Prompt 14 of 31

Tonight I will be pulling double duty to make up for yesterday's missed prompt. It's funny how life just gets in the way. Ha, what am I talking about, life. I saw the conjuring yesterday. Fantastic movie. During the course of the movie I realized why I don't see horror movies in the theatre. (I tend to only watch them at home.) I tend to scream and convulse like a spaz. It's really comical for others, not so much for me. Either way, it was fun. I'll do anything for a laugh. Well, as long as it's on my terms.

The Writer's Book of Matches pg. "A man learns that what he thought was chronic heartburn is really terminal cancer."

Start time: 11:17

Shella Fidgeted with her cell phone while she sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her husband rick was seated beside her; hunched over, his elbows on his knees, and his hands clasped together in a single fist. Her sapphire eyes looked at him and then she frowned. Her manicured hand went to his back and rubbed tiny circles. At time she lifted her palm from his back and it was just her nails. He chuckled and turned to her with a sad smile.

"I had completely forgotten," she said.

She did it again and he jerked away.

"So I heard from my mother today," she said matter of fact. She pocketed her cellphone and then turned towards him.

"What'd she have to say," he said, peering at her over his shoulder.

Shella shrugged a shoulder and looked at her nails.

"I guess my brother is back in rehab. My dad caught him trying to steal my mother's jewelry. He broke down crying right then and there and confessed the whole thing."

She paused and looked at him with imploring eyes. She hoped this different change of topic would get his mind off of the whole situation.

When he sat back and sighed she knew it had worked. She kept the smile that wanted to play on her lips safely tucked away. Rick rested his head against the wall and left his hands, fingers sprawled, on his knees.

"Poor Jackson," he said.

His mahogany eyes searched the air before him.

Shella's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't imagine what that would be like. You know how my dad was an alcoholic. I say that my mother made excuses for him when I was a kid but she believed he could change. She wanted to know that he would start being the man she had met. I just don't see how your father can deal with that. If Jeremy ever becomes an addict I don't know what I would do. It'd break my heart."

"What about my brother?"

Rick looked at her, pressed his lips together, and shrugged.

"We are the master's of our own destiny."

Hot anger climbed up her face and turned her cheeks a rosy red.

"You're one to talk. This heart burn of yours is all your doing. If you didn't eat all those fatty foods on your lunch it wouldn't happen."

Rick leaned forward again and regained his previous pose.

Shella hid her eyes behind her hand. She felt like such an idiot.

Well, that was pointless, she thought.

She dropped her hand into her lap and leaned to his shoulder.

"Honey, I'm sure it's nothing. We're just getting a second opinion per doctor laurel's request. Okay?"

She kissed his shoulder.

"The antacids, the meds, do not work, Shell."

"Sometimes things can be so severe that you need to see a specialist. That's why we're here."

Rick rolled his eyes.

Shella sat back and studied him. Her mind knew what was wrong already. Her heart refused to believe. She kept telling herself the same lies she told about her brother. Except he could help his problem.

She smiled weakly to herself and then looked down at her thumbs. She couldn't believe she was wishing that he was just an addict. Of all the things that could happen to him it had to be this.

"Rick Torrent," The nurse said, her arm wrapped around the clip board.

The two got up and headed to the exam room for another agonizing wait.

Rick stayed silent the whole time. He just stared at his feet, bouncing the toe of his boots on foot at a time.

She had seen him do that many times before, like when they were waiting to see if they were in fact having a boy. Or there was the time that his mother had been found beaten, almost to a pulp, and they were waiting in the lobby of the ER. That had been back when they were still in high school.

Her heart began to ache from the thoughts of their love's life time and she focused again on his feet. She picked apart his shoes, his gestures, everything to keep herself from thinking that which she already knew.

The doctor swooped in and immediately headed to the sink and washed his hands.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Torrent."

"How're you today?"

Shella always wondered why a doctor asked a patient that. It seemed like such a silly question. Well obviously we're terrible. We're here to see you, She thought.

"Just waiting on those results." Rick said. He sighed and looked at the doctor. "Doctor Laurel couldn't make heads or tails of it so it's prolonged this for far too long."

The doctor produced a pair of spectacles and put them on.

"I certainly can understand that."

Then get on with it!

The doctor pulled up the rolling stool and sat down. He pulled out a pen, clicked it and began writing notes. All of his actions seemed as thought they were half speed.

Shella fidgeted nervously in place.

"I'm afraid that it's not acid reflux."

Shella's breath caught in her chest.

"You have cancer on the lining of your asophogaus. It's caused by HPV. Most men don't ever show symptoms. They just carry the disease."

Shella's brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's alright. It's not life threatening. We will need to perform surgery quickly though."

Shella forced a smile.

"I see."

Shella stood, clutching her purse at her waist.

"Will you please excuse me. I'll just let you two gentlemen talk this out."

Shella rushed through the doctor's office, out the main corridor and down a flight of stairs faster than she could have ever thought possible. Before she knew it she stood at their lifted black truck. She stopped and studied it for a moment. Her eyes peering at every detail.

She flew to the driver's side door and wrenched it open. It didn't matter that the corner of the door cracked the window of the vehicle next to hers. She was on a mission. She tore through the center console, ripping out everything she got her well manicured hands on. When that didn't present any results she moved to the glove box, then under the seats. She was about to start ripping up the carpet floor when Rick came outside.

"What are you doing?" he said.

Shella looked at him. Her sapphire eyes were a hurricane and it was headed right for him.

"How the hell do you have HPV, Richard Torrent?"

"From you, I imagine," he said.

Shella smiled, her tounge prodding her left canine.

"Is that so," she said. "Well I know I haven't had anything to report and do you know how I know? I get this," she gestured at the apex of her legs, "I get this checked by a physician every goddamn month. If I were to have anything she would notice!"

Shella's voice had grown steadily louder as she spoke. The passersby all slowed their journey to where they were going and watched the spectacle. Rick looked around nervously.

"Honey-"

"Don't you honey me, Richard. Or should I say Dick!"

Shella hopped down from the truck and then slammed the door. Straightening her short denim skirt she walked away as fast as her legs would carry her. Although much to her delight Rick followed right behind.

"Honey, I haven't cheated on you." he said to her back.

She pretended to ignore him.

"Who would want to even try? All the women in the office know that you have a mean streak a mile long. You have weapons on your finger tips!"

Shella cracked a smile and all it did was enfuriate her more. She balled her fists, stopped abruptly, and spun to meet him face to face.

"Then tell me something I don't know."

Rick opened his mouth to speak but couldn't seem to find the words. He hung his head and shook it back and forth.

"Do you remember when we were in high school-"

"It was only six years ago, Rick, I'm sure I can remember that far-"

Rick put a hand over her mouth.

"Just listen for a second. I haven't cheated on you while we've been married. There was this one time in tenth grade when we broke up and I saw Susie Lee. We went on a couple of dates but I just wanted you."

Slutty Susie Lee she thought.

"That was the only time I've been with any other woman."

Relief washed over her shoulders and the fire receded quickly back into her chest. She relaxed for only a moment until she thought what this meant. But then her curiosity got the better of her.

"So, if you have it, why don't I?"

The corner of Rick's mouth tried to touch his ear, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well," he said, "Honey, I've never... Done anything with my mouth."

Shella looked around nervously. HIs voice was already low but it wasn't low enough. If someone should hear she would be mortified.

"Yeah, because it's disgusting. And thank god I feel that way or I'd have it. Stupid, slutty, Susie Lee."