Horatio stood on the balcony of his apartment and enjoyed the
night view he had from the 22nd floor. He drank a beer and tried his
best to take the shouting of the woman, from behind the bathroom door,
all in stride. He considered how he used to look at her, the way newly
weds do, but these days, when he looked at her, all he really thought
about was pin pointing where they'd lost each other.
"You're not the only cop in the city! You could skip a few calls every now and then!! If you'd just turn the phone off a few nights a week!" Cynthia never used to be so quick to anger, he thought, watching her storm around in her house coat getting ready for bed. It felt like the millionth time he'd heard this argument. "Honestly, Horatio, I find it difficult to believe you spend all that time at work. Where the hell do you go at four in the morning?" Truthfully, he did spend most of that time working, because sometimes it was just easier. Easier than watching what was happening to them. Especially since the time he'd seen her out with another man. It was a date. There was no mistaking it. He'd thought of confronting her with it but he never did. He didn't know what he'd do if he heard her admit it. Or worse, deny it.
Returning to the kitchen, he answered the ringing phone and received a crossed arm glare from Cynthia, whom he'd forgotten had been speaking to him.
"Hello?"
"H? It's me..." Tim's voice was humbled and quiet.
"Hey. What's up? You ok?" As Horatio recognized the voice he turned from the lady wearing the robe and the scowl.
"Ya, I'm ok...sorry, it's so late..." Tim worked to keep his voice from slurring.
"Don't worry about it. I'm still up. What can I do for you?"
"If it's not too much trouble... I could... I could really use a ride."
"No problem. Where are you?"
Cynthia mumbled to herself, listening to her husbands half of the conversation.
"Ok. I'm on my way." He finished and grabbed his keys.
"Where are you going!?" She demanded, "It's nearly three!"
"I have to go out. Favor for a friend." The vagueness of his response only pushed her annoyance further. Approaching the kitchen counter she swiftly slapped her small gold wedding band down.
"If you walk out of here, I swear Horatio, don't bother coming back in the morning." She pushed. He pushed back. Delicately placing his identical gold band beside hers, he turned and locked the door behind him.
"You're not the only cop in the city! You could skip a few calls every now and then!! If you'd just turn the phone off a few nights a week!" Cynthia never used to be so quick to anger, he thought, watching her storm around in her house coat getting ready for bed. It felt like the millionth time he'd heard this argument. "Honestly, Horatio, I find it difficult to believe you spend all that time at work. Where the hell do you go at four in the morning?" Truthfully, he did spend most of that time working, because sometimes it was just easier. Easier than watching what was happening to them. Especially since the time he'd seen her out with another man. It was a date. There was no mistaking it. He'd thought of confronting her with it but he never did. He didn't know what he'd do if he heard her admit it. Or worse, deny it.
Returning to the kitchen, he answered the ringing phone and received a crossed arm glare from Cynthia, whom he'd forgotten had been speaking to him.
"Hello?"
"H? It's me..." Tim's voice was humbled and quiet.
"Hey. What's up? You ok?" As Horatio recognized the voice he turned from the lady wearing the robe and the scowl.
"Ya, I'm ok...sorry, it's so late..." Tim worked to keep his voice from slurring.
"Don't worry about it. I'm still up. What can I do for you?"
"If it's not too much trouble... I could... I could really use a ride."
"No problem. Where are you?"
Cynthia mumbled to herself, listening to her husbands half of the conversation.
"Ok. I'm on my way." He finished and grabbed his keys.
"Where are you going!?" She demanded, "It's nearly three!"
"I have to go out. Favor for a friend." The vagueness of his response only pushed her annoyance further. Approaching the kitchen counter she swiftly slapped her small gold wedding band down.
"If you walk out of here, I swear Horatio, don't bother coming back in the morning." She pushed. He pushed back. Delicately placing his identical gold band beside hers, he turned and locked the door behind him.