Ginger felt her heart sink in her chest, definitely not the response she had been seeking. “I see.” The simple words could not have been said in a colder tone.
A twinge of anger filled the space in her chest that had just moments before been bursting with joy. “What a fool I am.” She had never been able to hide her emotions very well, even under the best of circumstances. She pulled herself to her feet and pulled her skirt down over her hips before retreating to find her top.
“Gin, please don’t be mad… I…” Iris felt instantly horrid as she tried to reach out to Gin. “Please understand… this is all new to me.”
Ginger yanked her top on over her head, pushing a golden hand through her hair in a frustrated manner. “You can’t use that excuse forever Ri. You have to make a choice”
“Do you even realize what you are asking?!” Iris felt her voice rising in anger as she pulled herself to her feet, fists clenched at her sides. Spying her jeans in a crumpled heap, she moved to pluck them from the ground and hurriedly pull them on.
“Yes!” Ginger snapped as she tore off toward the car, pausing before she opened the driver side door to look Iris up and down. “You need to accept who and what you are.” Ginger shook her head at the blatant naivety that encompassed Iris. “Because, no matter how much you try, you will never be a happy housewife, popping out kids for your husband.”
Iris felt a rise of rage in her chest. Angry at the bitter truth being thrown in her face, her stubborn pride caused her words to come out harsher than she actually meant. “What if I want that life Gin? Did you ever think of that? Maybe, I don’t want to live like you do.”
Ginger stared at Iris with pain filled eyes. The words stung, pierced her heart. She lifted her chin defiantly and slid into the car. “Fine.” She murmured with a tone of utter defeat. Fuck it. There was no point in fighting. She already felt like a fool. It was obvious, that Iris saw her as some toy to play with every now and then. Not good enough, to be considered as anything more than that.
Iris finished buttoning her blouse in silence. Aware of the sadness that now overshadowed Gingers normally bright features. Slowly, she walked to the car. “I’m sorry Gin.” Was all she could offer as she slid inside and closed the door.
Ginger said nothing. She turned on the car and whipped it around so she could angle it back down the dirt road. She was going to put this firmly in the past. Leave everything behind on that cliff. Time to move on. She was no toy. She was worth more than that.
Iris sat silently in the car, looking out her window with a forlorn expression. Twilight had already begun to make a path across the sky when they pulled back onto the main road. She watched the sprinkle of celestial lights slowly beginning to peek through the raven mask that overwhelmed the heavens. Shame and sadness wrenched at her heartstrings. Ginger was taking her home. After that, she didn’t know what would happen. Would they ever even speak to each other again? She looked towards Ginger, wanting to say something, anything, but no words came. Slowly, she curled her legs into her chest, lowering her forehead to rest at the tops of her knees.
The silence that filled the car was uncomfortable to say the least. Ginger found herself counting the minutes until they reached the South Beach condo that Iris shared with her mother. She pulled to the curb of the complex and parked. “Hey” She said softly. Iris looked like she was sleeping. “You’re home” She felt a twinge of remorse for the way things ended. There was nothing she wanted more than to see Iris happy. Unless Iris could show some sign or willingness to be with her, she would not be exposing her feelings to her again. Cold stone walls were already rising around her aching heart.
Iris stayed still for a long moment, keeping her head down. There was nothing she could say to fix this right now. Instead, she simply got up and pushed her way out the door, letting it swing shut behind her. “Call me tomorrow?” She tried to pull some sort of response from Ginger, terrified that she would never see her again.
The question surprised her; Ginger glanced up to Iris, eyebrows raised in confusion. “Call you?” She found herself driven by some feral need to inflict pain back on the one who had hurt her. Ginger turned away, looking out ahead of her as she shifted the car into drive. “I don't think that would be a good idea Ri” before she could witness the pain her own words caused, Ginger was gone. The car lurching forward as she sped away from the only love she had ever known.
A single silver tear rolled down Iris’s soft cheek, falling to the pavement beneath her feet. She watched with great regret as the taillights faded into the night. Some part of her knew this wasn’t the end. They cared for each other too much to stay apart. Didn’t they? She turned on her heel and began the slow trek up the walk to her front door. Returning to the life that was comfortable should have been easy for Iris. All she had ever wanted was to be normal, to fit in. Stepping back into this life should have created some sense of belonging. Yet somehow, everything was different now. She had been displaced, changed to her very core. Deep down, Iris knew nothing would ever be normal again.
ELLICIT 2
Apples to almonds:
Iris sat huddled over a small oak dining table that was propped in the center of an extravagant kitchen. “This sucks” she sighed as she mulled over a bowl of cheerios, drizzled in Almond milk, a look of utter misery plastered on her features, not entirely interested in eating this morning. Events from the previous day were replayed in her head over and over again, making her stomach churn. Sleep hadn’t come easily, echoes of Gingers words caused her to toss and turn. Eventually, the attempt at sleep proved futile, when the sun began to filter in through her window, creating long shadows across the floor.
"Good Morning cupcake” Her mother chimed happily as she entered the kitchen in a fluffy pink robe and matching slippers. Laura Delaney, almost an older version of Iris. With a slight smile Iris watched her mother tug a hand through her long dark brown hair. Hardly anyone believed Laura was well into her forties; she had a pristine complexion and timeless features. There were laugh lines around her soft green eyes that only served to give her face more character. Iris often wondered how much laughter it would take to get lines like those.
"Morning." Iris responded sleepily, making another attempt to shovel the cereal into her mouth. "I broke curfew last night." Iris had never been able to lie to her mother, especially about things she knew she was already aware of. It was far easier to just confess and get it over with.
Her mother shook her head with a small laugh. "I know." the sly reply made Iris wince, her mother seemed to know everything, even before she committed the crime. She waited for the untold punishment to be decreed as her mother crossed to the fridge to pull out a gallon of Apple juice. "What should your punishment be I wonder?" Laura grinned playfully.
Iris stirred her cheerios idly in the bowl and watched the whirlpool effect it created with fading interest. "Death, most assuredly, commence the beheading." the dry response was partly serious; all she wanted to do right now was curl up and die. With a sigh of disgust she pushed the bowl away from her, and then pulled her eyes up to reluctantly meet her mothers.