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Alice locked up The Register after clocking out. She had her phone pressed to her ear and her hand on the doorknob. She was trying to call Hal to ask him about the article on his desk. Her eye rolls were loud enough to state her annoyance for his inability to pick up the phone. "Dammit Hal," Alice muttered to herself. "Why do you have a phone if you're not going to answer it?"
She shoved her phone into her purse and walked to her car. She pulled down the sun visor and opened the mirror flap. She looked directly at herself. Her eyes looked tired and her hair had flown back with the wind outside. She fixed her hair slightly and pushed the sun visor back up. She turned the ignition on and began her drive home. She thought about the final drafts of articles she had to revise before her deadline next week. She spent a lot of time at the office this week so she gave herself the rest of the day off. She finished a hefty amount of work prior to today so she believed a break was well deserved.
Hal was at a journalism conference meeting with other writers for the day so Alice was surprised to see him home early. His car was parked in front of the house so she parked across the street. She stepped out of the car and waltzed over to the front door. She unlocked the door and took a step in. She almost tripped over one of his shoes that was in the way. "Dammit Hal do you ever-" Alice was yelling as she crouched down to pick it up. She stopped mid-sentence when she spotted heels. She knew they didn't belong to her, or Betty for that matter. She picked it up and examined it. They looked pricey. "Harold?" Alice was fuming. She was starting to catch on to what was going on. She stomped up the steps to their shared bedroom bearing herself for the worse. She could hear the moaning on the other side of the door. Her heart sank. She couldn't believe he would do this to her. She couldn't believe the man would a respectable reputation would be doing this to her.
She pushed the door open to reveal the scene. Hal was laying naked on their bed with Penelope. Alice was disgruntled and disgusted. Hal saw her and covered himself and Penelope up. Alice was trying her best to stay strong. She didn't want to break down in tears like she was in the inside. "You and that troll?" Alice glared at him. "You'd do this to me, especially with her!" Alice pointed at Penelope.
"Alice," Hal said but she cut him off.
"Don't Alice me!" Alice yelled at him. "You disgusting pig!" She then squinted her eyes at Penelope. "And you!" She pointed a stern finger at her. "You ten cent half melted troll pop, my husband? In my house?"
"I keep my men satisfied unlike you," Penelope rolled her eyes at her.
"Your incest is a total joke. Your own cousin? As if you two weren't already Blossom enough."
"Alice," Hal stood up with the covers. Alice scoffed and stormed off. Hal quickly put something on and followed his wife down. "Alice!" He watched her walk out the house.
"Leave me alone!"
"Alice, come back!" Hal was trying to talk to her. "Where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here, the cauldron of betrayal." Alice slammed her car door shut. Hal went up to her window trying to get her to roll it down but she drove away. Alice drove to the one place where she knew she would be listened to and feel cared about. She was going to FP. She hasn't talked to him in a very long time so she was nervous yet knew he was her comfort.
She pushed his trailer door open and let herself in. She stood there looking for him. It was a small place so he had to be somewhere in there. She took a few steps in and couldn't see him. FP was coming in behind her. "Al?" The mention of his old nickname for her made her heart flutter. He sets down the bag he had in his hand and walked up to her with open arms. He already knew she needed a hug. Her tears wiped off against his shirt. He knew something was wrong. "What happened?"
Alice was too ashamed to tell him but she knew she was safe to tell him. She feared his response in the sense he would tell her that he was right but that's not what he did. "He slept with another woman. He's been having an affair behind my back."
FP hugged her tighter to show her he was there for her. She felt safe in his arms. "The bastard doesn't deserve you. If he's too stupid to see how beautiful you are. How fantastic and intelligent you are then that's his problem." He put a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I know I made that mistake once and I was even more stupid for letting you go."
"You're not stupid," She mumbled against his body. "I left you behind."
"But if I was smart enough to prove to you how much I loved you then I would have stopped you from going to him." FP melancholically said. "You deserved the world. I thought he would give it to you but I was wrong and I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be the one apologizing."
"Someone has to apologize to you. You have been through some hell and you need the apologies from the world." FP said.
"What I need is you," Alice stated confidently. FP went in for a kiss and it sparked up an old flame. He cupped her face and pulled away to look at her. "I haven't gone anywhere." FP walked over to the couch. He sat down and gestured for her to sit next to him. She did and even snuggled up against him. His arms around her kept her secure. "You need to be given the love you deserve."
