By Cheryl Rushing

This is an excerpt from one of the novels I am working on.  It’s still a bit rough (the whole novel is – not to mention unfinished) but I planned on using this as a piece on disappointment” at my writers group last year.  Disappointment is NOT the name of this as-yet-untitled novel.

Zoe looked out the peephole. The last person on earth she would ever have expected was standing outside her apartment. She considered pretending to be out, but she wanted too badly to rip into him. She opened the door.

“Well, this is unexpected,” she said to Arun. “Not the only unexpected thing that has happened this week, however.”

“Hello, Zoe,” he said softly. He worried his car keys in his hands. “I need to speak to you about Rachel.”

“Did she send you? She has some nerve. You, too. Balls of solid steel.” Zoe crossed her arms over her chest.

“Please, may I come in? I’d rather not do this in the hallway.”

She considered him a moment. Something in his eyes told her something was very wrong. She uncrossed her arms and stepped back, motioning into the apartment. “Come in.”

He followed her into the living room. She motioned towards the couch. “Have a seat.”

He sat on the edge of the couch and Zoe took the side chair. He looked even more nervous, more serious now.

“Zoe, I’m sorry to bother you. I wouldn’t have come if this weren’t so important.” He swallowed. “I know that you and Rachel had an argument today.”

“Did she send you? Because if she sent you, you can stop wasting your breath. Go back and tell her I got the message loud and clear and I won’t be darkening her door ever again.”

“Zoe, please,” his voice sounded sad. “Please listen to me. Rachel doesn’t know I’m here. She would probably be very angry with me if she knew I was.”

“Then why are you? Interested in adding to your harem or something?” Zoe sat back, sneering.

“With you? Hardly.” He stood. “This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have come.” He strode angrily towards the door.

“Arun, wait! I’m sorry. That was mean, and I shouldn’t have said it.” Zoe chased after his, grabbing his arm.

He turned to face her. “She’s going to need you, Zoe.”

“What? Why?”

“They’ve set a date.”

“Who?”

“My parents. The marriage has been arranged. The date has been set.”

Zoe blinked. “What? Are you kidding?”

He shook his head.

“Arun, you can’t be serious! Rachel is having your baby! Now you’re telling me you’re going to marry someone else? This is crazy!”

“Zoe, please. I wouldn’t have come here if this wasn’t important.”

Zoe glared at his, crossed her arms over her chest. “Marry Rachel.”

“I can’t.”

“You love her!”

“Yes, I do.”

“She loves you!”

“I know that.”

“She’s having your baby!”

“I know that, too.”

“Marry Rachel.”

“Zoe, I can’t.”

She continued glaring. “Why not?”

“You know why not. Rachel knows why not.”

“It’s a stupid reason and I can’t believe she would go along with it.”

Arun’s tone was exasperated. “I know you don’t understand, but Rachel has understood about this since the beginning. Her understanding is the only thing that matters.”

“Then what do you need me for?” Zoe’s fingers drummed on her upper arms.

“Rachel doesn’t know yet that a date has been set.”

“Oh dear God. You want me to tell her?”

Arun sighed heavily. “No, of course not. This is something she needs to hear from me. I owe her that much.”

“You owe her a wedding ring, you spineless bastard.”

“Look, Zoe. You don’t have to understand this, and you don’t have to like me –“

“—Good! Because I don’t!”

“This is the way things are going to be. I’m going to go tell her tonight.”

“I don’t care how much she says she understands, Arun. This is going to devastate her.”

“I know. That’s why she’s going to need you.” Arun looked at her sadly. “Once I tell her, I’m going to have to go. This is all happening in just a couple of weeks and I think it’s better for everyone if I stay away until it’s done.”

“Mostly better for you.”

“This isn’t easy for me, Zoe. I love Rachel. I’ve loved her half of my life. My child – our child, is growing inside her right now. I want to be with her every minute of every day until the last breath leaves my body, but I can’t.”

“I don’t get it!”

“I know you don’t. Just know that this is happening. I’m going to go over there and tell her tonight. She’ll be brave while I’m there, but once I leave she’s going to need you. I know you love her and I know you’ll want to be there for her.”

Zoe regarded him for a long moment. She felt sad, resigned. She could only imagine how Rachel was going to feel. She nodded. “Of course I’ll be there for her.”

“Good.” He breathed a deep sigh of relief. “I’ve got to be going.”

Zoe nodded, then followed him out.  She drove around for a while, then found a cafe just two blocks from Rachel’s apartment.

She positioned herself on a corner stool and played with a piece of banana cream pie, watching the street outside while her coffee grew cold. 

Arun’s car drove by at the same time her cell phone started vibrating on the counter top.  She flipped it open and said “I’ll be there in two minutes.”