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Extinction
THE SECOND.
In a state where the sun shone over-intensely, Vivienne Waters was the only pale person. Her blonde hair was kissed by the sun, but her skin was not. She hadn't been born in Arizona, but moved from Boston in the hopes of warmer temperatures and wet winters. She had never enjoyed the snow. She was a mere 17 when she left home, the poor slums of Boston. She had been one of seven Caucasian children at her highschool, and the only one with a father as a single parent. Vivienne had never hated her life, in fact, she had been quite comfortable. She didn't mind that they were considered low on the social economic scale. She minded that her father worked two jobs to keep her in school. He had been so proud of her, getting into college and making something of herself. It had killed her to leave him, but she visited every break and every holiday she got.
"You amaze me, my girl. You always have," he would tell Vivienne. "Do not settle for anyone who doesn't tell you that."
And she didn't. It wasn't long after she moved that a job at the University of Arizona Tempe campus' bookstore led her to John O'Callaghan, who faked being a student to buy cheap books. He seemed to be the guy any girl would fall for, and he chose her. It was hard to believe that they were still together, three years after initially meeting. When he'd told her he was in a band, that there would be touring involved, Vivienne wasn't sure the time apart would work. She wasn't even sure she could have a functioning relationship with him there. He had surprised her, the way he said her name was enough to make her weak at the knees. He made her want to wait around, want to be with him. As much as Vivienne hated to admit it, she needed John O'Callaghan.
At the moment, she was alone, curled up between a thick quilt and the couch she had picked with John a year ago. Their home together was empty most of the time, but the only way anyone could ever tell was by the dust that started to collect months at a time. Vivenne was simply too busy to do housework, and John was always away. It was getting easier to say goodbye, but harder to be apart. She yearned for his touch, to have him hold her. She missed the sex and the way he'd sing random songs. She missed watching him write new material, and the way he'd cross every other word out in frustration. She missed how at home she felt when he was there.
Gazing out the window, she tried to count the raindrops on the glass. She gave up after 157, when the one she had her eye on merged with another. After much deliberation if that should be counted as raindrop 157, or if she needed to make it raindrop 156, Vivienne gave up and moved from the plush, faux suede couch to make herself some peppermint tea. John would be home in a week. Home to her, home to the wild Arizona weather that was happening as of current, home to Tempe. She felt a sudden urge to call him, hear his voice. She reached for the phone, unused for several days in the small kitchen that was the perfect size for the two of them. But when she dialled the numbers, it wasn't John's phone she was ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dad," Vivienne smiled, filling the kettle with water from the tap. "I just called to say hello."
Her father had always been the constant in her life. While John up and left for months at a time, sometimes didn't answer his phone, and replied to text messages hours later after they'd been sent, her father picked up on the first ring, replied to texsts within ten minutes of her sending them and was right where she left him. "Hello my darling," his husky voice echoed through the phone. It usually did, there hadn't been a conversation where it hadn't. Vivienne assumed that it was the interstate lines that caused it. "You're lonely."
Vivienne loved the way he could tell, instantly and be spot on. "A little. I won't be for long though, he's home next week." Her heart soared at the idea of the reunion. She'd meet him at the airport, he'd engulf her into a hug and then she'd drive home while John excitedly told her of the last three months he'd had without her. She never doubted his love, but sometimes how faithful he was to her. She loved John, she had for several years. It made her sick to think that something may have happened. Her father loved John, how he lived his life had captivated her father.
"Ahhh, there's something wonderful about him living his life the way he does. So free... it appeals to the spirit, don't you think?"
Vivienne couldn't help but agree. She'd lived her entire life around her father's constant wisdom. He believed that you got what you gave, that everything happened for a reason and that the soul wasn't mythical, but an organ that deserved more attention than the heart. He was free, in his mind and in his teachings. He'd developed this through suffering, the death of Vivienne's mother had impacted him greatly and while it wasn't something that he openly discussed with Vivienne, he was at peace with the idea of his great love being in a better place. "It definitely does, Dad. I'm thinking of coming for a visit with John when he's back. Probably in a few weeks, if that's alright?"
"Of course, of course. I'd love to hear what that boy has been up to. And of course, what my rarely telephoning only child has been doing lately, too." There was sorrow in his voice that panged at Vivienne. She called less often that she should, and she'd always thought it was better than none at all. When was the last time she'd called? It had to have been within the month, but when she realised that, it seemed like too long.
"Sorry, Dad. But of course, we'll be visiting soon. I just wanted to let you know." The conversation continued for several more minutes, before she said she had to go and make dinner for herself. He reluctantly let her go.
"You amaze me, my girl."
Vivienne smiled, tears almost evident in her voice when she told him she loved him. Hanging up the phone, she wiped them away and leant against the kitchen counter for a few minutes, wondering if the last three years had been as easy for her father as they had been for her. She faintly heard her phone ring, and moved back to the couch to collect it. A text message had been left.
Vivienne, I know it's not my place, but you need to know. It's not easy to tell you this, but John cheated on you, last night. I'm so sorry.
