Prison Break
Sara had been getting no sleep since Michael left her two weeks ago. She still didn’t know what happened, but she knew she loved him and wanted him back. She was a good attorney; she could figure this out.
She jerked hangers back and forth in her closet with an angry scrape but nothing appeared that would do. She tossed clothes from her drawers. Finally in the back of the closet in a box labeled “to donate” she found an old band t-shirt and a ratty pair of jeans that would work.
She dressed in her pretty underwear. Michael’s favorite because who said she couldn’t fight dirty. Then she put on the old clothes that fit her like a glove and were so soft. She slid a hand down her own ass, yeah, real nice. These will work.
Michael would take her back if he could just see she could fit in with his family. She slipped on her tennis shoes and put her hair in a pony tail.
Sara slipped on her oldest jacket and grabbed her keys and her purse and closed her door behind her. She took a cab to the bowling alley where she knew Michael, Linc and V bowled every week. She used to go there to, but never this causally dressed.
She went in and got her a pair of bowling shoes.
She got a lane and a beer.
Finally, she was ready.
She bowled two frames before they came in. She was so nervous she almost spilt her beer. She watched as they stood at the counter so close they bumped each other but they were all smiles and laughter. How could they laugh when she was falling apart?! She bowled a gutter ball. This was not going to help. She took a breath and felt the ball in her hand. She pictured the throw. She stepped up and down the lane it went. A split. Still, better than a gutter ball.
She went back to her seat and took another drink they were 4 lanes away getting their shoes on. She took another steadying breath and stepped up to the line. She threw the ball, watched it as it rolled down the lane then turned careful not to face them just yet, and took a gulp of the beer. She took up the bowling ball. She only had one left standing that time. She could do this.
Then Michael was there. Right up in her space with a fierce whisper, “The hell you doing, Sara?!”
She almost got lost in his eyes, but looked down at his clinched fists and said “I’m bowling. Why?”
“I can see that, Sara. Why are you here? You hate bowling! And you knew we were goin to be here!”
Sara took a breath and looked back at Michael, “I don’t hate bowling and yes, I knew you would be here.” She relaxed her shoulders, “I miss you, Michael…Mikey.”
Michael rubbed his hand over his short hair and sighed, “Sara, it isn’t gonna work. We just don’t fit.”
“How, Michael?” she asked. “How don’t we fit?” She stepped up against him. He took a quick breath and stepped back. “I can fix it,” she said. “Whatever is wrong, I can fix it.”
Michael looked to where Linc and V were watching with concern. Sara didn’t dare look over, she was too afraid she would see hate in their eyes.
“You can’t fix this, Sara. Please, go back to your apartment.”
“It’s our apartment, Michael, and I don’t want to be there without you. Please. I can do anything, but I can’t do that.”
Michael sighed. Again. He said, “Wait here,” and he left to go talk to Linc and V. Sara legs were shaking so badly she sat down hard enough to wobble the seat a little. She took another deep breath and a drink of beer. She would make this work.
She looked at her bowling ball then at the pins. She had even forgotten what she had scored on last throw.
There was one lone pen standing at the end of the lane.
“I don’t want to be one lone pen,” she thought to herself. She rubbed her hands on the sides of her legs to get rid of the sweat. She got up and took up the bowling ball. She threw it and knocked the pin down with a smack. She turned to see Michael walking toward her.
He stepped up to her and said “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
No, Michael,” she said firmly. “I want to be here with you. You and Linc and V. My family.”
“You don’t know what you’re sayin, Sara, please.”
“Please Michael, let me stay? I…the apartment is to big and lonely.” She stepped closer to Michael. “I miss you. Please.”
Michael rubbed his head again and said, “Suit yourself. We can just leave….”
“No!” Sara said grabbing his arm. The warm skin made her tingle like it always had, but she quickly let go.
“I’ll go. You stay and have fun,” Sara tried not to tear up as she quickly turned her head and sat down. She began to remove her shoe and Michael stepped away. Sara was brokenhearted and confused. She had tried to show Michael she could fit in with him and his family but he didn’t want her here.
He was willing to walk away yet again to be rid of her.
Oh how that fact sat hard in the pit of her stomach.
