Hand reaching�gripping. Glass up. Glass down. Contents untouched.
Eyes track her withdrawing�retreating back
The auburn curls that cascade�tumble�bounce in righteous indignation
With every annoyed step.
Eyes trail until blocked by the closing door. She doesn�t look back.
Glass up. Booze knocked back. Scalding�burning�exploding in his gut. Igniting...
kick-starting the shame�the guilt. Which never leaves.
Sliding across the seat. Bracing�heaving up. Standing�shakily.
Hand opening. Bills raining�fluttering. Coins bouncing�rolling across the table top. Uncounted.
Outside�faulty neon morse-coding�red�flash�blue�flash-flash.
Eyes squeeze�stomach lurches�bile ascends. Bad moon on the rise.
Cold�light mist morphing into cold�thick rain drops transforming into cold�heavy sheets.
Cursing�water downpouring�soaking�fingers fumbling�key jamming�
not turning�wrong one
Right one�door opening�scrambling in�sobering�a little.
Drops snaking�zigzagging from hairline to nose�from crown to nape�unchecked.
Mouth slackens�shivering begins. D�j� vu. He�s sat this way before�staring beyond a streaming windshield. Same pose�but feelings far removed from tonight.
Surroundings dissolve�melt. It�s four years ago. His minds-eye replays scene.
Car racing�radio blaring�singing along at top of lungs�mood triumphant�celebratory.
Sting went off without a hitch�bad guys went down, took a powder�
He�d emerged�a hero! Captain talking citation�promotion!
Bar�cheers�congratulatory backslaps�several rounds�alcoholic euphoria�
Now, home�Frankie�there�s gonna be some hot love, baby, tonight!
Almost missed the street�his turn. Taking corner fast�sharp�water sluicing door�window.
No space out front. Have to park across the street. No problemo�nothing can ruin his mood.
Grabbing the champagne bottle�door handle gripped�he pauses
The house door has opened...light spills down the steps
Exhilaration courses�silly, boyish grin spreads. She�s heard the car�she�s waiting�
Arms open wide�to welcome the conquering hero�her knight�with wet, fervent, erotic kisses.
Two figures emerge�man first�woman next.
Grin dissolves�confusion�puzzlement�sleeve wipes�rubs condensation�
trying for a clearer look.
Man moves down the steps. Woman calls�he turns back�light from doorway illuminates his face � Matt?!
Slender arms go up�twine around his neck. Muscular arms wrap around her waist�pulling tight.
Blood converts to ice. Betrayal stabs deep. His best friend�his wife.
Hour after hour�sitting�swigging champagne. Pain hammering�chipping away at reason�sanity.
Emerging at last from his cocoon�stumbling up the steps�pounding, beating on the door.
Her face�sweet Jesus�her beautiful face�wreathed in a breathtaking smile�collapsing into disbelieving horror at the venom that poured�emptied from his throat�his grief-stricken soul.
Slamming the door�descending the stair�operating only on instinct�he headed for the car.
House door opens�banging against the wall�her anguished cry buffeting his back�
goes unacknowledged�ignored.
A startled gasp�sharp intake of breath�scream�pierces his robotic fog
In dreamlike state he turns�to see her plummet�head-first�hears the dull, wet crack�observes the black flood that pools�widens across the pavement.
Somehow�upon his knees�lifting her�clasping her�rocking her�moaning her name.
A shout�voice crying out his name, hers�panicked, alarmed footsteps�running towards him�hands gripping his shoulders�Oh, my God, Harry!�
Yells for 911 stab�sirens slice the night open.
Emergency room�chaos�faces, grief-stricken�doctor�s voice commiserating�
nothing could be done�DOA�tragic accident�so, very sorry, Mr. Denby�
accept my sympathies at the lost of your wife and baby.
Baby?!
Descending further into nightmare�Matt explaining�drove Frankie to the doctor�had her suspicions�wanted to be sure�everything confirmed�so excited�ecstatic�planned big surprise for him that night�she�d left her purse�his car�returning to deliver it�
saw her slip upon the steps�saw her fall�
A short fall�from Heaven to Hell.
Couldn�t stay in Buffalo�transferred NYC. Left house�furnishings�clothes�photos�
all ties raggedly severed�all friendships sloppily packed away.
New friends made�so, pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Chivas�Mr. Snow.
New job�just going through the motions�barely.
On a quest�hunting�seeking a bullet's acquaintance.
Then�God in His mercy�sent an angel�a sign�Diane Russell.
So like his Francesca�same Rossetti coloring, hair�same heart-skipping smile.
There similarities ended�where Frankie was soft�gentle�yielding�sweetness incarnate�
Russell is hard�unbending�risk taking�capable of what he needs�must have�done.
Shivering�cold, damp penetrating�rousing from his Dante scrapbook of memories�
Stiffened fingers turning the key�firing the engine�steering wheel rotating�
car edging�pulling slowly into the street
Tonight he'd set the wheels of his destiny turning�tomorrow he'd direct their path.