THEY HAD ANOTHER FIGHT, ANOTHER ARGUMENT... WHATEVER YOU MIGHT CALL IT. KATE LOOKED AT MICHAEL, HER HUSBAND OF TWELVE YEARS, AS HE LAY ASLEEP IN THEIR KING SIZED BED. SHE WANTED TO STROKE HIS FACE, TO CARESS HIM... TO SAY SHE WAS SORRY. SHE NEVER MEANT FOR THINGS TO GET OUT OF CONTROL. SHE NEVER MEANT FOR THEM TO FIGHT SO MUCH, TO YELL AT EACH-OTHER AND TO SAY SO MANY HURTFUL AND PAINFUL WORDS TO EACH OTHER.

THOUGH THEY LIE A MERE FOOT APART THE DISTANCE WAS ALREADY A GREAT CHASM THAT KATE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BRIDGE. THE FRUSTRATION STABBING AT HER HEART GREW EVEN SHARPER AS SHE THOUGHT ABOUT THEIR LOVE LIFE, HER FACE CONTORTED FROM THE PHYSICAL PAIN WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT MICHAEL HADN'T TOUCHED HER IN WEEKS. WATER WELLED-UP IN HER EYES: "WE HAVEN'T MADE LOVE IN MONTHS" SHE WHISPERED IN HER THOUGHTS. ACROSS THE GREAT DISTANCE THAT SEPARATES MODERN MARRIED COUPLES, MICHAEL, HIS BACK TOWARDS HIS WIFE LAYS AWAKE AS WELL. HE HATED HIS JOB, HE HATED BEING HOME, HE REGRETTED HIS LIFE AND THE CHOICES HE MADE IN IT. BITTERLY, HE CONTEMPLATES HIS DAY.

DECIDING TO GET UP AND LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY, UNAWARE THAT HIS WIFE WAS WATCHING, MICHAEL SILENTLY GRABS HIS UNIFORM AND LEAVES THE ROOM. DRIVING TO THE POST OFFICE IN WEST L.A., PASSING HOMES HE COULD NEVER AFFORD, HE WAS TORN BY THE SAME PAIN KATE FELT AND THE STUBBORN INCLINATION THAT HE WAS RIGHT... EVEN IF HE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY FOUGHT ABOUT LAST NIGHT, OR THE NIGHT BEFORE, OR THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT. RUBBING HIS FOREHEAD, HE THOUGHT: "WE DON'T EVEN NEED A REASON TO FIGHT ANYMORE". PASSING SOME HOOKERS ON SUNSET BOULEVARD, HE ALMOST STOPPED FOR A YOUNG GIRL IN WHITE STOCKINGS. HE ALMOST STOPPED, BUT HE DIDN'T. THERE WASN'T EVEN ENOUGH PASSION LEFT IN HIM, OR ENOUGH LIFE FOR A CHEAP WHORE. MICHAEL WENT TO WORK.

KATE WAS UP AND ENJOYING HER MORNING SHOWER. THE HOT, CLEAN WATER DANCED ON HER, HUGGED HER, CARESSED HER AND COMFORTED HER ACHING BODY AND SOUL. SHE LOOKED DOWN AT HER WET, GLISTENING NAKED FLESH. SHE WAS STILL YOUNG, STILL BEAUTIFUL. SHE WONDERED WHY HE DIDN'T WANT HER ANYMORE. "WHY DOESN'T MICHAEL LOVE ME?" SHE CRIED. HER TEARS MIXED WITH THE WATER FROM THE SHOWER, TRICKLING DOWN INTO THE TUB AND DOWN THE DRAIN. KATE DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME, SHE TOO HAD TO GO TO WORK.

WAITING FOR THE LAST DISPATCH OF MAIL FROM TERMINAL ANNEX, MICHAEL AND HIS CO-WORKERS TOOK THEIR BREAK. MIKE PICKED-UP HIS USUAL TWO CHEESE DANISH AND A SODA. JANET, AN INCREDIBLY TALL AND SEXY CLERK REMINDED HIM THAT HE WAS GETTING A LITTLE FAT AROUND HIS MID-SECTION. MICHAEL'S DAY WASN'T GETTING ANY BETTER, HE WENT BACK TO HIS CASE AND FOUND THAT HIS SUPERVISOR ALREADY TURNED DOWN HIS REQUEST FOR OVERTIME OR HELP ON HIS ROUTE. ALREADY OVERWORKED, HE TURNED AROUND AND FOUND FOUR NEW TRAYS OF MAIL ON THE FLOOR: "I CAN'T DO IT, I JUST CAN NOT DELIVER ALL OF THIS IN EIGHT HOURS" HE TOLD HIS UNSYMPATHETIC FOREMAN. "LOOK, YOU KNOW THE RULES... JUST CUT THE BULK RATE" THE FOREMAN BARKED AT HIM. THE LARGE VEIN ON THE SIDE OF HIS NECK BEGAN TO BULGE AND THROB: "I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH BULK, IT'S ALMOST ALL FIRST CLASS..." THE BOSS DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HIM AND WALKED AWAY. MICHAEL WENT BACK TO HIS CASE.