She changed the shoe on her other foot and Michael stepped back up. Linc and V say you can join us if you want, but I will take you home after we are done bowling tonight. And you won’t come back here again. You hear me?” He warned.
Sara smiled up at him, and then looked over at Linc & V who were watching.
“Thank you, I really….” she swallowed. “I really don’t want to be alone.”
Michael looked at her sadly” I am sorry Sara, but I wont be staying with you there. Not tonight. Not ever again.”
Sara stood up and touched Michael on his cheek, “I don’t care where we are, just as long as I’m with you. I don’t need a fancy place on the Upper East Side, Michael, I just need you.”
Michael hung his head and said, “You don’t, but come on and bowl a game before I take you back.”
“Just, don’t take me back, please. I…” Sara caught the look on Michael’s face and knew she had better stop when she was ahead. “Just promise you will think about it?”
Michael nodded his head and helped her gather her things.
She followed Michael to the counter to move her game over to their lanes and then followed Michael to their booth.
“Hi,” V said welcoming Sara to their spot in the bowling alley. “I’m glad you came.”
Sara looked at V in the eye and seen her concern. She was filled with relief. “Thank you for having me”.
Linc just looked at them both and sat down to tie his shoes. He didn’t look her way again for a long time.
Sara sat down beside of V and began to change back into the bowling alley’s shoes.
Michael sat Sara’s beer on the table and said “I’ll go get us some bears. Be right back.”
Sara watched him go and then V’s hand was on her arm. She glanced down at it, elegant and natural. No polish, but they still looked nice. Then she looked back up at V.
“I am really glad you came.” she said again then she looked at Linc. “Nice to be with another girl sometimes.”
Linc grunted and got up. He took his ball and got ready to throw.
V settled back against the seat leaning close to Sara.
By the time Michael came back with the beers it was his turn and Sara’s game had been added to their two lanes.
Sara really had nothing to do but watch while Michael, Linc and V caught up to her game. She watched Michael with hungry eyes. She had missed him terribly, even now she felt starved for the sight of him.
V sat close to her and chatted about shoes, and the butcher and nothing really. Just like Sara had been there with them all along. Sara thought maybe it was a peace offering; a truce for thinking she was having an affair with her husband.
Finally Sara couldn’t take it anymore and said “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’m sorry,” and dammit if a tear didn’t threaten to fall. She looked away quickly and willed it to go away.
Michael sighed.
V laid her hand on Sara’s arm and said, “It wasn’t you specifically, it was…”
Linc growled and Sara’s stomach flipped over. Her eyes flew to his but he was looking at V.
“It was no one’s fault,” she said. “These things happen.”
Sara looked to V then back to Linc.
“What things? I don’t even know what happened to end my marriage!” Sara lowered her voice, “I still love Micha…Mikey just as much as the day I met him!”
“I’m sitting right here,” Michael said. “I can hear you.”
No one answered her so she continued,” So if I am happy with Mic…Mike but it’s over then he’s not happy with me…and I can fix that. I will do anything….”
V laid her hand, all soft and warm on her arm and said “Anything?”
“V” Linc growled and V removed her hand.
Sara knew a life line when she heard it. “Yes! Yes, anything!”
Michael said “’M right here.”
Linc said “I need more than beer!”
V said “Come home with us.”
Linc and Michael exclaimed “What?!”
Sara said “Yes, thank you!”
Michael sighed. Again.
Linc said “I don’t think that would be a good idea, V.”
Sara looked at Linc glaring at her and at Michael who had slid down in his seat turning pink. Oh, now wasn’t *that* a good look on him?
Sara turned to glare at Linc, “So, it’s you who doesn’t want me in Michael’s life?!”
Finally Linc looked at her and with a snarl said, “Don’t go putting words in my mouth fancy lawyer lady! This is between you can Michael,” he looked over at V and said, Just like I been saying; either it works or it don’t.”
“I. Can. Hear. You.” leaning in, Michael enunciates in a hard whisper. “And so can half the bowling alley!” He looked at Sara and said, “See, this is what I didn’t want to happen! And I didn’t want it to happen here most!” He cringed at the stairs he was getting.
