A little different writing style, each participant is telling the story from their perspective.
*** Keira narrating ***
I'm Keira, Elliot is my husband, he's currently unemployed, most of which he's been on the couch gaming, not looking for work. My income doesn't cover our expenses,
I'm infuriated at his lackadaisical attitude, I feel he doesn't care; we've had some highly heated arguments over the past couple weeks.
It is Friday, I'm on my way home from work on a packed bus, I had a tough day, I'm tired, I'm hangry, I want my shoes and bra off; I want a cold beer and a warm tub to soak in while toking some good weed.
Chantelle, my co-worker and good friend's voice in my head, 'he doesn't deserve another chance, he won't change, you deserve to be happy, leave him. You can stay with me.'
Against my best friend's advice, I'm giving Eliott another chance. Our marriage has been on the decline for months and Elliot doesn't seem to care. I know he's a good man, if he just got some ambition, got a job, things would be better.
I pause outside the door; I hear the TV blaring his war game, I expect to see Elliot in sweats or his gitch, slouched on the sofa, controller in his hand. Elliot is 5 weeks unemployed, most of which he's been on the couch gaming, he hasn't been looking for work; our bills are all in past due status. Rent is due Monday; payday isn't until Wednesday.
I have my hand on the doorknob, I repeat to myself; I promised myself I'd try extra hard to avoid fighting this weekend; I am going to give 110% effort into having a calm, rational relationship discussion in hopes he'll realize he needs to change and most important, I'll make sure he understands it's imperative he finds employment.
I inhaled deeply, opened the door, kicked off my heels before the door was closed. I turned, with the intentions of giving him an intimate kiss and share I was going the have a bath.
As expected, he was on the sofa in only his briefs, I wasn't expecting to see a new big screen TV, the large box and a bizarre amount of packaging scattered across the room making it nearly impossible to navigate very far past the door.
A new large screen TV, a purchase I knew nothing about.
I'm instantly upset, raging mad, but biting my tongue, staying true to my 'no fighting promise' I calmly ask, "did you win this, hit the lottery? Please tell me you didn't buy this." I negotiate my way past the packing debris; besides his bare feet there is 3 empty beer bottles a half-eaten bowl of cereal, a carton of milk, the cereal box, and a new bag of weed and a couple tiny roaches in an ashtray on the coffee table.
Frantically handling the game controller, totally focused on his war game, not looking at me, "I got a great deal with low payments."
Taking my time, still remaining calm. "Elliot, our other TV works just fine."
Elliot, makes a quick movement leaning sideways, raising the controller, "Ha, got 'em," his body rocks forward, "this one is bigger."
Oh, if there ever was a straw that broke the camel's back, that might have been it. That infuriated me to a bursting point, my voice raised, "Eliott," I catch myself, take a deep breath trying to maintain a calm composure, slowly, enunciating my words, "The other one works fine," fuming inside I take another deep breath, struggling not to scream at him, "We didn't discuss this, you can't pay for it, you don't have a job. I inhale deeply, "You decided without asking me. My income doesn't cover our expenses, let alone another payment." Walking over the large cardboard box to the sofa I pick up a joint, fire it up, take a long toke, blow a few small smoke rings. I assertively say "Elliot, do you really think we need a 'bigger one'?"
I can see he doesn't care, he continues twisting and squirming as he fights a fictitious war.
His nonresponse spoke volumes, he was intently focused on his game, uncaring I'm talking to him, which infuriated me even more
Mumbling to myself; Fuck it, so much for no fighting this weekend; unless I totally ignore this and just say 'oh dear how wonderful, you financed a big TV'
I take a longer drag, close my eyes, the weed isn't calming me.
He sits around in his gitch, playing games while I work my ass off struggling to pay bills. I want to throw the TV game and him out on the street.
Trying extremely hard not to scream, struggling to control my temper "so, even though the older one functions well, you spend money we don't have because" I pause and add sarcastically "it's just bigger?" I kick some packing stuff. "You decide we needed a bigger one." He gives no indication of hearing me. What can I do to wake him up to reality? I really want to smash the large screen over his head.
I finish the roach, sitting on the arm of the sofa bouncing my right leg like dad used to give me a horsey ride when I was young, I light another joint, the first didn't calm me, I still want to hurt him.
I'm raging mad, I stand with a devilish grin, slowly move to him, holding the weed for him to take, as he puts it to his lips, I rap my knuckles in his crotch, maybe harder than a wife should, but I'm really pissed off. He gasps, smoke spews as he bends forward, dropping the controller, grabbing his jewels.
I get right in his face, "Our other TV does everything it should and yet you without any discussion, decided to replace it." I stand, "Your dick doesn't do much lately, so, I guess I don't need your permission to bring home a bigger one." I glare at him "Shouldn't be difficult, yours certainly isn't anything special." I take the joint and head to the kitchen, getting 2 cold beers from the fridge.
Fight started.
He hollers at me loudly "you bought $160 shoes without asking, then made me take BP and J sandwiches to work for 2 months."
I stop spin around, "I did, but that was because your lazy ass wasn't making enough to pay our basic bills. I needed shoes because I got a job, I got a job because we needed more income," I finish the roach, drop it in an ashtray.
"Now, you don't have a job, you sit on your ass playing games like a spoiled child."
"You need a job." I took a large swig of beer. "We don't need a TV."