KATE DRIED HERSELF, SHE WIPED HER TEARS. KATE DIDN'T HATE MICHAEL, BUT SHE DID RESENT HIM. SHE WAS BECOMING BITTER DEEP WITHIN THE DARKEST CORNERS OF HER SOUL. KATE FELT THE ACID EATING AWAY AT HER.

MICHAEL SPED AROUND THE BUSY CORNER IN WEST LOS ANGELES, A CORNER CROSSED BY PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS, DOCTORS AND LAWYERS. HE PARKED ON LITTLE SANTA MONICA, IN FRONT OF A BUILDING FULL OF STOCK BROKERS, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, CASTING AGENTS AND A FEW NON-DESCRIPT OFFICES. MICHAEL BEGAN HIS ROUNDS, DELIVERING THE MAIL AND FLIRTING WITH A FEW OF THE RECEPTIONISTS AND SECRETARIES. WORKING DOWN THE ROW OF OFFICE BUILDINGS, THE LETTER CARRIER STARTED ACROSS THE BOULEVARD. HE NEVER SAW THE BENTLEY DRIVEN BY AN OLD MAN. THE BENTLEY SLAMMED INTO HIM, THROWING MICHAEL INTO THE AIR! HE REMAINED UNCONSCIOUS AS THE PARAMEDICS RUSHED HIM TO SAINT JOHN'S HOSPITAL. DOCTOR RYDE ADMINISTERED CARDIOVASCULAR RESUSCITATION AFTER MICHAEL'S HEART STOPPED AND THEN PREPPED THE INJURED CARRIER FOR SURGERY.

THE PROGNOSIS ISN'T VERY GOOD AFTER SIX (6) HOURS OF SURGERY. KATE ARRIVES AT THE HOSPITAL, PACES THE FLOOR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND DISAPPEARS. MICHAEL'S CONDITION IS CRITICAL, HE LIES IN A COMA... IN A DEEP SLEEP, DREAMING ABOUT A TIME WHEN HE AND KATE WERE HAPPY AND CONTENT. OBLIVIOUS TO THE CONTINUOUS BEEPS EMANATING FROM HIS HEART MONITOR, UNAWARE OF THE STEADY GAZE OF HIS NURSE; HIS EYES ROLLED AROUND THEIR SOCKETS, WATCHING KATE BRINGING HIM A PIŅA COLADA. MICHAEL SMELLED THE SEA AIR, FELT THE WARM SUN CARESS HIS SKIN AND TOOK A REFRESHING SIP. LOOKING AT KATE'S PERFECTLY TAN BODY, BARELY CLAD IN THE SKIMPIEST OF BIKINIS, HE WANTS TO RUN UP TO THEIR HOTEL ROOM AND MAKE MAD PASSIONATE LOVE TO HER. HE LONGS FOR HER TOUCH AND CRAVES THE INTIMACY HE CAN ONLY SHARE WITH THIS, THE WOMAN HE LOVES. WATCHING HER LAUGH, HE BATHES IN HER HAPPINESS, HE SHARES IT. WATCHING HER LAUGH, HE LOVES HER ALL THE MORE. THE MATRONLY NURSE DOESN'T NOTICE THE CHANGE IN HIS EXPRESSION, SHE BEGINS TO WORK ON A CROSSWORD PUZZLE.

