Ryan Lance Writing Prompt 03-09-2015

A Raise to Dread

Randall got a raise today. He would like to be happy about it but isn’t.

Randall and his ex-wife have been fighting for weeks over her alimony payments. She wants more money, it’s always about more money. He tries to get across to her that he doesn’t have it to give her.

They were both smitten with each other when they were in seniors in high school. She was the first girl he had ever dated. Randall was aware that many of the other boys in his class wanted to date her but she was dating him, exclusively, and he was proud. So very proud.

His mother warned him time after time, “Watch out for those pretty ones, son. They’ll get you in the end.”

Randall didn’t believe her for a minute. Not Elaina, she was beautiful and sweet and everything he wanted in a girl. Six months after their high school graduation, they were married.

That was five years ago, and now they are divorced. Maybe it was because Randall couldn’t make enough money to keep her happy. Or maybe she just stopped loving him. Didn’t really matter to him anymore. You don’t count chickens that don’t hatch.

Whenever he even thinks about her his head starts pounding, like a hammer that’s timed with the second hand of the clock.

Finally, with trembling hands, he picks up the phone and dials her number to give her the news she craves and he dreads.

—————————————————————————

Ryan Lance’s Writing Prompt:

Write a scene about an increase in pay that someone is not looking forward to.

—————————————————————————-

 

Advertisement