Sara just focused on his lips and his words bounced around the edge of her brain but before she could catch them they were gone.
She jerked hangers back and forth in her closet with an angry scrape but nothing appeared that would do. She tossed clothes from her drawers. Finally in the back of the closet in a box labeled “to donate” she found an old band t-shirt and a ratty pair of jeans that would work.
She dressed in her pretty underwear. Michael’s favorite because who said she couldn’t fight dirty. Then she put on the old clothes that fit her like a glove and were so soft. She slid a hand down her own ass, yeah, real nice. These will work.
Michael would take her back if he could just see she could fit in with his family. She slipped on her tennis shoes and put her hair in a pony tail.
Sara slipped on her oldest jacket and grabbed her keys and her purse and closed her door behind her. She took a cab to the bowling alley where she knew Michael, Linc and V bowled every week. She used to go there to, but never this causally dressed.
She went in and got her a pair of bowling shoes.
She got a lane and a beer.
Finally, she was ready.
She bowled two frames before they came in. She was so nervous she almost spilt her beer. She watched as they stood at the counter so close they bumped each other but they were all smiles and laughter. How could they laugh when she was falling apart?! She bowled a gutter ball. This was not going to help. She took a breath and felt the ball in her hand. She pictured the throw. She stepped up and down the lane it went. A split. Still, better than a gutter ball.
She went back to her seat and took another drink they were 4 lanes away getting their shoes on. She took another steadying breath and stepped up to the line. She threw the ball, watched it as it rolled down the lane then turned careful not to face them just yet, and took a gulp of the beer. She took up the bowling ball. She only had one left standing that time. She could do this.
Then Michael was there. Right up in her space with a fierce whisper, “The hell you doing, Sara?!”
She almost got lost in his eyes, but looked down at his clinched fists and said “I’m bowling. Why?”
“I can see that, Sara. Why are you here? You hate bowling! And you knew we were goin to be here!”
Sara took a breath and looked back at Michael, “I don’t hate bowling and yes, I knew you would be here.” She relaxed her shoulders, “I miss you, Michael…Mikey.”
Michael rubbed his hand over his short hair and sighed, “Sara, it isn’t gonna work. We just don’t fit.”
“How, Michael?” she asked. “How don’t we fit?” She stepped up against him. He took a quick breath and stepped back. “I can fix it,” she said. “Whatever is wrong, I can fix it.”
Michael looked to where Linc and V were watching with concern. Sara didn’t dare look over, she was too afraid she would see hate in their eyes.
“You can’t fix this, Sara. Please, go back to your apartment.”
“It’s our apartment, Michael, and I don’t want to be there without you. Please. I can do anything, but I can’t do that.”
Michael sighed. Again. He said, “Wait here,” and he left to go talk to Linc and V. Sara legs were shaking so badly she sat down hard enough to wobble the seat a little. She took another deep breath and a drink of beer. She would make this work.
She looked at her bowling ball then at the pins. She had even forgotten what she had scored on last throw.
There was one lone pen standing at the end of the lane.
“I don’t want to be one lone pen,” she thought to herself. She rubbed her hands on the sides of her legs to get rid of the sweat. She got up and took up the bowling ball. She threw it and knocked the pin down with a smack. She turned to see Michael walking toward her.
He stepped up to her and said “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
No, Michael,” she said firmly. “I want to be here with you. You and Linc and V. My family.”
“You don’t know what you’re sayin, Sara, please.”
“Please Michael, let me stay? I…the apartment is to big and lonely.” She stepped closer to Michael. “I miss you. Please.”
Michael rubbed his head again and said, “Suit yourself. We can just leave….”
“No!” Sara said grabbing his arm. The warm skin made her tingle like it always had, but she quickly let go.
“I’ll go. You stay and have fun,” Sara tried not to tear up as she quickly turned her head and sat down. She began to remove her shoe and Michael stepped away. Sara was brokenhearted and confused. She had tried to show Michael she could fit in with him and his family but he didn’t want her here.
He was willing to walk away yet again to be rid of her.
Oh how that fact sat hard in the pit of her stomach.