LONELY AND DEPRESSED, WORRIED ABOUT AND YET MAD AT MICHAEL, KATE WALKS DOWN THE STREET. IT'S A BUSY STREET, LOTS OF CARS AND PEOPLE FILL THE BOULEVARD. A CAR SKIDS TO A STOP, ANOTHER HONKS ITS HORN. SOMEBODY YELLS AT A FRIEND ACROSS THE STREET. A FILTHY HOMELESS MAN, HIS CLOTHES LITERALLY DECAYING, SITS IN A DOORWAY AND BEGS FOR SOME CHANGE. BUT, KATE'S IN HER OWN WORLD, ISOLATED FROM ALL THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS BY AN IMPENETRABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIER. WATCHED OVER, SHE CROSSES AT ALL THE RIGHT LIGHTS, SHE PASSES ALL THE HOOLIGANS AND SHE NEVER SEES THE DANGER. MICHAEL'S WIFE FINDS HERSELF IN A SEEDY BAR WHERE SHE ORDERS A DRINK, THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER.

A DESPICABLE LOW-LIFE SITTING IN A DARKENED CORNER WATCHES AS SHE DOWNS ANOTHER DRINK (HER FOURTH). HE SMILES, FLASHING HIS YELLOW AND BLACKENED TEETH. LIKE THE SNAKE HE IS, HE STALKS HIS WEAKENED PREY... HE COILS HIS TAIL, STANDS AND WALKS TOWARDS KATE. STANDING NEXT TO HER STOOL, CLOSE ENOUGH TO BITE AND INJECT HIS VENOM, HE INTRODUCES HIMSELF: "MY NAME IS ROGER, MIND IF I TAKE THIS SEAT?" ACKNOWLEDGING HIS SLIMY PRESENCE, SHE NODS HER HEAD. HUNGRILY SLITHERING ONTO THE NEXT STOOL, ROGER MOTIONS TO THE BAR-KEEP. WITH HIS GREASY FINGER, THE SNAKE MOTIONED FOR TWO DRINKS, ONE FOR HIM AND ONE FOR HIS PREY. ROLLING HIS EYES, THE BARTENDER PUT THE DRINKS ON THE OLD WOODEN BAR THAT HAD SEEN BETTER DAYS. THE SNAKE COULD TASTE HIS VICTORY AS HE EYED KATE'S DELICIOUS BODY. HIS TONGUE CREPT OUT OF THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF HIS CHAPPED LIPS. IF SHE ONLY OPENED HER EYES, IF SHE ONLY LOOKED AT HIM, IF SHE COULD ONLY BRING HERSELF TO THINK ABOUT MICHAEL. BUT SHE COULDN'T AND THE ALCOHOL WAS TAKING HIS TOLL ON HER SENSES.

MICHAEL'S DREAMS CONTINUED. MICHAEL'S EYES, ROLLING IN HIS HEAD, FOCUS ON KATE. SHE'S DRESSED IN THAT LINGERIE HE BOUGHT HER. THE LACY "MERRY WIDOW" IS BURGUNDY RED, HER SHEER NYLON STOCKINGS AND HIGH HEELS AROUSE LONG FORGOTTEN PASSIONS DEEP WITHIN HIS LOINS. HER FACE, HER FACE MELTS HIS HEART. CRAWLING INTO HIS BED, HE REACHES FOR HER. TOUCHING HER SOFT, WARM SKIN, HE REMEMBERS THAT HE HAS FORGOTTEN HOW LUCKY HE IS TO HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND SEXY WOMAN TO SHARE HIS LIFE WITH. BUT, REALIZING THIS, HE FROWNS. ANOTHER GESTURE NOT NOTICED BY THE NURSE LOST IN HER CROSSWORD PUZZLES. SHE DOES LOOK UP THOUGH, THE HEART MONITOR CONTINUES TO BEEP AT A STEADY AND REASSURING RATE. THE NURSE'S EYES WIDEN SLIGHTLY, SHE SMILES, SHE OPENS THE CROSSWORD BOOK AND SHE FILLS IN A FEW MORE LETTERS. UNAWARE OF THE PUZZLE SHE'S MISSING. THE PUZZLE LAYING BEFORE HER.

DRESSED IN NOTHING MORE THEN THAT LINGERIE HER HUSBAND MICHAEL BOUGHT FOR HER. THE LACEY, BURGUNDY-RED MERRY WIDOW AND SHEER NYLON STOCKINGS... KATE, WEARING HIGH HEELS, STEPS OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND INTO HER BEDROOM. ROGER'S EYES BULGE AS DOES ANOTHER PART OF HIS ANATOMY. HE'S DRESSED IN NOTHING BUT AN OLD AND DIRTY PAIR OF BOXER SHORTS. THE SNAKE CANNOT BELIEVE HIS LUCK AS HE EYES HIS SEX TOY, HIS PLAY THING, AND THE OBJECT OF HIS DESIRE. KATE'S HAD ENOUGH BOOZE TO DULL HER SENSES, BUT, SHE NEEDS THIS, SHE NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED, CARESSED AND LOVED. SHE NEEDS TO FEEL WANTED. CLUMSILY AND CARELESSLY, ROGER GETS UP, PULLING HER CLOSE.

