Archie glared at the small group at the end of the lounge. He thought,
that slimy sod Brian is all over Trudy. She is laughing at something he said now and she is really finding his conversation entertaining- she had thrown her head back in amusement, she hasn’t laughed with me like that for a long time. -When did we stop laughing together? We used to find the same things funny and enjoyed a comedy film, or play. Now she was back at work, we hardly go out at all. Why was that? Did it have anything to do with sleaze ball?
She went back to work for a new company, and she had settled in well, staying behind for drinks on Friday, which was the only full day she worked. Two half days and one full day. She was doing a hell of a lot of prep with the kids and the house to keep up with the chores, but she always liked to be organised.
I am going to punch Brian on the nose. She is my wife; the mother of my kids and she worked very hard for them and for him. I am going to stop her laughing at the slime puff ball that was Brian. Obviously, I don’t like the way I am thinking about Trudy being his, or even mine, like a possession, but I want to put my rival off.
If Archie could read Brian’s thoughts, he would punch him harder,
I can feel Archie’s eyes on me, but that’s not my fault. I am not doing anything wrong, just enjoying a chat with a beautiful woman, who is laughing at my jokes. There is no law against that. She seems an intelligent woman and able to contribute an opinion to my comments, she clearly understood the premise upon what I am talking. Not like some women, who laughed and then laughed louder, when I validate my point. She refused to allow me to use the same argument for proposing and then backing up my theory. She put forward one of her own. Clearly and logically, with an acceptable valid point of support for her suggestion. I am in danger of losing the argument if I’m not more flexible in my discussion methods. I need to pull on my school debating experience. “The strongest and most irrefutable evidence is first hand and supported by further evidential types” just popped into my head. I didn’t even know that I knew that.
Oh, woopsie. My face has gone from intelligently interested to besotted and dim -it’s because I am trying to think of two things at once. I can feel the slackening of my jaw and that is never a good sign I turn around to look at the people behind me, hoping for some distraction. By the. time I turn around, Archie is right in front of me. With his arm around Trudy and his face belligerently up to mine. I step back; his breath smells of beer and fishy canapes. Trudy is standing wide eyed and she is cross with him. That’s one thing anyway. Doesn’t look like he will get laid tonight. A big smile appears on my face, just as I feel Archie’s rock-hard punch break my nose.
