The Gemini: Emancipation

10 - Purge

May 1994

Jody stared at her panties that lay on the bedroom floor. She doesn't know where her bra is. The amethyst colored lingerie is a favorite of her husband's. He gifted it on her birthday. Another happy memory erased.

A quarter past seven, she lay here under gray linen thinking over her committed sin, wishing she had a hangover to blame it on. But a conscious mind put her here, she knew everything she was doing last night. Now she's waiting for that feeling to show up. The one telling her how stupid she is. Its delay bothered her. Oddly Jody doesn't feel anything.

"Morning."

Quietly she responded to Tommy's sleepy greeting. "Hey."

The cover fell away as she sat up. She's wearing his t-shirt. A wave of modesty caused her to slip it on last night before sleep took her.

"I'm kinda surprised you're still here."

"My plane lands at 8."

The one she's supposed to be on, that is. She told Roger when she'd be back. Right now Jody wished to leave again. Though the feeling of stupid hasn't surfaced, a strange sort of fear fluttered at the thought of going home.

Seeing her pensive state, Tommy asked, "Is this awkward?"

"Me cheating on my husband with a guy who I once cheated on with my husband? No."

It's sarcasm. A very sad irony. The longer she thought about it, the more it annoyed her. She couldn't be here any longer.

Modesty continuing, Jody inched out of bed making sure the length of his shirt keep her covered. After getting her underwear on she moved more freely collecting the rest of her clothes.

"Am I going to see you again?"

Pants on. With her back to him, she hooked up her bra, afterwards tossing his shirt onto the bed.

"Paisley's got a couple hallways. I'm sure I'll pass by you at some point."

"What about outside of the halls?"

"You mean am I done ruining my marriage." She spoke as a correction for him and an undercover berating of self.

"If you wanna say it that way," Tommy replied. "Yeah."

The new selfishness that's infiltrated him, Jody found it amusing, though not enough to gain a laugh. Not like she could do that right now anyway. She's realized why she doesn't feel regret. She's numb.

Dressed. All of her belongings in tact, Jody exited the room. Her last words being the answer to his wanting.

"I don't know."

September 1996

Roger knelt in front of Jody, steadily trying to calm her down. She didn't accept his touch at first, but that didn't stop him from overriding her stubbornness. She's in the middle of a panic attack and there's no way he's going to leave her alone.

"Baby, look at me." he spoke as calmly as he could.

The sight of her experiencing such distress freaked him out. He's seen her in the height of labor pains, but this is different than that. At least then he knew she was strongly battling through. Right now every ounce of that strength is zapped. She's given up.

Holding onto one hand, Roger placed her other on his chest and instructed her to mimic his slow rise and fall.

"Like me, alright? Look up here at me."

He wanted to keep their eyes focused, thinking that doing so would keep Jody from concentrating on everything else.

Crying orbs connected with his. "I'm sorry I'm not what you want me to be."