EVEN DRUNK, KATE STARTS PUSHING AWAY FROM THIS BARFLY'S TERRIBLE BREATH. ROGER FEELS THE SLIGHT, SENSITIVE ONLY TO HIS OWN NEEDS, HE PUSHES KATE ONTO THE BED, PRYING OPEN HER LEGS AND FORCING HIS WAY INTO HER TIGHT, MOIST, AND PINK LIPS, FORCING HIS WAY DEEP INTO HIS CAPTIVE PREY. FURTHER AND FURTHER HE PUSHES HIMSELF, HARDER AND HARDER HE RIDES HER UNTIL SHE CAN FEEL HIM TREMBLE, UNTIL SHE CAN FEEL HIS WARM LIQUID SPILLING INTO THE MOST PRIVATE AND INTIMATE PART OF HER, INTO HER SOUL. SHE'S NAUSEOUS, DISGUSTED BY HIM AND IN HERSELF. SHE WANTS TO CRY, TO SCREAM, BUT, AS HE ROLLS HIS PALE CARCASS OFF HER, SHE SETTLES ON THE ONLY REASONABLE OPTION... SHE RUNS TO THE BATHROOM AND THROWS-UP, VOMITING THE LIQUOR THAT LED HER TO THIS MOMENT. SHE SHOWERS, SHE SCRUBS, AND DECIDING THAT SHE DIDN'T GET EVEN WITH HER HUSBAND, THAT SHE DIDN'T FIND "LOVE" IN A BAR, SHE CRIES. SHE WISHES THAT THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED, THAT MICHAEL WAS OKAY AND THAT THIS ROGER FELLOW, THIS DISGUSTING AND VILE MAN WASN'T IN THEIR HOUSE. WHEN SHE GETS OUT OF THE SHOWER, ONE WISH IS GRANTED. THE BARFLY, THE LITTLE INSECT OF A MAN IS GONE.

GETTING DRESSED, KATE RUSHES BACK TO THE HOSPITAL. IT'S ONLY 6:00 A.M., BUT THE NURSE ON DUTY LETS HER SLIP IN TO SEE MICHAEL. AT HIS BEDSIDE, HIS HAND IN HERS, SHE TALKS WITH HER UNCONSCIOUS HUSBAND. SHE CRIES. "I, I, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY HONEY" SHE STUTTERS: "I, WELL, I THOUGHT WE WERE SO DISTANT, I THOUGHT WE LOST OUR FEELINGS." "I RESENTED YOU, US, THE WAY WE WERE..." "I WANTED TO GET EVEN, TO, JUST TO FEEL ALIVE I GUESS." LOOKING DOWN AT THE SHINY FLOOR, SHE CONTINUED: "I NEVER HATED YOU MICHAEL, I DON'T THINK I EVER REALLY WANTED ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE." "MY GOD, MICHAEL... I WANTED TO GET EVEN OR, I WELL, I..." BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP; THE HEART MONITOR SOUNDED. NURSES RUSH INTO THE ROOM AND PUSH KATE OUT. MORE NURSES AND SOME EQUIPMENT FLASH PAST HER IN THE HALLWAY. SOMEONE ANNOUNCES: "CODE BLUE IN ROOM 731." KATE REALIZES: "THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MICHAEL."

AT THE CEMETERY, KATE THROWS HERSELF ON THE CASKET AND CRIES: "I DIDN'T MEAN IT, I DIDN'T MEAN IT MICHAEL!" "I LOVE YOU" SHE SCREAMS AS MICHAEL'S BROTHER PULLS HER OFF THE BRONZE BOX. THE PRIEST FINISHES BLESSINGS, THE CASKET IS LOWERED INTO THE GROUND. KATE IS HYSTERICAL AS SHE BEGS FOR THE DEAD MAN TO FORGIVE HER.

SHE VISITS THE CEMETERY NEARLY EVERY DAY NOW, SHE VISITS HER HUSBAND. KATE DOESN'T NEED TO BE TOUCHED OR CARESSED. KATE JUST NEEDS TO BE FORGIVEN.

Created: October 29, 1999r.
Last Updated: May 23, 2005r.