The Straw that Broke the Camel's Heart
by
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“After I do my teeth I’m going to take a splash,” she said as she fumbled in her luggage for her toothbrush.
“Okay. I think I’ll do that, too,” Paul answered. Early in their relationship Paul had thought it odd that Michelle always said she was going to “do” her teeth instead of brush them. He had later discovered why her smile was so bright and why she had no fear of the dentist. Paul also noticed that he began to become more tooth conscious after they started spending more time together.
Michelle finished her tooth ritual and had once again started looking through her suitcase for sleep wear. Finding what she needed, she went back into the bathroom. Moments later Paul heard her turn on the shower. As Paul looked toward the bathroom door that she had left slightly open, the bathroom went dark. The harsh fluorescent brilliance had been replaced by a soft glow that he could barely distinguish with the lamp in the bedroom turned on. He quickly turned the light off and let his eyes adjust. The glow was a little brighter now and seemed to be flickering. Paul walked over to get a better look. On the counter by the sink two scented candles were burning. They put off enough light so he could see what was going on but not enough to be obtrusive. “Nice touch,” he said through the slightly opened door.
“Thank you. I hoped you would like it. Do you do backs?”
“Fronts, too,” he replied, “and all points in between.”
Over the sound of the splashing water he heard Michelle say in a soft, shy voice, “Then, why don’t you do mine?”
Seconds later Michelle saw a shadow moving across the room and the shower door slid open. As Paul stepped in and closed the door, he whispered, “Don’t mind if I do.” As the warm water splashed on the two of them, he turned to face Michelle and pulled her close.
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About the Book
This is a story that covers a several year period of the life of Michelle, the main character. While it begins in the present, it is primarily a “flashback” story that tells how she got to where she presently is. The main theme setting begins when Michelle is 29 years of age and follows several events that impact her life.
Michelle is an athletic minded woman who works in an office complex and she tries to maintain her appearance. In spite of her efforts to make her marriage work, it starts to collapse and none of her efforts to salvage it works. She gets a real life blow when she finds out that her husband left her so he could be with one of his male friends. This event sets up a downward spiral that that causes her to ponder many questions about herself, life, and love. She does what she can to put life on hold and avoid new relationships because she views love as a very personal thing and no one has ever respected the love she offered.
After her vacation and returning to work, an opportunity arises for Michelle to give her attacker a lesson in life and do it while at the office. Though getting Larry’s undivided attention for a few minutes while he was learning his lesson, Michelle is still overly affected by the cumulative effects of the blows of life. She falls victim to an unending, bipolar loop film inside her head that pulls her deeper and deeper into a reality distortion. Now, at the end of her emotional rope, she can’t see through the night to morning.
About the Author
A former educator and personnel manager, J. Gunter has spent the past 24 years in aviation. During this period of time J. has taught numerous people to fly and has amassed several thousand flight hours in various types of airplanes ranging from simple two seaters to corporate jets. While acquiring two degrees from a major university, J. discovered the pleasure of writing and already has another project in progress. Other than business and academic writing, J.’s past writing interest has primarily involved essays and poetry. This is a first attempt at a work of this length.