Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Something Good
Things Happen
Classical music? Check
Soft light? Check.
Her favorite flowers? Check.
Red wine and dark chocolate? Check.
The man- no the boy- fearfully glanced around the room, checking every nook and cranny for anything out of place. Tonight, everything would be perfect. It had to be perfect. If it wasn't- he preferred not to think about it.
The doorbell rang. He froze, a horrified look plastered on his face. The doorknob turned, and two voices seeped into the quiet.
Wait. Two voices?
He panicked. There shouldn't be two voices! The door swung all the way open, and his stomach dropped. She was bundled up against the cold, wearing a black jacket just like the one she used to have. Her soft brown hair fell across her face, outlining it's heart shape. Her milky brown eyes shone, and her cheeks were flushed. Her pearly skin glistened and her small, full lips were as pink and perfect as ever.
The little girl next to her was almost identical. The same smile, the same hair. But her eyes were a bright emerald. They were his eyes. And her nose was his too. A little button nose, slightly curled at the end. Cute.
"Hey Ruth."
"Hi Joey. Place looks nice."
"Thanks." He moves from the doorway, and the girls step over the threshold. He gently pulls the door shut with a dull thud, and goes to the makeshift dining table. Ruth sees the wine and frowns. Joey sheepishly grins, putting it back in the fridge.
"I wasn't expecting the little munchkin," he reasons.
"You know I don't drink. Not since... not since that night. And she has a name. Cora."
"Cora. Pretty." They are quiet for a moment, until Joey offers to take the girls' coats. He throws them on an empty chair in the kitchen, and sits on the couch. Ruth sits on his worn arm chair, placing Cora on the floor in front of her. It's quiet again.
"What have you been up to Joey?"
"You know."
"Still?"
"Yes. It seems I lack certian rudimentary skills."
"I don't think you lack skills."
"Tell that to my probation officer."
"Joey."
"Ruth."
"Why do you have to be such a- a-"
"Hard ass?"
"Joey! Little ears!"
"Sorry kiddo." Cora continued to play with her doll, oblivious to what occurred.
"Seriously Joey. I know you're better than this. If you just asserted yourself-" He interrupted
"Stop. I used to be assertive. I used to have everything planned out. I used to have a great life. But know I don't." He was loud. Cora looked up.
"You didn't have to let it ruin you." Ruth stayed calm and quiet.
"Ruth. I was drunk at 3 in the afternoon. I should've been at the state game. I nearly killed myself, and my best friend still has to go to physical therapy. That accident- I was going to be a dad, and I was 18. I screwed up. Shit happens, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Do you really believe that? The Joey I know would never think that way. The Joey I know would be fixing his problems. He would make amends. He wouldn't let that accident stop him."
"Yeah, well the Joey you thought you knew isn't here anymore. He got left behind my first day in prison."
"Do you want to raise your daughter?"
"What?"
"Do you want to be in your daughter's life? I want you to help me raise her."
"No you don't. You don't want your daughter to be a screw up."
"You're not a screw up Joey. I know somewhere deep down, you want to raise your daughter."
"I think it's time for you to go." He stands up, and opens the door. She slowly grabs the caots, bundling Cora up. Shrugging into hers, she slowly walks towards the door. Just inside the hallway, she stops, and turns to him.
"Think about it Joey. I'd really like your help."
"Did you enjoy that night Ruth?"
"Goodnight Joey," Ruth says, chuckling. Joey watches her leave, and before the get on the elevator, Cora turns and waves. Joey waves back, closing his door with a smile on his face.
Soft light? Check.
Her favorite flowers? Check.
Red wine and dark chocolate? Check.
The man- no the boy- fearfully glanced around the room, checking every nook and cranny for anything out of place. Tonight, everything would be perfect. It had to be perfect. If it wasn't- he preferred not to think about it.
The doorbell rang. He froze, a horrified look plastered on his face. The doorknob turned, and two voices seeped into the quiet.
Wait. Two voices?
He panicked. There shouldn't be two voices! The door swung all the way open, and his stomach dropped. She was bundled up against the cold, wearing a black jacket just like the one she used to have. Her soft brown hair fell across her face, outlining it's heart shape. Her milky brown eyes shone, and her cheeks were flushed. Her pearly skin glistened and her small, full lips were as pink and perfect as ever.
The little girl next to her was almost identical. The same smile, the same hair. But her eyes were a bright emerald. They were his eyes. And her nose was his too. A little button nose, slightly curled at the end. Cute.
"Hey Ruth."
"Hi Joey. Place looks nice."
"Thanks." He moves from the doorway, and the girls step over the threshold. He gently pulls the door shut with a dull thud, and goes to the makeshift dining table. Ruth sees the wine and frowns. Joey sheepishly grins, putting it back in the fridge.
"I wasn't expecting the little munchkin," he reasons.
"You know I don't drink. Not since... not since that night. And she has a name. Cora."
"Cora. Pretty." They are quiet for a moment, until Joey offers to take the girls' coats. He throws them on an empty chair in the kitchen, and sits on the couch. Ruth sits on his worn arm chair, placing Cora on the floor in front of her. It's quiet again.
"What have you been up to Joey?"
"You know."
"Still?"
"Yes. It seems I lack certian rudimentary skills."
"I don't think you lack skills."
"Tell that to my probation officer."
"Joey."
"Ruth."
"Why do you have to be such a- a-"
"Hard ass?"
"Joey! Little ears!"
"Sorry kiddo." Cora continued to play with her doll, oblivious to what occurred.
"Seriously Joey. I know you're better than this. If you just asserted yourself-" He interrupted
"Stop. I used to be assertive. I used to have everything planned out. I used to have a great life. But know I don't." He was loud. Cora looked up.
"You didn't have to let it ruin you." Ruth stayed calm and quiet.
"Ruth. I was drunk at 3 in the afternoon. I should've been at the state game. I nearly killed myself, and my best friend still has to go to physical therapy. That accident- I was going to be a dad, and I was 18. I screwed up. Shit happens, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Do you really believe that? The Joey I know would never think that way. The Joey I know would be fixing his problems. He would make amends. He wouldn't let that accident stop him."
"Yeah, well the Joey you thought you knew isn't here anymore. He got left behind my first day in prison."
"Do you want to raise your daughter?"
"What?"
"Do you want to be in your daughter's life? I want you to help me raise her."
"No you don't. You don't want your daughter to be a screw up."
"You're not a screw up Joey. I know somewhere deep down, you want to raise your daughter."
"I think it's time for you to go." He stands up, and opens the door. She slowly grabs the caots, bundling Cora up. Shrugging into hers, she slowly walks towards the door. Just inside the hallway, she stops, and turns to him.
"Think about it Joey. I'd really like your help."
"Did you enjoy that night Ruth?"
"Goodnight Joey," Ruth says, chuckling. Joey watches her leave, and before the get on the elevator, Cora turns and waves. Joey waves back, closing his door with a smile on his face.