Wide Open Spaces

Nothing Where Something Used To Be

There are loud noises coming from the kitchen and it wakes Lindsey up from a restless sleep. He pulls on a robe and walks down the hallway, thinking he will find Stevie banging around. He looks at the clock on the way, realizing it's much too early for her. He walks into the room to see a half dressed man, bent over, digging through the lower cabinets.

"Can I help you?" Lindsey asks, crossing his arms.

"I wanted to make Stevie coffee, but I couldn't find the cups"

"Upper right cabinet closest to the sink. Hers are all the hand painted ones. She likes the big one the best" he says.

"Cool" Brock says.

"She likes Folgers. Cream, not milk."

"I guess I'm going to need to know that"

"I guess you will" Lindsey stands in silence for a moment, watching this bumbling idiot try and figure out their coffee maker. "Just let me do it" Brock steps aside and Lindsey goes about making the perfect cup of coffee. He's done it for years.

"Thanks" Brock says sarcastically. "I don't even know why you're still here"

"Excuse me?"

"Thirteen years of just hanging out, being with the kids and not with a smokin hot lady like that? What made you stay? Are you that much of a sap?"

"Stevie and I work and frankly, it's none of your business"

"Not well enough though. And it is my business. I'm going to be marrying her in a few months"

"Lucky you!"

"Damn right I'm lucky. You're jealous of me, you have been since she mentioned me. I have everything she needs and more."

"That's great, Brock. I'm not interested in talking further. Here is her coffee, have a good day" Lindsey says, walking away. Trying to keep from decking him was the hardest thing he has ever done. He hated him, how he treated Stevie, how he wasn't that interested in the kids except when he needed to be. He was like a child himself in action, he never grew up and it showed.

"No, wait" Brock says, grabbing Lindsey's arm. "We need to talk, dude"

"I'm not interested in talking, dude. I've helped you enough"

"You haven't done anything. So you made a cup of coffee, big whoop!"

"You couldn't do it, so I wouldn't call it nothing."

"Fuck you. You're always doing shit like this"

"What?! I barely know you!"

"Everything in her world revolves around you and what you want. You're her Jolene"

"So you're begging me not to take her from you or something? You're nuts."

"She literally talks about you in her sleep. She smiles when you walk in the room. You're messing up a good thing here"

"We divorced twelve years ago! If I get in your way, what you have isn't so great" Lindsey says with a condescending laugh. He's so close to letting him have it.