Christian lay physically comfortable in his luxurious surroundings. His bed, made from goose feathers, kept his body warm. The woman lying next to him, catered to his every need. Yet, even with all of these luxuries, he yearned for what he could no longer have. After Christian had sold his book, Moulin Rouge, he gained fortunes and a wife popped into the mixture. He pretended everyday of his life that he was happy, that he had moved on since Satine's death, but in truth, he was no better now than he was the day after she died. He tried to satisfy his lust for her through his wife, but it was no use. Deep down in his heart, he knew that he would never feel her again. He had two children, a boy and a girl, who were the only people he had true feelings for. He loved them more than the world itself and wished they would be around him forever. He never told his wife about Satine, so he was able to name his daughter after her. It helped hm cope, but some times it just made it harder. He felt sorry for his wife, because she would never be able to see the good, loving side of him. It just wasn't there anymore. He was fond of the woman, but he could never truly love her.
The sun was slowly rising and the room was filling with light. Jessica's arm gently rubbed her husband's chest and he stood from the bed to remove it. She propped herself up on her arm and started to watch him walk around the room. She never imagined marriage being like that, but here she was, being ignored. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"I need a drink." Christian said walking over to the bar that rested on the opposite side of the bed.
"It's not even noon and you're drinking." Jessica said, disappointed. "Why don't you come over here, and I'll give you a substitute for that drink?"
Christian looked over at the woman, who was trying her hardest to be seductive, and drank the shot of scotch. He remembered how Satine had never tried to be seductive, she just was. "I need to get to work. McCoy is expecting my book by the end of the month."
"But it's the second, you have time." Jessica felt tears welling up in her eyes. She felt unwanted, which she never had felt before she met Christian.
"I'm feeling a stroke of genius now, I can't just sit around. Besides, you have to go cook breakfast for Satine and Junior. We can't keep them waiting." He kissed her cheek and went to his desk started to type. He had a new idea for a story, about a man who had married to fill an empty void and then found that she was the love of his life. It was what he had hopped would happen with Jessica, but deep down he knew it wouldn't. He typed for hours, putting in sex scene after sex scene, to where it became a hideous trashy romance novel. The book depressed him so much he had to leave it. He took another shot of scotch and stormed down the stairs. His small children crowded around his legs and hugged him tightly. He smiled and kissed the tops of their heads gently, his dirty beard rubbing against them. "Now go play outside. I need to talk to your mother."
The children ran out of the house and Christian followed the smell of bacon into the kitchen. There stood Jessica, silently crying over the food. She looked up at Christian and jumped back. "You scared the hell out of me. Don't you ever do that again."
"Why are you crying?" Christian slinked over to the girl, acting as though he really didn't know why she was crying. "If I hurt your feelings I'm really sorry. I really did think that I was on some sort of writing streak. I guess I was wrong. It must have been some other feeling. Come on upstairs, I'll kiss your tears away…and a few other things."
"Screw you." Jessica said looking up at him with hateful eyes. "You pull that damn line every time something in your pants moves. Why did I marry you? There's another woman."
"What are you talking about?" Christian said backing away, his anger firing off inside of him. "I'm not cheating on you. I'm never anywhere but at home! It's because you're so damn possessive."
"Come on Christian, I'm not an idiot. There has always been another woman. I know you haven't cheated on me, you're cheating on her. She's always been there. I can see it in your eyes, she's always there. What can I do, physically you're being faithful, but really you practice infidelity? What do you need me to do Christian?" Jessica was screaming and tears now brimmed her eyes. The bacon had now started to burn but Jessica didn't notice her eyes never left Christian's. "Do I need to cut my hair? Dye my hair? How can I make you happy? I want to make you happy, what can I do?"
"Bring her back to life!" Christian shouted to her, he ran out of the kitchen. He was ready to leave this time. He stormed up the stairs and threw the door to their bedroom open.
"You get the hell back here!" Jessica had followed him and snatched his arm to turn him around. "We have to remember the children. Now I hate the fuck out of you right now, but I love my children and I know you love them too. You are going to stay, even if it's only for them. We don't have to talk to each other, but we can be adults and not run away from our problems."
Christian was quiet for a moment, studying Jessica's face intently. "I'll stay, but only for the children. And if you touch me like you just did ever again, I will smack the life out of you. You don't talk to me that way, you're my wife damn it. I demand respect."
"Only a judge would call what you and I have a marriage." Jessica began to walk out of the room, but Christian grabbed her arm and spun her back around. He lifted his hand up near his face and watched as Jessica flinched, preparing for the blow, but Christian let go of her arm. "Think of that as a warning."
Jessica stared back at him with pure hatred. She then ran back downstairs and finished breakfast. After she was out of site Christian sat down on the bed behind him. He rested his face inside of his hands and tried to rub the anger away. He had never wanted to hurt Jessica, she had always been a great wife, but the liquor made him do and say things he never wanted to do. He wanted to apologize, he knew that's what he should do, but his pride, damn it, was keeping him from moving towards her. Instead he walked over to a dresser that rested at the end of the bed and picked up the stack of mail. He smiled at a small letter from Toulouse. Christian threw the other letters back on the dresser and began to read the letter.
Dear Christian,
I have great news. Please come to the Moulin Rouge on the third of this month at eight o'clock. Trust me, if I were you, I wouldn't want to be late.
Sincerely,
Toulouse
What could be so great that he would have to go from England to Paris to find it out? Christian folded the paper and then slipped it into his pants pocket. After a few minutes of walking around his room doing nothing, he found that he inevitably had to go down stairs. He stepped back into the kitchen and she still stood there, crying…still.
"Jessica, I really am sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was inexcusable. I swear on our children that I will be a better man with you from now on. But you're right, there is another woman and there has always been another woman. I will never be the husband that you always dreamed of, and the one that you deserve, but I'm going to be a better man." Christian said walking over to Jessica, finally grabbing both of her arms and turning her towards him. "I swear that I will never, ever hit you or even threaten to hit you again. I promise. Please Jessica, forgive me."
Jessica just smiled weakly and lifted her shoulders. "What can I say? You say this every time you have these outbursts, and I forgive you. Then here we are again, fighting and then apologizing. Please, don't even try this charade anymore. We know it's going to happen again, so let's not fake it anymore. I'm too busy."
Christian stared her over, looking for that forgiving look that used to always rest there, he searched and searched, but it wasn't there anymore. For that he felt truly shamed, he had been successful in changing a sweet girl into a hard one. "I'm going to write."
What do you think? Well, tell me yay or ney on whether not I should keep it going. I can't know unless you tell me. So please review!