PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
The Grass is Greener
“Um?”
He startles. His head swivels forward to meet her stare across the restaurant table. Her face openly reveals a potent brew of surprise, amusement, disappointment, and anger.
His face adopts the long-practiced mask of sheepishness, devilishness, and charisma that she fell in love with long ago and says, “Aw, a little look doesn’t hurt, honey.”
But it does. And if only it was a little look.
He’s never stopped testing out new models, hoping to trade her in one day.
Twenty-five years is long enough to tolerate her own idiocy.
She pulls the pistol out and fires it.
[100 words]
Notes: The title came to me the moment I saw Jen’s photo. The story immediately fell into place. For anyone in this situation from either side of it, please stop. For the serial cheater, no partner deserves to be treated that way. For the one being cheated upon, no partner is worth either dying or going to prison for.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
That’s one way to stop a roving eye…eye guess? :) Great track by the way.
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lol yeppers, Glyn. Glad you like that tune. The Black Keys are friggin awesome.
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A dramatic ending.
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drama makes for good storytelling yes :)
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Very true. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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She couldn’t just have emptied the plate of spaghetti into his lap?
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She did that the first time, 25 years ago.
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Ah, fair enough
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I think she’ll live to regret that, she’ll be spending the next 25 years somewhere else!
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Are you sure she pointed the pistol at him? She may be taking the heaven express. No god would be so cruel to send her to the other place…
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Ha! Was it a water pistol? A paint pistol? A soft dart gun? That sure was a surprise ending!
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I’ll never tell. If the cards are right, I’ll do a part 2…
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Ok…I’ll wait 😁
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Hopefully she just scared the dude…and didn’t shoot him.
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Max, I’m thinking this one needs a part 2. What do you think?
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Yes…it does…we need to know what she did. This time I didn’t think she shot him.
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Dear Lisa,
Hell hath no fury…;) Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle :)
Shalom,
Lisa
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Damn! I didn’t see that coming …. and neither did he!
Good one, Lisa
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Nancy, thanks! :)
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Cliff hanger! Maybe she shot the girlfriend.
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You may be right on who got shot. I think there will be a part 2.
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A sequel is definitely required!
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:)
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she did it brazenly in public. couldn’t she be more discreet? :)
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When you snap you don’t think about where you are. If only she had stayed cool-headed over his “crimes.”
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She must have really snapped! But sometimes violence does seem simpler than walking away and starting a new life.
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A moment of anger that ripples on indefinitely… Thanks for reading and your comment, Christine.
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A slap was not good enough, or was this the final time that made her flip. I wasn’t expecting such a change.
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James, I’m not even sure what happens. The muse will let us know next week ;)
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Ah! These characters live in world of their own. Whatever next.
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He’d been married long enough to know better.
Good shot, I mean story. lol
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:) Yes he had/has (no spoilers for part 2) Thanks, Dawn.
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Hell hath no fury…hope you write a sequel.
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I plan on it, thanks, Meha.
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Christ, wasn’t expecting that, good stuff, as usual
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Shrawl, happy it meets your approval. Thanks!
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Oooh. She should have left long, long ago. Very dramatic ending!
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Angela, you know how shoulda, woulda, coulda goes. Hoping to lay some speculation to rest nest week in part 2. Thank you, as always, for reading and your comment :)
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A cat poop cannon would be the right thing for that guy. You describe him perfectly.
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Gabi, I like your proposed solution :)
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So I’m picturing a wounded cheater, at the very least, and a wife who is just as shocked as he is. Other diners gaping, no one moving for a heartbeat until someone dials 911. My sympathies are with the long-suffering wife.
Yes, I think we need a Part 1!
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Thanks much, Linda, for your feedback. One of those “it’s complicated” situations.
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Ouch… what a terrible dinner. That sort of roving eye never stops. Drastic action here but to her, clearly worth it. Nicely written. Great tension with the building dialogue
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Laurie, thank you!
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I didn’t play last week and I’ve been struggling to keep up so I missed this fantabulous tale.
Definitely part 2 was necessary (yes, I came back!)
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I’m pleased you came back and glad you liked it. Dale, you rock!
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I had to!
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