***
Garrett felt his heart sink once he sent the message. He told himself it was for the better, John didn't deserve Vivienne for doing that to her. He knew it wasn't his place, but John would get away with the betrayal and live his life like nothing had even occured. She had to know, and he tried to convince himself that he would have told her even if he didn't have feelings for her.
He failed.
"You amaze me, my girl. You always have," he would tell Vivienne. "Do not settle for anyone who doesn't tell you that."
And she didn't. It wasn't long after she moved that a job at the University of Arizona Tempe campus' bookstore led her to John O'Callaghan, who faked being a student to buy cheap books. He seemed to be the guy any girl would fall for, and he chose her. It was hard to believe that they were still together, three years after initially meeting. When he'd told her he was in a band, that there would be touring involved, Vivienne wasn't sure the time apart would work. She wasn't even sure she could have a functioning relationship with him there. He had surprised her, the way he said her name was enough to make her weak at the knees. He made her want to wait around, want to be with him. As much as Vivienne hated to admit it, she needed John O'Callaghan.
At the moment, she was alone, curled up between a thick quilt and the couch she had picked with John a year ago. Their home together was empty most of the time, but the only way anyone could ever tell was by the dust that started to collect months at a time. Vivenne was simply too busy to do housework, and John was always away. It was getting easier to say goodbye, but harder to be apart. She yearned for his touch, to have him hold her. She missed the sex and the way he'd sing random songs. She missed watching him write new material, and the way he'd cross every other word out in frustration. She missed how at home she felt when he was there.
Gazing out the window, she tried to count the raindrops on the glass. She gave up after 157, when the one she had her eye on merged with another. After much deliberation if that should be counted as raindrop 157, or if she needed to make it raindrop 156, Vivienne gave up and moved from the plush, faux suede couch to make herself some peppermint tea. John would be home in a week. Home to her, home to the wild Arizona weather that was happening as of current, home to Tempe. She felt a sudden urge to call him, hear his voice. She reached for the phone, unused for several days in the small kitchen that was the perfect size for the two of them. But when she dialled the numbers, it wasn't John's phone she was ringing.
"Hello?"
"Hey Dad," Vivienne smiled, filling the kettle with water from the tap. "I just called to say hello."
Her father had always been the constant in her life. While John up and left for months at a time, sometimes didn't answer his phone, and replied to text messages hours later after they'd been sent, her father picked up on the first ring, replied to texsts within ten minutes of her sending them and was right where she left him. "Hello my darling," his husky voice echoed through the phone. It usually did, there hadn't been a conversation where it hadn't. Vivienne assumed that it was the interstate lines that caused it. "You're lonely."
Vivienne loved the way he could tell, instantly and be spot on. "A little. I won't be for long though, he's home next week." Her heart soared at the idea of the reunion. She'd meet him at the airport, he'd engulf her into a hug and then she'd drive home while John excitedly told her of the last three months he'd had without her. She never doubted his love, but sometimes how faithful he was to her. She loved John, she had for several years. It made her sick to think that something may have happened. Her father loved John, how he lived his life had captivated her father.
"Ahhh, there's something wonderful about him living his life the way he does. So free... it appeals to the spirit, don't you think?"
Vivienne couldn't help but agree. She'd lived her entire life around her father's constant wisdom. He believed that you got what you gave, that everything happened for a reason and that the soul wasn't mythical, but an organ that deserved more attention than the heart. He was free, in his mind and in his teachings. He'd developed this through suffering, the death of Vivienne's mother had impacted him greatly and while it wasn't something that he openly discussed with Vivienne, he was at peace with the idea of his great love being in a better place. "It definitely does, Dad. I'm thinking of coming for a visit with John when he's back. Probably in a few weeks, if that's alright?"
"Of course, of course. I'd love to hear what that boy has been up to. And of course, what my rarely telephoning only child has been doing lately, too." There was sorrow in his voice that panged at Vivienne. She called less often that she should, and she'd always thought it was better than none at all. When was the last time she'd called? It had to have been within the month, but when she realised that, it seemed like too long.
"Sorry, Dad. But of course, we'll be visiting soon. I just wanted to let you know." The conversation continued for several more minutes, before she said she had to go and make dinner for herself. He reluctantly let her go.
"You amaze me, my girl."
Vivienne smiled, tears almost evident in her voice when she told him she loved him. Hanging up the phone, she wiped them away and leant against the kitchen counter for a few minutes, wondering if the last three years had been as easy for her father as they had been for her. She faintly heard her phone ring, and moved back to the couch to collect it. A text message had been left.
Vivienne, I know it's not my place, but you need to know. It's not easy to tell you this, but John cheated on you, last night. I'm so sorry.
***
Garrett felt his heart sink once he sent the message. He told himself it was for the better, John didn't deserve Vivienne for doing that to her. He knew it wasn't his place, but John would get away with the betrayal and live his life like nothing had even occured. She had to know, and he tried to convince himself that he would have told her even if he didn't have feelings for her.
He failed.
♠ ♠ ♠
There's number two. Just so it gets the ball rolling.