Rachel Corbin's Apartment

  Friday

  Rachel is seated cross-legged on the bed, completing a crossword, as the nail polish on her left hand dries. She waves her hand in the air and intermittently blows on the wet polish. Ned enters the master bedroom as she lowers her head to seek out the next word on the checkered page.

  "What's a four letter synonym for aspiration?" Rachel inquires, tossing her coiled hair over one shoulder.

  "How the hell should I know?" Ned replies, plopping down on the bed. "It's your puzzle."

  Snuggling close to Rachel, Ned wraps both arms around her middle. With a sneaky grin, he lowers one hand and snakes it under her tank top. Rachel grimaces, angling to look directly at his face.

  "Come on, Ned. Just think about it. It's a four-letter word," Rachel insists, not wanting to launch into another episode of turbulent coitus with her seemingly manic boyfriend. "Four letters. That's it. What do you think it is?"

  "I have no clue, Baby. And I don't give a fug. I want to talk about us. I want to talk about you and me leaving this place for greener pastures."

  Firmly gripping Rachel's chin in one hand, Ned maneuvers until he can kiss her forcefully on the mouth. Rachel relents, lending her own passion to their kiss. Ned none too gently plucks the puzzle book from Rachel's hands. He tosses it across the room and begins to guide Rachel to the mattress. Rachel quickly separates their mouths.

  "Ned, I just painted my nails," Rachel protests. "They're still wet. I'll get polish all over the sheets."

  "We'll get new sheets," Ned says, finding her lips again. "Hell, I'll buy you a ton of new bed sheets. A different set for every day of the week. We'll need 'em."

  Rachel sighs with exasperation, masked as desire, as Ned lifts the bottom of her blouse. She remains staring at the space between his eyes, wishing she had planned her escape just a few days--or even several weeks earlier.

  "I don't know what I was thinking," Ned continues, kissing the line of Rachel's cleavage. "I nearly lost you, Honey. I shouldn't have went in on you like that the other day. I don't know what came over me. Damned near lost my mind, I guess. That woman...That whore...She's nothing compared to you, Honey. The things you do. The way you make me feel. I just keep coming back. I can't help myself. I love you, Rachel. Oh man...Do I love you. You make me feel all weak inside. Can you forgive me, Rachel? For everything? I promise I'll make it all up to you. Starting right now."

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  "Sure, Ned," Rachel replies in a soft whisper, closing her eyes. "But, I need you to promise me something."

  "What's that?" Ned asks, before using his teeth to undo the clasp at the front of Rachel's bra.

  "You have to promise me that you'll get help, Ned. We can't go on like this," Rachel explains, rubbing Ned's hair with one hand. "You need to see someone. I don't know. Maybe even join one of those ten-point programs...Or whatever. I love you, Ned. But, you need help. Your drinking is out of control. It's destroying us."

  Ned's demeanor changes almost immediately and he raises his face to stare Rachel directly in the eye. Lightning fast, Ned repositions his body and grabs Rachel's wrists. Pushing the stunned woman to the mattress, Ned leers down at her. Rachel's heart begins to pound in her chest as she watches Ned morph from desperate lover to insane idiot. It's a change she has seen quite often. Yet, she had dared to hope things would be different this time.

  "I'll tell you what, Dollface," Ned says through a snide grin. "You show me something I've never seen and I'll think about it. I want you to give me all you've got. And don't hold back, Rachel. Give me the ride of my life and I promise I'll sign up for one of those damned programs. Scout's honor."

  "Ned..."

  "Nuh-uh-uh," Ned says, shaking his head from side to side. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it, Honey. It's only for a limited time."

  Dropping his head, Ned kisses Rachel hard on the mouth. His grin grows larger as they separate, his eyes riveted to Rachel's frightened face.

  "We have a deal, Rachel?"

  "Sure. I mean...Yes, Ned."

  "Do you love me, Rachel?"

  "What sort of a question is..."

  "Do you love me, Rachel?" Ned insists, his eyes narrowing threateningly.

  "Yes, Ned. I love you," Rachel quickly assures him.

  "Good. Then, prove it. Show me how much you love me. I gave up a lot to get this money for us. I want to know it'll be money well spent."

  Rachel's heart sinks to what feels like her stomach. With Ned's supposed windfall, it will be much harder for her to get away from him. Where can she go, where he won't be able to find her? Broke Ned was good Ned. As long as Ned was broke, he was practically tethered to this apartment and the neighboring bar. With enough resources, he can easily track her down. She's seen that sort of thing before. It never ends well.

  "I love you, Ned," Rachel says, hoping to pacify him--for the time being. "I love you."

  "Hmmm."

  Ned releases one of Rachel's wrists and once again grips her chin. Rachel stares up at him with renewed fear.

  "We'll retire someplace really nice," Ned whispers huskily. "Someplace with white sandy beaches and plenty of sun. Someplace where you and I can lie naked and drink margaritas. Lots of music and plenty of things to keep us busy. Sound nice?"

  "Yes, Ned. It does," Rachel says with a weak smile.

  "I thought you'd think so. I'll do some searching online. Find us a nice travel agent. I don't want you in that damned bar anymore. You and I are going places, Rachel. Places we've never been."

  "Ned...What was the job? What did you have to do?"

  Ned lowers his mouth to Rachel's, kissing her intensely. He releases her chin and squeezes his free hand under the small of her back.

  "You let me worry about that," Ned demands with a wide grin.