"Reality Strikes"

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Chapter 2 - Reality Strikes

Carson Cortez slammed the phone back on its craddle and stood up. He walked to the big window overlooking the Mediteranean Sea and tried to let the anger cool down.

What had happened to them?

No less than a year ago they seemed to be the happiest couple on earth after he had accepted this promotion to Europe. Sure, Christen had always dreamed of a more exotic destination, but for Carson, Spain was not only a great carreer move, it was also a way to connect with his past. He had reached the age when soul searching was more important than accumulating riches and goods. Clearly his wife had taken the latter path, and their marriage was now in danger.

"She needs a break?!"

Carson just could not believe she actually told him that. They moved into this beautiful home overseeing the sea, the heavenly view clear of any other structure, which is quite a feat in this part of Southern Cataluna. He tried to accomodate her over and over again, paying more attention to her every needs or by bringing more work home instead of staying in the office so late. He made sure they explored the back-country on off days. He even had the company remodel their study so he could conduct meetings and video conferences without being away from her and their daughter so often.

And now, despite all that, she needed a break! And she felt it was best to tell him from the airport!

How will he explain this to their daughter? Clearly Sabrina was just past her teen years and she understood that adults go through hard times in their relationships, but he would have to explain that her mom had simply called it "quit" for a while, she decided it was best for all of them that she just fly home and take a break from them.

After glancing at the massive clock on the eastern wall, Carson walked to the mini-bar and poured himself a Scotch. Sabrina would be back from school in a little more than an hour, so he carried his drink outside, passed the tall French doors and onto the terrace.

He sat down and tried to clear his mind. His eyes wandering about from the cumulo-nimbus clouds to the tall century-old trees to his left and finally settling down on a fishing boat in the distance. Carson followed its trail for a few minutes until it disappeared into a creek.

Christen and he had been through so much together that he had a hard time understanding how the past twenty years could mean so little now. She came from a well-off family, and though initially there were signs he was not always accepted because of his roots, for the most part he had shown that his hard work would compensate for his lack of lineage.

Christen was thrilled with the life on the run as a young couple, but the sudden arrival of Sabrina had forced them to settle down and become the average family. Moving up in the company had landed him a few promotions, often meaning they had to pack and move to other cities at a ridiculous pace.

At last, this last stop was meant to last, and with a chance to become the head of product development for all of Europe, Carson knew it meant their family could finally settle down, make permanent friends and enjoy life.

But Christen had become increasingly unhappy, spending more and more time americanizing their world rather than really trying to embrace the local culture and their new chapter in life as a couple, as a family. Sure, Carson could -and would- quit his job in a heartbeat if it guaranteed hapiness, but somehow he felt there was more to it.

After all, maybe they both needed a break, only she had decided to make it happen.

"Dad?"

Sabrina was home. Carson closed his eyes for a moment, trying to clear his mind of any negativity.

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