Excerpt: Nowhere For No One

It was a rainy day and Tanith had cocooned herself in the covers starring at the back of her boyfriend of eight years. Eric jostled and trying to reclaim some of the covers. Eric moaned.

“It’s not like I want to get up, pack, and travel today. Don’t be a silly so and so.”

Eric groaned. Her eyes rolled and she sat up and yawned. Her hair was bunched up and her breath smelled like whisky sour. Her aging body and those late nigh parties were catching up with one another and were prepared to do a jig right to the bathroom. Tanith grumbled and tried to calm her nervous stomach.

With a plop and a fizz, Tanith watched and waited. The soothing, cold liquid tempered her anxiety. She hadn’t seen Gran or Auntie Selene in many a moon. Tanith strolled over, jostling her hips to and fro and fell down beside Eric.

“Eric, come on. We have to catch the train to missing mile.”

“Why do I have to go to some podunk town in Virginia?”

“It’s not a podunk town. It’s where I am from. My Gran lives there. My Auntie Selene lives there. Besides, we are not going to be there that long. Remember that vacation in Savannah you promised me?”

Eric bluntly said, “I didn’t promise you anything.”

Those words marched through the resplendent façade and touched many a nerve. The nerves were battle weary and craved a cease fire. Tanith sat dazed by his words. Stripped. Undone. Raw. The hairs on her arm curled up. Tanith closed her eyes. A wetness hit her cheek. Within those brief moments, a brilliant coral light began to break the darkness. She Eric smiling but then Tanith saw him look away. She heard the steps of shoes and slowly another figure entered the image. It was another woman. She clung to his waist and her hands caressed his midsection. She laughed, and he smiled at her. Tanith was trying to get a good look at her face. Tanith squinted, and she then saw what she had feared for months. It was Amy. Eric was with Amy.

Tanith reached out to touch them but their ghosts faded away as the light dimmed. She opened her eyes and looked over at Eric, who was still lying in bed. Tears were stinging her eyes and her shoulders felt heavy. She sat for a moment protracted by her fear and anxiety.

Tanith hovered about the living room. She circled the desk. Finally, she went to his computer and downloaded his e-mail. There were several e-mails from Amy. Tanith bit her lip. Amy was his business partner. It was only natural that she e-mailed him. Tanith swallowed hard and started clicking through the subjectless e-mails. Each and every one asked when, when was he going to leave and start his life with her. Tanith imagined Amy in front of her. Her midsection was like that of a desk calendar. She imagined ripping a page off and having her feel the pain of her broken heart. Tanith imagined ripping a page off for every day he lied, every day Amy lied, and every day she was deprived of the love and affection she thought she deserved. His promises were lies. His dreams were Amy’s. His heart was gone. Everything was Amy’s.

“What are you doing?” Eric looked at Tanith.

“Amy wants to know when you are going to leave me. I have that answer.”

Tanith slammed the case of his laptop.

“Now!”

“Tanith….”

“Don’t say a word to me. I may have had my problems with you, but I never violated the trust between us. I never hid anything. I sacrificed, compromised, and conceded to make our relationship work. I trusted you. You betrayed me. Had I not finally listened to myself and put all the lies together, I wouldn’t be telling you that it’s over. But I am glad I listened. Grab your clothes. Send Richard for your belongings. I don’t want to ever see you again. Amy can have you, you sorry S.O.B!”

Eric stood dumbfounded. Who was this person? This wasn’t the sweet and forgiving Tanith he knew. It was like she was possessed.

“I am no possessed. I finally woke up. Either you leave or I call the cops.”

Eric felt nervous. The dark vibrancy of her voice sent chills up his back. Tanith had turned away from him. She could not bring herself to look at him. She didn’t want her conviction to slip. She still had feelings despite her boiling temper, but she knew how easily he could manipulate them. He had done a good job so far.

Eric exhaled and quickly got dressed. He grabbed his laptop and his briefcase.

Tanith turned before he was about to exit the apartment. “I need your key.”

Eric looked at her. Both of them lingered for a moment, the sadness and joy of being free for a moment.

Tanith smiled and shut the door in his face.

Richard would arrive an hour later. The door opened, out came the box, and the door shut again. Richard could not complete a sentence. In the end, he knew there were no words to describe the betrayal. He had been covering for Eric for months.

Two birds gone. One crying to the sky to let the wind carry her away.