Title: No Companionship
remix author:
nnaylimeSummary: A look into the inner mind of Richard Adar’s wife. Though I’m telling this story in the 2nd person, I feel it necessary to note that in developing this character’s back story, I’ve named her Lisa.
Title, Author, & URL of the original story: A remix of
icedteainthebag’s story
If There are None, Travel Alone. It was beautifully written, and I chose to pick up where the verse she quoted at the beginning left off, and give voice to a character I’ve never explored before. I hope I’ve done the original justice.
Characters: Richard Adar, Mrs. Adar, and Laura Roslin
Spoilers: I don’t think there are any real spoilers beyond Epiphanies
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 510
Beta Thinks: I want to thank
averita for the beta.
There is no companionship with a fool
The Dhammapada
Richard’s lips brush over your cheek in a dry, chaste kiss, and you smile tightly while waving at the crowd.
Your husband has just been elected governor-Governor and Mrs. Adar, you practice the sound of it in your head. You have every reason in the world to celebrate.
He steps closer to you and whispers, “You could at least smile like you mean it.” He clasps your hand tightly and raises it in celebratory acknowledgment.
You try to widen your smile-every bit the dutiful spouse. This is Richard’s night, and it’s you who are on stage with him. Regardless of anything else that has happened, it is you to whom he comes home, and that’s what you ask him now-your joined hands still raised in triumph, “When can I expect you home tonight?” You know your nails are digging into his skin. You don’t care.
In fact, you relish the idea that you might be hurting him. You hope that it is at least a fraction of how much he’s hurt you.
You’re no fool. A late night here and there, you can overlook as being in the nature of his job. And, of course, given the environment of campaigns, it could even be expected that an enthusiastic constituent or two might be to credit for the unfamiliar perfume and lipstick stains that showed up on his dress shirts.
But when the late nights continued even during lulls in the campaign, and when you began to recognize the lipstick and perfume, you could no longer turn a blind eye. And when Richard brought some of his campaign staff home for dinner, you couldn’t help but notice that the vibrant charismatic redhead he called “Laura” wore a familiar mauvey-rose shade of lipstick and smelled like the osmanthus and sandalwood perfume that you’d come to recognize. It was a struggle for you to make eye-contact with her, to smile at her, but you did. After all, it wasn’t the first time this had happened, and you’re no fool. Things
As it continued, however, you had to admit that you’d never known one of his dalliances to be so long lasting.
But you are the one to whom he’s married.
You’re very lucky.
Aren’t you?
You have a name, though it’s his.
You have money, though it’s his.
You have access, through his connections.
If your marriage has long-since become one in name only, is it that bad? You have the trappings of the marriage, if not the companionship.
And as for companionship, it’s not like you can’t follow your husband’s lead and find it elsewhere.
And so as you stand next to your husband on stage, and watch him scan the crowd and give a barely perceptible nod in Laura Roslin’s direction. And as you see her blush in response, you begin to scan the crowd looking for a face familiar only to you and offer a slight nod and smile of your own to the young man who’s recently become your lover.
And not for the first time.
~finis~