An inspired story pt4

'' Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll tried to remember the new song’s title as it started playing. Rock Chick hadn’t stopped smiling at him since she came his way. He had to reach over to his phone and hang up on his wife as she was trying to call again. She was trying to reach him to keep on rambling and shrieking hysterically in his ear, and he had enough of that for one night, that was for sure. He always thought that his wife’s voice had harmed his ears way worse than the music he used to listen to ever did.

“Shall we dance?” he asked.

Rock Chick looked at him questioningly, and the ring on her eyebrow lifted slightly. “Aren’t we dancing already?”

He grinned widely and closed his eyes, focusing on the soft jazz melody that was playing. He opened his eyes again and stretched his hands out, placing one on the small of her back and one on her waist.

“The song demands a dance like this,” he said as they started moving in slow circles, shifting their weight from one foot to another. He wondered if that was called cheating on his wife. He hadn’t kissed the woman or anything. Did it count is he thought of kissing those soft, red lips? He was just having a good time and dancing. Right? He wasn’t sure of what he felt for her. He knew that she’d be a wonderful match for him, but he was married. He had made a dreadful choice, and he’d have to live with it for the rest of his life, if nothing more than for the sake of his children. He was a child of divorced parents; he knew how it was. He didn’t want what he went through for his children as well. No, the twins would grow up in a real family, even if that’d cost his own personal happiness. They were number one in his life until they were safely out of their dwelling he tried to call home, but it was not truly a home and never would be as long as they lived in it together, miserable and without true love.

Rock Chick kept wondering if the night would turn into something more. She was in his hands and they were dancing, but he hadn’t made a move suggesting he’d kiss her. Should she lean closer? She was a first-move kind of person, but she knew this was also the perfect recipe for disaster. More than half of the guys she’d been with were just freaked out by her making the first move. She decided to give it a little more time. She laughed as they spun around, joking and talking, while song after song played.

“Aaaah, the twins love that song,” he said. He felt like a bucket of cold water was thrown on his head all of a sudden. Why had he said that? Why bring it up? As he expected, Rock Chick stood there, frozen, expecting more explanations.

“The twins?” she repeated, demanding some enlightening on the subject.

“I… I…” He stammered and fell silent, feeling at a loss of words.

“Just let me guess. You’re married. You have kids. Your wife’s a hysterical psycho bitch.”

He didn’t reply. He wanted to drop his hands to his sides, to let go of her, but he was immobilized, frozen there, hearing the harsh reality in the way Rock Chick saw the situation he was in. And she was right; she was oh so right about everything.

She lifted her hands, her eyes crystal and cold, unreadable. What was she thinking? He didn’t have a clue. As he saw her hands raising, he only imagined she’d slap him. He didn’t try to push away. He deserved it, both this slap and one more from his wife. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. To his surprise, he felt two cold hands on each side of his cheeks. Soft lips were slowly brushing over his. She was kissing him. Eagerly, he responded to her touch.

A war was taking place inside him.

What was he doing? Was he out of his mind? What about his wife? That was what the little angel on his left shoulder was asking, trying to crush his tiny harp on Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s head.

Who gives a crap for that lunatic wife of his? They aren’t far from divorce anyway! It’s just a matter of time, time enough for the twins to grow up! objected the little devil on his other shoulder, leaning against his black and red trident, evil grin crossing his face as he tapped his tiny foot.

Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s eyes flung open and he stood motionless, until Rock Chick looked up at him. She had done it. She made the first move, and it freaked him out. She knew it. Damn.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I… I can’t.” He slowly moved away, and fell heavily on the chair behind him. He noticed the bartender across the room looking at them curiously. As their eyes met, the bartender looked down at his glasses he was meticulously drying, pretending to mind his own business.

Rock Chick sat on the table opposite him and looked at him, frowning. “Why?” she asked. She had to know if she had freaked him out. She could be nice and wait for him to kiss her.

He took a deep breath and started telling her the whole story. How he’d hate it if he broke up with his wife and his children ended up staying with their messed up mother while they felt he had abandoned them the same way he blamed his father.

She reached out and placed her palm on his. When she remembered she shouldn’t make any first moves before he did, it was too late to stop the movement, but to her astonishment, he hadn’t moved away, so her hand stayed put.

“Look… You see it all wrong. It’s not right for you to ruin your life for her. And you’re not abandoning your children. You can have them on weekends. Or she can have them on weekends. There are solutions. It’s not messed up to be divorced. It’s worse for the children to think they’re living in a stable and happy looking family, while inside their house is really hell on earth for the people they love the most. You can still be their daddy and never let them feel abandoned by just being there and being happy. Your happiness ensures their happiness.”

He gave her a shy smile and looked at their hands. Something had started changing inside him. She was changing him. He wanted to see what else she could do to him. She could help him make better decisions for the future. For the first time in a long time, he saw a future for himself.

“You… may be right,” he said eventually. Her round face looked beautiful in the soft blue lighting. He wanted so much to go back in time a little and repeat that kiss. But not yet, not before he announced to his wife they’re over. He was done with ruining his life and his children's lives for her. He was only human, and he was allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. He had the right to fix them. It was never too late. She was living proof of that. “I’ll tell her.” He looked at his watch. 6 A.M. He’d call work in a while to tell them he was taking a personal day off.

She looked out of the window; the sun was coming up, dawning on a new day in so many ways. “I think that this would be a good time to go get breakfast.” Her lip ring sparkled in the blue light.

“Not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.” His lips curled into a hesitant but ever growing smile as he stood up. She was on his tracks as each paid their bills. Rock Chick wasn’t the kind of woman who’d let the guy pay for her drink, each would pay for their own. No complications, no expectations, no hidden agenda.