Let's go for a ride. (A collection of short stories)

A man named Mark

The night was blustery and cold. Mark had just gotten off work and was on his way home to his young family. Mark is no spectacular man. A man of 6'3 one hundred eighty-seven pounds and thirty years of age, He works in an office like most men, married his high school sweetheart who's now expecting child, thinking about buying a home in the suburbs. Mark like all men drive a nice car and wear nice clothes, watches football and roots for his home state. The wind was howling as mark drove though the pelting rain. Mark saw the apartment building with most of the lights on and people laughing and talking. Mark pulled into the parking lot. Turned off the car and got his brief case and pulled his sweater over his head which he had only stated wearing because the days were easing into fall. The rain drenched Mark's sweater and his glasses were sliding to the pavement below. He ran but not fast. He pulled the keys out of his trousers and smiled. He could almost feel the warmth of the building. He climbed the stairs to the little apartment he bought at the end of grad school.

"Mark is that you?" Peggy asked

Peggy was Marks wife of two years. They started dating as sophomores in high school. Peggy's family had just moved there and Mark was the first person to smile at her. Peggy was a small woman of 5'2 and a hundred and twenty pounds. She smiles nonstop and is a busy body. She must know what everyone is doing at that moment. Peggy was now five months pregnant with her first child and was enjoying the experience greatly. She loved being married. She enjoyed living with Mark in his tiny apartment. She hadn't changed anything about it, she liked his choice in furniture and she thought it would make him more comfortable if she didn't change anything.

"Yea it's me" Mark said as he took off his shoes.

He set the brief case down on the table Peggy had put there it was the only thing she changed. As he was taking his wet socks off. Peggy walked out of the kitchen.

"You're all wet" She said trying to take his sweater off

"Well it's raining pretty badly out there. I'm glad I didn't get in an accident" He joked

"Mark! Don't joke like that" she huffed "Go take those wet clothes off and take a shower to warm yourself up, dinner will be ready when you get out"

"Okay" Mark smiled at the small woman and rubbed her belly and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water. He took off the damp clothes and stepped into the scolding water.

"Aa. Shit" Mark whispered as he turned the cold water on.

The water cooled down and he began to cool his flaming skin. He felt for his towel. He grabbed it and stepped out into the warm steam filled bathroom. He felt a chill on his neck. A chill so deep his bones rattled against his mussels and he felt he was going to freeze to death. As soon as it came it went away. He found a stack of clothing on the toilet of the bathroom. He smiled at how neat Peggy had laid everything with the exception of his underwear were sitting on top, unfolded. One thing he found funny. She had laid out his pajamas. He found his glasses on the floor they were cold. 'They surely would have been foggy if they were in this heat' he thought to himself. He got an unnerving feeling deep down in his stomach. Mark got dressed and thought nothing more of it.

"Are you warm" Peggy asked taking off the apron to reveal a blue dress pulled tight by the growing belly.

"Yea nice and toasty, the pajamas was a nice touch"

"Glad you're warm. She handed him a plate and as she sat down and dished out some of the salad she made.

Mark looked at his is wife lovingly. Mark was excited about the baby. He loved rubbing his wife's belly in the evenings when they would both read comfortably. He was excited about weekend trips to his mothers, or to the museum, or to the zoo and explain to the child what everything meant. Mark was a quiet man but he loved to learn about new things so that for when the chance arose he would be able to teach someone about it or give small but valuable insight.