The Wrench
Undisclosed location
(a month later)
12:45PM
She was her neighbor. Okay so she was a few towns over, but holy fucking shit.
When did this happen? She never expected to see her again and they would have
had a scene at the A&P if she didn't put the lemon pledge back on the shelf and high
tail it out of the store and into her safe burgundy mini van. How could this happen?
She couldn't get him out of her mind after she saw him again. It's easier to insult
people or their character traits through the written word when you don't have to look
into their eyes. She was what he called her on that night. Every story has two sides
and she wasn't sure if she should tell hers. Her hidden feelings belonged to only her
and she was allowed to have them. He aged quite well. He had just a few strands of
gray hair and some soft facial lines. He really was handsome. She didn't need little
Miss busybody to shop in the same grocery store as her and spread gossip around
like a disease growing in her soul.
She said she was going to visit a college friend and no one questioned her motives.
Her plane leaved in two hours and she couldn't suppress the urge to see him at least
one more time. And under a different set of circumstances he might just even be
civil with her.
Eric's office
(next day)
1:00PM
There are days when you wake up where you know it's going to be a bad day. It
wasn't a psychic premonition. Eric just had a bad feeling about this. Paige
cancelled their lunch and he didn't know why. Just four weeks ago he surprised her
with a trip in the country where not only did they consummate their love for the first
time but the "I love yous" were mutually and finally said.
"Hi, Eric."
No.
He turned around after he got a file out of the cabinet to see Donna standing there.
This office really needed better security.
"Oh, fuck like I really need this."
"I deserve that."
"Yeah and more like get out of my office, Donna. I'm OVER you. Yeah, I'm over it."
"Eric, I miss being your friend," she walked closer to him and put her hand on his
shoulder "and I miss being your lover."
He pushed her hand away.
"Is fun time over with you and Stevie?"
"I love Hyde, but I also love you, Eric."
She wasn't going to take no for an answer as she wrapped her arms around him and
kissed him.
"E-RIC!"
Paige dropped the takeout bag on the floor causing the contents to spill onto the
yellow rug as she ran away in tears.
"Paige, wait! I can explain."
"I-thought you loved me."
They were the only words that Eric could make out from behind. He knew he wasn't
going to make it when she got on the bus that was getting ready to leave.
"I CANNOT believe that you are still here." Eric's eyes saw the bag on the floor, the
ruined lunch for two that he and Paige would have been eating now if this witch didn't
fly into town on her broom.
"Who was that woman Eric?"
"The BEST thing that ever happened to me…and if I LOST her because of you---you
fucking BITCH! GET out of my office before I CALL security!"
Donna could not reply. It was obvious she made a mistake in coming here.
"Eric—"
"If you don't get the FUCK out of my sight, I will call Hyde and let him know just how
much of a whore his wife is!"
"I made a mistake coming here."
"You cost me the world," he ran his fingers through his hair, "Just go."
"I—I—" The writer could not find the words all she could do was put one foot in front
of the other and leave.
"All right people, the show is over." Eric closed the door as he went to get the
napkins that were in his desk drawer to clean up the mess. Since Eric was certain
that she wasn't going back to the library he could explain this mess to her tonight.
Damn you, Donna
Paige, I love you so much.
5:15PM
Jacen could tell something was wrong with his father as soon as he came home
from work he handed him a bag from Fatso Burger as he went into his bedroom to
change into his sweats.
Eric came back five minutes later and threw his body on the couch.
Jacen decided to make him a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Eric had his phone in his
lap.
"Dad, you didn't eat any supper so I brought you some ice cream."
"Thank you, son."
"As you tell me when I'm sad it just slides down."
"You're sweet."
"What's wrong, Dad?"
"I really, really screwed things up this time."
"Did you and Paige have a fight?"
"You remember, Donna?"
"Yeah your high school sweetheart."
Jacen sat on the ottoman making sure his father took at least one spoonful of the ice
cream.
"She kissed me and Paige walked in and thought the worst and ran out of my office."
"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry."
"I tried to chase after her but she got on the bus and I can't reach her on the phone."
"I'm sure she'll call you back soon."
"I hope so, son."
"Dad?"
"Yeah."
"I'm confused about something."
"Ask away, Jacen."
"If Donna was the one to kiss you and you pushed her away…how could you say you
were the one that screwed things up?"
"I love you," Eric held his hand.
"I love you, too, Dad. Why don't you take a nap? I'm sure Paige will call you soon."
"I hope so," Eric took another spoonful of ice cream, "I hope so."
Please god bring her back to me, she was my soul mate.
Tarrytown, NY
(next day)
10AM
Jackie sipped her cappuccino as she saw someone familiar to her look
casually look at the sweaters.
"Miss Burkhart should I assist the customer?" asked the eighteen year old assistant
"No, I will take care of it, Janey."
Where did she see this woman before? It was on the tip of her tongue. Wait a
minute! It was Eric's new girlfriend Paige Allen. Eric scanned a picture of them that
Jacen took on his key chain sized digital camera.
"Excuse me miss is your name Paige Allen?"
She was taken off guard. She decided to go out for a walk or she would spend all
day at her aunt's house crying and eating chocolate.
"Yes, why?"
"My name is Jackie Burkhart…."
"Your name is familiar, too. Oh my god, you know Eric."
"Yes. Is he here?"
"No." Her eyes started to water in the high priced boutique. Jackie led her to her
private office in the back. When Paige got to a chair she couldn't stop the tears as
Jackie handed her some tissues.
"Eric really loves you and misses you so much. We talked about you on the phone
last night."
"I miss him too. If he loved me why was he kissing that woman?"
"That wasn't a woman that was Donna."
"Ex-fiancée Donna?"
"Yes. You never saw a picture of her?"
"No."
"She was trying to get her hooks into Eric for a fling but he refused her."
"He did? Oh my god, I feel like such a fool. Jackie, he won't take me back. How
could he?"
"Paige, yes he will. He loves you more than he ever loved Donna. Eric wants
nothing more than to make it right."
"I hope so, Jackie," she sniffed into the pastel pink tissue, "I hope so."
3AM
Paige took off her clothes and threw them into a pile on the floor. She loved the
feel of Eric's old University of Wisconsin t-shirt. It made her feel attractive. She took
the barrette out of her hair placing it on the end table as she walked over to the bed.
She tapped his shoulder and hoped that he really would forgive her, but if he called
her a "bitch" and sent her on her way she would understand.
"Eric, darling," she kissed the nape of his neck. "Wake up."
"Paige?" his body instantly snapped himself awake as he turned to face her.
"Yes it's me. I called earlier and Jacen answered. He liked the idea of me
surprising you."
Eric smiled. "I love that boy."
"Me too. Eric, I'm so sor—"
He put his long index finger on her lips.
"Talk is for the sunrise, right now I just want to hold you and never let go."
She kissed him on the lips. How she missed that sweetness so.
"Will you hold me forever?"
"Yes," he felt a grateful tear exit his eye and land on her shoulder, "Yes."