow that Tale story. (To read the first portion hop over to http://romanticsuspense.blogspot.com)
She wiped at the tears streaking down her cheeks. She had tried to pretend it was all right. She tried to make the world think that she was satisfied in the hell her life had become. She put on a good act and even almost convinced herself of it.
Almost.
She couldn’t do it any longer. She couldn’t sit back and fake the smile, the contentment. She couldn’t deal with it any longer. Something had to give. Something was going to snap. She continued to shiver as she dragged another hit from her cigarette.
Her knee bounced in agitation and her heart ached. Rage, fear, disappointment. The emotions swelled and threatened to seal off her throat.
This was her punishment. She hadn’t been a good kid. Her parents were loving, god fearing people who had loved and encouraged her but she was just bad. She liked to party. She enjoyed being a bit of a wild one. She had lied to her parents on occasion, done things she shouldn’t have, gone places she didn’t belong, hung out with people who she had no business associating with.
Maybe if she’d been a better person she would have happiness. She'd deserve happiness.
But she wasn’t a better a person. She’d made her bed and now she was stuck in it. There was no way out.
The dog barked and danced around the room as her husband pulled his car into the driveway. She sat back and finished off her smoke. Twenty-years. Twenty years today.
The key turned in the door and it pushed open.
“Hey Scout. How’s my boy?” he asked as he bent at the waist to scrub at the spaniel’s floppy ears. “Did you miss me?”
Gordy stood, walked further into the room and closed the door behind. His gaze flickered to her. He thrust a fading rose wrapped in tacky yellow tissue paper in her direction then walked away.
No kind word. No card. She should be happy for the crumb of affection. That’s’ what it was, right? Affection? Meager as it is she should gobble it up. She wanted to. He did remember. He did bring her a small token. It wasn’t much but it was something.
Maybe he would surprise her further at dinner.
“Gordy? Should I change my blouse?”
No response.
“Gordy?”
He came from the bathroom and sat down on the mattress to tug off his shoes. “What?”
“Should I change my blouse?”
“What for?”
“Dinner?”
“Why? You’re just going to go in and make Deja Food.”
Left overs? Twenty years of marriage and he was really going to insist they stay home with leftovers? “But I thought…”
“Fine. I’ll go fix dinner.” He shoved to his feet and left her standing in the bedroom.
Her mind was numb. A cheap ass rose and left overs. Half her life was committed to this man and all she received was a cheap rose and leftovers.
She stood in the doorway fighting the tears that robbed her of her sight. She choked in breath around the pain blocking off her throat. Maybe she was asking for too much. She didn’t want a damn diamond tiara. She didn’t want to go off for a five course meal spending money they didn’t have. Even a trip to the local Ponderosa would be nice. Hell, she’d settle for McDonald’s if he’d only ask her.
She followed into the kitchen and watched as he pulled out the bowls that held the weeks worth of left overs safe. Tears trickled down her cheek. She sniffed.
He turned to face her. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying now?”
He was so clueless. He was arrogant. He was asinine. “Not a damn thing,” she replied and grabbed a paper towel to wipe away her tears. She stepped over to the stove and shoved him. “Get the hell out of my way,” she snapped as she went about reheating the food in the plastic containers. The last three years their anniversary had come and went with nothing to mark the occasion. She shouldn’t be surprised by his callous disregard this year. But twenty years was something special—or it should have been.
He moved into the living room and sat down in the chair then turned on the television. Scout barked and wiggled and Gordy scooped the dog up in his lap.
Kissing sounds came from the other room and she stepped out to watch the affection being lavished on the dog with twisted jealousy.