The Word Cloud

A Housewife's Lament by Andrew Williams
 

Marie stood two steps away from the hallway door, her mind raced. Was today the day? Yes. It has to be, I've been a doormat for too long. Deep breaths, girl. Deep breaths. Marie pushed it open and entered the room, her husband Christopher was sitting on his chair, watching football on the television.

She coughed to draw his attention, "Chris, can you listen to me for a minute please? There's something I need to say." she said, as she stared towards the lump that was her husband. Nodding that he understood, Christopher picked up the television remote and pushed the mute button. His gaze remained transfixed to the television set.

With a silent gulp to bolster her courage, Marie began: "There's no easy way to say this. . . I'm sick of how you're always treating me like I'm nothing, worthless, as if I don't have feelings of my own. It's always about you, you, you. . . I give you everything! I've got nothing, all my time has been spent making sure you're OK. Doing all your cooking, cleaning, working full-time while you sit at home all day and only work weekends.

I know about the money & that girl you're sleeping with. How do you think that makes me feel; knowing that my husband was playing around with some girl half my age in the bedsheets which I cleaned & changed? You make me so mad, the money too. That was the money MY parents left us; we agreed it'd be spent on the kitchen and a few holidays. But you took that too, you always take everything from me. 

After everything you said about fixing your gambling problem, you somehow manage to blow almost one-hundred-thousand-pound in a month.
With nothing to show for it but my disgust," Christopher nodded his acknowledgement.

Marie's eyes watered, but she persisted: "Don't even bother wasting your time by denying any of it. Bianca & Beatrice saw you at the casino, they noticed how you were acting with that girl so they followed you to the bedsit where you spent the night with her. . . last week, you know, when you told me you were on a training course in Scotland?

You've drained every ounce of life out of me, it took so much courage for me to do this. . . but Chris, I'm leaving you."

A silence followed, one that lasted only twenty seconds but managed to multiply all the weight on Marie's already-heavily laden shoulders ten-fold.

Christopher placed his left hand on his forehead and sighed, "That wasn't off-side." he said.

"What?" said Marie.

"Robertson wasn't off-side," said Christopher.

"You've not been listening at all, have you?" said Marie.

"Sorry, what'd you say?" he said.

"Never mind, your tea'll be ready soon." she said as she left the room. Christopher picked up the remote and unmuted the television.