Nothing good can come of this. (Chapter 1)

1

Kate was looking for something in the bedroom. Sam could hear the occasional grunt and soft curse, “I’ll be there in just a minute”, she shouted from down the hall towards the living room.

“No Hurry” said Sam trying to sound casual but he was pulling out his cell phone as he said it and began to text, gonna B L8 he typed in and hit send and pocketed it again.

“Actually, I needed to talk to you before we went out” said Sam.

Kate was hopping down the hall trying to pull on a sandal on her other foot extended out behind here.  She had to reach out for the corner of the wall on the last step to steady herself. The look on Sam’s face wasn’t what she was expecting. Instant dread washed over her and she knew immediately what he was going to say.  She stopped moving, and looked up to the corner of the room. “Already” she thought to herself, but I thought it was good” The last 3 words moved from thought to speech.

All Sam heard was “it was good”  

Sam, who was actually busy pulling a ticket stub out of his pocket didn’t see any of the body language coming from a girl in love. A girl believing she was about to be rejected. When he did look up Kate had turned away and was wiping a tear out of the corner of her eye. “What?” he asked absently.

“I thought it was all good!” whispered Kate.

“Oh, ah yeah, yes it is” said Sam quietly, not really sure what he was agreeing to starting to feel uneasy.

“Is something the matter,” Sam asked?

“You tell me!” snapped Kate.

“Huh, what? Wait.” I’m confused said Sam. “I wanted to show you something,” he said as he held out the piece of paper.

Kate had no interest at what Sam was holding, all Kate wanted to do was grab her coat and leave, saving at least some dignity, but it was draped over the couch which was exactly where Sam was standing. She had to walk toward him. As she got closer she looked at the upturned hand and could see the ticket that lay across it.

“What’s that she asked? Reaching for her coat.

“This is what I wanted to talk to you about” said Sam.

Kate had her coat in hand, and was heading for the door, “come on, we’re going to be late!”

Sam made a weak protest but could see he was in no position to argue and as he hesitated he the automatic door closing mechanism was already following the footsteps Kate made as she rushed down the hallway.

Sam stuffed the ticket into his pocket and picked up his coat. He looked around the room. The floor to ceiling glass panels along the south western side of their condo reminded Sam of a suite in the Delta hotel in downtown Vancouver. Probably why he liked it, it always had the illusion of being on holiday to some degree. This let the golden warm light of early evening sunlight wash its way up the north wall which was the dining area that was defined by a simple tan corduroy couch at the edge of the living room. Last night’s dishes sat in the sink of the kitchen, although he couldn’t actually see them he thought about it. The case that held the guitar lay across the ottoman, open with the guitar resting peacefully inside once again. Turning on his heel, the rest of the room had a shower door haze quality and it wouldn’t be until he bent down to grab his coat that he would looked down and realize his eyes had filled with tears. 

He wouldn’t be back here again. He had no idea how he knew it but it was as real as anything he had ever felt. He pulled out ticket once more and read the numbers out load to himself.  Five, four, zero, one, four, he thought that hearing them would somehow make them magically give them meaning. No such luck. He grabbed his keys accidentally clipping he edge of the copper bowl. A soft metallic ringing filled the empty space and held on long after Sam had locked the door and met Kate at the elevator.