Paradise

G. Matthew King

Stephen wasn't certain when the rules of the game had changed, but he decided to drive home and find out. Everything felt different around the apartment now. An apprehensive feeling always surrounded the holidays, but the tension of late was much less defined. An overall feeling of disappointment was the strongest emotion he sensed from Anna these days. Unfocused throughout the day, he felt it gather during dinner and turn the bed icy cold as he tried to sleep.

He pulled into the parking space reserved for him. He stepped out of the car, and squinted at the building backdropped by the last rays of the sun. With a sigh he picked up his briefcase and walked resolutely inside. Crossing the threshold, he wondered if the sudden burden he felt was palpable to others who entered his home, or was it only present in his own mind.

"How was your day?" Anna said.

"Same as usual. The copier went down; we bitched a lot. Joe kicked it; he bitched a lot. Still want that report done before Christmas. Where's Joey?"

"Sorry." Anna came out of the bedroom holding a dishtowel. Ann worked part time in the mornings and came home around 1:00. She was just as likely to be found reading a book as doing the usual household chores. "Have to put the rest of the laundry away and then we'll see about dinner. Joey is playing over at Alan's. Mary said she'd bring him home before dinner."

Stephen shrugged and sat down. He turned on the television just for the noise and grabbed the newspaper. She was watching him go through this ritual again, and he wondered if he would see love or hate in her eyes if he looked up. "Says here that the property tax might be going up again. I guess that means I'll have to put away some more money before we start looking for a house again in the spring."

"We'll work something out. I can always start working full time and just catch a later bus, " she said.

"Yeah, I know. Just feel like it is time to be getting into a house." He folded over the page and pretended to read something else. She went to fix dinner. He could tell by the music coming from the kitchen. She hummed along and sometimes sang softly.

There was a knock on the door. He opened it to let Mary inside; she was holding Joey by one hand and her son Alan in the other.

"Hi. The kids had a great time today. 'Course, Joey and Alan wanted to play in that mud puddle out there near the fence, but I wouldn't let them," Mary said.

"Thanks for watching him for so long, Mary. I got all the laundry done for a change" Anna called from the kitchen.

"Wasn't a hassle. Just glad they get along so well right now. Won't be long before they hit the terrible two's. So, Steve, how was work?" Mary said.

"Same old, same old. Copier went down, and Joe nearly broke his foot when he kicked it. They still want the big sales report before Christmas, and it ain't going to happen."

Anna came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel she had probably just finished washing. Stephen felt trapped there, surrounded by the two women and the two small boys. He shook his head slightly to clear it as he bent to pick up Joey.

"What'd you feed him? Rocks?" he said.

"No, just the usual pbj for lunch. He's just taking after you." Mary said.

Steve grimaced slightly at the comment. Almost like she knew he was upset about not being able to work out as much as he did back in college. He bet Anna had told her, or maybe it was just the way women work. "Thanks, really."

"You'll have to excuse him, Mary. They are talking about raising the property taxes again, and you know how he gets about taxes," Anna said.

"Right, heard something about that. Probably won't go through. Too many people getting elected next year," Mary said.

"Yeah, I know; I just think we need to be seeing about a real house rather than this apartment."

"American dream complete with the white picket fence and a dog? Good luck. I gave up on that when Walter walked out. Me, I'm just content with Alan and me and our little apartment."

"Guess that's what works for you." Joey was tugging on Stephen's shirt. Stephen let him down and he toddled over to the paper and sat down with a plop.

"See, just like his old man." Mary said with a grin.

"Alright already. Shit. I get the picture."

"Jesus. Lighten up, Steve. They'll get their report or they won't, and they'll have to live with it either way." Anna said.

"Sorry, I guess this is getting to me more than I realized," he said.

"S'okay. I need to be going, though. Got to get Alan his dinner and bath before he gets cranky. Later, guys."

Mary left the apartment with Alan in tow. Steve gathered up the paper where Joey had scattered it and sat down in the chair. He felt like Anna was watching him, upset at him for his snapping slightly at Mary. He wished she would just say something so maybe they could talk about it all and get the real dirty laundry aired out. But she went back into the kitchen as Joey started to play with the blocks he had strewn about the living room.

Stephen drifted in when she called him to the table, the sports section trailing from his fingers onto the floor. The food was pretty simple, just meat and potatoes, but filling. She asked him more about his day, and he responded with clipped answers. Later after watching a bit of cable he went to bed.

Meanwhile, Anna watched the news, wishing he would tell her why he was mad at her.

Author's Note: The assignment was to write a dialogue between three characters. I don't think dialoge is my strong point and I see some weakness even in this edited and re-edited version. But as I recall, I got a job well done bit on the first try, so I guess I did something right. Overall, I wish I had the skill/time to lay this out in a better style here on the site, but this is going to have to do.