She changed the shoe on her other foot and Michael stepped back up. Linc and V say you can join us if you want, but I will take you home after we are done bowling tonight. And you won’t come back here again. You hear me?” He warned.
Sara smiled up at him, and then looked over at Linc & V who were watching.
“Thank you, I really….” she swallowed. “I really don’t want to be alone.”
Michael looked at her sadly” I am sorry Sara, but I wont be staying with you there. Not tonight. Not ever again.”
Sara stood up and touched Michael on his cheek, “I don’t care where we are, just as long as I’m with you. I don’t need a fancy place on the Upper East Side, Michael, I just need you.”
Michael hung his head and said, “You don’t, but come on and bowl a game before I take you back.”
“Just, don’t take me back, please. I…” Sara caught the look on Michael’s face and knew she had better stop when she was ahead. “Just promise you will think about it?”
Michael nodded his head and helped her gather her things.
She followed Michael to the counter to move her game over to their lanes and then followed Michael to their booth.
“Hi,” V said welcoming Sara to their spot in the bowling alley. “I’m glad you came.”
Sara looked at V in the eye and seen her concern. She was filled with relief. “Thank you for having me”.
Linc just looked at them both and sat down to tie his shoes. He didn’t look her way again for a long time.
Sara sat down beside of V and began to change back into the bowling alley’s shoes.
Michael sat Sara’s beer on the table and said “I’ll go get us some bears. Be right back.”
Sara watched him go and then V’s hand was on her arm. She glanced down at it, elegant and natural. No polish, but they still looked nice. Then she looked back up at V.
“I am really glad you came.” she said again then she looked at Linc. “Nice to be with another girl sometimes.”
Linc grunted and got up. He took his ball and got ready to throw.
V settled back against the seat leaning close to Sara.
By the time Michael came back with the beers it was his turn and Sara’s game had been added to their two lanes.
Sara really had nothing to do but watch while Michael, Linc and V caught up to her game. She watched Michael with hungry eyes. She had missed him terribly, even now she felt starved for the sight of him.
V sat close to her and chatted about shoes, and the butcher and nothing really. Just like Sara had been there with them all along. Sara thought maybe it was a peace offering; a truce for thinking she was having an affair with her husband.
Finally Sara couldn’t take it anymore and said “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’m sorry,” and dammit if a tear didn’t threaten to fall. She looked away quickly and willed it to go away.
Michael sighed.
V laid her hand on Sara’s arm and said, “It wasn’t you specifically, it was…”
Linc growled and Sara’s stomach flipped over. Her eyes flew to his but he was looking at V.
“It was no one’s fault,” she said. “These things happen.”
Sara looked to V then back to Linc.
“What things? I don’t even know what happened to end my marriage!” Sara lowered her voice, “I still love Micha…Mikey just as much as the day I met him!”
“I’m sitting right here,” Michael said. “I can hear you.”
No one answered her so she continued,” So if I am happy with Mic…Mike but it’s over then he’s not happy with me…and I can fix that. I will do anything….”
V laid her hand, all soft and warm on her arm and said “Anything?”
“V” Linc growled and V removed her hand.
Sara knew a life line when she heard it. “Yes! Yes, anything!”
Michael said “’M right here.”
Linc said “I need more than beer!”
V said “Come home with us.”
Linc and Michael exclaimed “What?!”
Sara said “Yes, thank you!”
Michael sighed. Again.
Linc said “I don’t think that would be a good idea, V.”
Sara looked at Linc glaring at her and at Michael who had slid down in his seat turning pink. Oh, now wasn’t *that* a good look on him?
Sara turned to glare at Linc, “So, it’s you who doesn’t want me in Michael’s life?!”
Finally Linc looked at her and with a snarl said, “Don’t go putting words in my mouth fancy lawyer lady! This is between you can Michael,” he looked over at V and said, Just like I been saying; either it works or it don’t.”
“I. Can. Hear. You.” leaning in, Michael enunciates in a hard whisper. “And so can half the bowling alley!” He looked at Sara and said, “See, this is what I didn’t want to happen! And I didn’t want it to happen here most!” He cringed at the stairs he was getting.
Sara just focused on his lips and his words bounced around the edge of her brain but before she could catch them they were gone.