In Short, Goodbye

The Short Goodbye


"Why didn't you call me?" He took a sip at his cup of cold coffee.

"Because I didn't want you to worry..."

"How was I supposed to know then? I can't read the future, or bend spoons with the power of my mind. I thought you trusted me. I thought we were in this together."

"Look, it's not as bad as it sounds. The doctor said it was just a small lump. No big deal."

He tipped his cup and spilled coffee on his desk. "No big deal? Are you kidding me?" He watched the river of java flow toward the edge as if it had a will of its own. "This is insane, Ann. Stuff like this doesn't happen to people like us. There's gotta be some mistake."

"They've done a biopsy. I'll know more in a couple of hours. If you want, we can meet for lunch, and then I'll have the final verdict."

He pictured her without breasts, her chest crisscrossed with scars where he had so recently snuggled his head.

"Duncan...? Are you there?"

"What...? Yeah, I'm here. I was just thinking about you, that's all. Are you doing all right? Does Walter know?"

She worried her lower lip. "No, not yet, but I'm fine...really. Can you meet me here at the hospital cafeteria? Say around one o'clock?"

"Of course, I'll tell them it's an emergency."

"Okay, then. See you at one. And Duncan...?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't take it so hard, huh? It's not the end of the world. A lot of women go through this and live happy, normal lives. We'll make it. We've got something special between us, right? We're survivors."

"I know, babe, everything's gonna be just fine. See ya at one." He set the phone in its cradle as if it were crawling with germs--unclean.

His secretary entered with a stack of papers. "Here are the files you wanted, Mr. James."

She was about thirty, Mexican-American, with flawless skin the shade of lightly tarnished copper and eyes that were as liquid-black as squid ink. Her breasts were overly large and threatened to break free of her tight, low-cut blouse. Duncan had seen other men looking at her. She could turn heads hard enough to crack vertebrae.

"Thank you, Mary. Just set them on my desk." Duncan took her in with his eyes.

"Oh, you've spilled your coffee." Without another word, she rushed to her desk and grabbed a roll of paper towels, then quickly returned. "Here, let me get that cleaned up for you." She moved in close and Duncan took a deep whiff of her scent.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even notice. I'm just clumsy, I guess."

Her hip rubbed against his arm and it took all of his self-control to keep his hand from snaking up her skirt. "Men," she scolded, "can't get along without a woman there to baby them all the time." She worked her way to the front of the desk, and then bent over revealing her ample bosom.

Duncan smiled. "And you do such a good job of it too."

She raised her eyes and winked. Duncan was lost momentarily in memories of fierce pleasure . She's like an animal, he thought, as sensual as a wild cat.

"I have been known to completely satisfy," she teased, and then turned, flaunting her good figure as she walked back to her desk.

Duncan couldn't wipe the smile from his face. He knew that he could have this woman if he wanted--all of her, right here in the office like before. He discovered she would do anything to advance herself--anything. The thought excited him so much he became aroused.

Absently, he glanced at the clock. It was already 12:30. There'd be time for Mary later, right now, he'd have to hurry if he wanted to meet Ann.

He checked himself in the mirror, winked, and then headed out the door. "I have an important client to meet for lunch, Mary," he called over his shoulder. "Tell Mr. Barnes I'll be back at two." And with that he rushed out of the law offices of 'Walter Barnes and Henry Franks', and then caught a cab to Mercy Hospital.

Ann was waiting for him, her long blond hair framing her perfect features.

"I'm sorry I'm late, darling," he said. "Traffic was murder."

"No problem. I've just now received the doctors report and recommendations."

Duncan tried to swallow an unmoving lump in his throat. "And..."

"And the tests came back positive. They'll have to do a mastectomy."

"Jesus, Ann, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's just one of those things. Besides, we've still got each other, right?"

Duncan cupped her small hand in his. "Jeez, I don't know Ann. I'm just not cut out for this sort of thing. This is something Walter would be better at, don't you think? I hope you understand."

Her smile was enigmatic. "I figured as much. That's why I cooked up this little scheme."

"Scheme?"

"I'm sorry, Duncan, but I just had to know. There's no lump, and there's no more us."

"You mean, you lied."

"Uh-huh, just like you."

"You're a cold-hearted bitch, Ann." He stood. "I'm going back to work."

"There's no hurry. You don't have a job anymore."

"What?"

"Who do you think puts the final stamp of approval on who comes and goes at my husband's law firm? Me, that's who. I got you hired, and now...you're fired."

"You can't do this!"

"I already have. Who do you think hired your secretary? She's told me everything. In fact, Mary and I are very good friends."

"Please...Ann...give me a chance to explain."

"You're a hound-dog, Duncan, a pig. You'll screw anything with two legs and this was just my way of finding out what kind of a man you really are. I would have left Walter for you, darling, but not now." She sat back and crossed her legs. "In short, goodbye."

(Microsoft word count: 995)