Emily Brown’s Oath

She brushed a burnt-cinnamon hair from her face. Doing so, her head slowly tilted to the right. A grin danced across her sun kissed face. The freckles on the bridge of her nose crinkled as the infectious grin slowly spread. Her lips parted to allow the entry of a candy striped straw.

God…Emily can make even a straw sexy.

Alec Brown’s face turned a violent shade of crimson. Attempting a cocky swagger, he tripped over a wire wrought café chair causing the guests of the open air café to snicker.  Alec once again turned a shade of red previously unimagined. Pulling out an empty chair from the table Emily was seated at, he placed himself in it soundlessly.  He pulled the iPod Video that was playing on shuffle from his pocket and pressed the play button until it turned off. The Flaming Lips was NOT an ambience group. A boyish smirk revealed the dimple that Emily kissed every time Alec smiled. Alec knew what pressed her buttons and now was the time for it.

“Alec,” Emily confidently smiled. “I know we haven’t spoken in a time, but we really need to get to work. There are a lot of papers that need to be initialed and signed before the displeasure of our marriage is final.”

He paid the gorgeous 5’4’’ goddess no attention. “AMY,” he shouted. Alec smiled that winning and ensnaring smile that was the worst – and best- weapon in his arsenal. The petite waitress with a bubbly personality bounced her way to the back table.

“Good afternoon Alec! Do you want a café au lait and tiramisu?” Amy tilted her head cutely. Emily made soft retching noises behind her napkin.

“You know me so well Doll face,” Alec grinned at Emily’s snide attempt at contempt. “I’d love it and better yet, can we get this pretty lady a,” He intentionally left open a space for Emily to order her desired lunch.
“Brandy and Banana’s Foster, please. Side order of pickles,”

Emily has always carried a crazy appetite, Alec mused. He softly laughed to himself remembering all of the bite marks that once adorned his neck, the bruises on his upper shoulders, the claw furrows once etched in his muscled back, the interesting food that came into the sleepless nights. He smiled again as he reminisced over her interesting placement of the once innocent gummy bears.

Amy jotted down the peculiar order and bounced her way to the kitchen. The once enchanting grin on Emily’s face turned into a cruel grimace.

“How dare you humiliate me Alec Brown?” she violently hissed. “That little,” she paused “slut wants you more than a beggar wants a Big Mac, carton of Marlboros, bottle of Jack, and a cheap prostitute! You sicken me.” She spat the words at him venomously.
Alec’s grin never left his face. “Emily, tsk-tsk, such anger doesn’t do any favors for your complexion. I’d almost think you were jealous?” He uttered the last statement as if it were a scandalous presidential affair.

The  outdoor café began to congest with sickeningly cute couples whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears, spinsters sipping over a doughnut and cheap cup of coffee, and teenaged girls dressed to impress in revealing attire, all hoping to not have to return home alone.

What is this world coming to? What is everyone’s course in life? Where are we all heading? Alec silently pondered. Are we all doomed to fail? Is that teenaged tramp in the corner trying to hide her insecurities in herself by not hiding any of herself physically? Is that guy there is the center, the one with the brunette girl, with his girlfriend? If not, does his girlfriend even suspect that he is pressing his lips against another girl’s neck? Does the girl who has an older guy pressed up against her even suspect that he is not as single as he leads on? Is that old lady sipping the cheap coffee on the run from the authorities? Is the old couple in front arguing over the finalities of a bloody divorce or just what movie to watch tonight?

Questions like this plagued 34 year old Alec ever since he discovered Emily’s treachery. Emily, a fashion designer, had carried on multiple affairs under his nose.

As a writer and college Literature professor Alec always had his head in a book or computer. Emily once told him it was “So sexy, babe”, but then regarded it as being ignored and neglected. She carried silent vendettas against his precocious students and every girl he ever saw, she hated every waitress he unconsciously flirted with, and she hated that DAMNED French professor that taught down the hall from Alec. Emily saw the hunger in the middle-aged Ms. Fournier. Emily could no longer take it. Her small body collapsed at Alec’s large feet as she broke down and cried tears of bitterness and hurt. Emily hated the jealousy in herself. She vowed on all of those tears that Alec the asshole made her cry, that she would never cry for another man.

Seven young men later, Emily was pregnant with an unknown man’s child. Alec always knew he was impotent so the secret would be hard to conceal. Emily paid $600 for the abortion that saved their marriage and walked out of the clinic guilt-free. Four days later, the pamphlet in Alec Brown’s name was delivered to his doorstep.  It told of how to prevent the necessity of an abortion and it said “We at the Washington Birth Control Clinic thank you for your patronage and wish you a happy and healthy recovery.”

With that, the marriage was over. Alec packed his possessions and left the house with Emily in it. Emily broke down yet again and wept on the kitchen floor. “This is the final blow for Alec Brown,” she sobbed. Emily dried her tears and placed a hit on Alec. He made her cry and that was unforgiveable.

Amy bounced over to the table to find both of the residents of the wrought-iron table to be fully immersed in the past. She cutely cleared her throat with a high pitched cough. “Excuse me,” she simpered. “Here is the café au lait and tiramisu Alec, and here…is your brandy, Bananas Foster, and side order of pickles ma’am,” Amy placed the said items on the table, turned around and glanced wistfully at Alec. He ruefully smiled back at her and she left.

Emily nursed her brandy. She seemed so much smaller than Alec remembered. Emily glanced up at the beautiful chocolate-brown eyes of Alec Brown. She fondly remembered so many nights and the wonderful laugh he possessed. Alec brought the tiramisu laden spoon to his mouth and thumbed through the heap of legal documents. God…Alec can make even a spoon sexy She mused to herself. A look of utter repulsion dashed across her face. I still love this fucking bastard Emily looked with horror at her watch. 6:27, it read. A look of sheer panic blossomed over Emily Brown’s face. She pushed the seat back and stood up.
“Alec,” she paused “I love you, you self-righteous, interrupting, pompous, cocky, flirting bastard,”

Her Seiko watch beeped 6:30. Emily looked down and ruefully glanced at Alec. A look of utter shock was emblazoned on his pale face. He took the spoon from the tiramisu out of  his mouth and it was suspended in the air parallel to his head. Shots rang out and the entire café went down to the tile and moss ground. Alec jumped the table. Emily had a single scarlet flower blossoming from her chest. Blood trickled from the corner of her crimson mouth and with Emily Brown’s last breath she uttered:

“…so…sorry,”

Alec vainly tried to staunch the bleeding hole that originated from her back and exited from her chest. “I love you too,” He pleaded.