Post by hab318princess on Jan 4, 2012 21:23:02 GMT
This is the start of my first attempt at original fiction... would you keep reading? (1002 words)
“Becky, honestly, do you want to be with a guy who thinks his work is more important than you? He made that decision without talking to you and you are supposed to live together.”
“I know Vera, but…”
“No buts! If he thinks his work and moving cities is more important than you now, he won’t change. Get rid. Now!”
Michael had overheard the conversation when he walked into the secretaries’ office and although they’d clammed up upon his arrival, it had made him think. Not long ago he’d been ‘that man’. He had just happened to be with another who had also been ‘that man’ and they had made their split as amicable as it could be when two stubborn men had been hurt and eventually intent on hurting the other.
He picks up the letters from his tray and smiles at the secretaries as they hit their keyboards again after giving him a surprised “good morning.”
“I’ll bring these back later.”
“Okay.”
Michael Davies Jnr leaves with the feeling that he’d really not been wanted and walks to the doctors’ office where he sits down and concentrates on checking the letters rather than dealing with the feelings overhearing that conversation had triggered. The rest of the morning is taken up with checking results and then assisting in two operations under Professor Donaldson and then another under Mrs Schumacher who actually lets him perform the appendectomy.
Before he leaves, Michael drops the letters back on Becky’s desk but she’s already gone. Her hours are more regular than his.
He wonders who the bloke was who’d most likely be dropped now. Unless of course Becky is different from him and Shane and has decided to go with him. To his surprise the thought of what happened three years ago doesn’t hurt as much as he’s expected. Maybe he’s growing up.
Michael drives home. It is dark and cold, but at least it’s not raining today. After a day in a well-lit ward with few windows, it’s easy to forget what the outside conditions are. Parking is thankfully easy as the house he lives in has garages at the back of its large garden. His two bedroom flat is on the ground floor of the large Victorian House which contains four flats altogether. Lights indicate that Jared, in the attic flat, is around but tonight Michael’s not in the mood to drop in on his friend. The other two flats, occupied by a married couple and a family respectively, are also lit up.
It doesn’t take long to prepare dinner (microwave lasagne and vegetables from the freezer), get out of his work clothes, and then he can sit down to watch TV. He’s made it in time for his favourite soap (if only because the characters’ lives are so much worse than his) and likes pretending he is happier than them. He grimaces when the gay couple get a happy moment kissing, wishing he wasn’t so alone.
Only when one of the characters, a ditzy blonde, ditches her boyfriend because he wants to move on and she doesn’t, does Michael remember the overheard conversation from the morning. He’d been in the same situation and had done the same.
Three years ago, he’d been sharing a flat with Shane during their first years after graduating. Then Shane had been recalled to London by his parents who wanted their son at a more prestigious hospital in the capital. Michael had wanted to be with Shane but that hadn’t been an option it seemed.
In the end, they had fought and accused each other of not caring enough. They had given up their joint tenancy and Michael had moved back in with his family for a while as Shane packed his bags and left without so much as a goodbye.
Since then Michael had concentrated on work and being a good doctor, choosing to move into general surgery because it was the field that interested him the most. Shane had chosen his field on where he would get the most cache and started working for Professor McDonald at London’s foremost centre for neurology, giving his career a boost by being attached to her famous name.
After a few months with his mother and sister Tracey, Michael had found out about the flat through Jared and rented it. The second bedroom has been converted into an office and the open plan kitchen / living room was turned into a comfortable area with Tracey’s help and a large TV to watch his favourite shows on. Shame had sneered at the fact that he liked soaps and wasn’t just watching educational programmes, like this one about the North Pole.
When the news start, Michael decides to go to bed and get rest instead of watching. Bad news are not cheerful and he needs to be alert in the morning for a gastric band operation he has been scheduled to assist with. Sleep eludes though him as he still hears in his head, ‘He won’t change. Get rid. Now.’
Has he changed? Michael wonders. He’s not been with anyone beyond the odd one night stand since breaking up with Shane. Is he capable of taking anyone else into account when making decisions? Would he want to? Shane had never asked if he wanted to come with, just told him that it was over.
So Michael had moved on, concentrating on work which had been challenging enough, and finding the odd bed mate when he fancied it. He’d regularly gone out with Jared but they’d quite early figured out they were better off as friends. Since the New Year, Michael had added going to the gym to his activities, afraid to lose his physique. Right now he looks good with his dark brown, spiky hair, toned body and a small shadow where a beard would grow if he’d let it.
He forces himself to go to sleep. It’s going to be a long week if today is anything to go by.
“Becky, honestly, do you want to be with a guy who thinks his work is more important than you? He made that decision without talking to you and you are supposed to live together.”
“I know Vera, but…”
“No buts! If he thinks his work and moving cities is more important than you now, he won’t change. Get rid. Now!”
Michael had overheard the conversation when he walked into the secretaries’ office and although they’d clammed up upon his arrival, it had made him think. Not long ago he’d been ‘that man’. He had just happened to be with another who had also been ‘that man’ and they had made their split as amicable as it could be when two stubborn men had been hurt and eventually intent on hurting the other.
He picks up the letters from his tray and smiles at the secretaries as they hit their keyboards again after giving him a surprised “good morning.”
“I’ll bring these back later.”
“Okay.”
Michael Davies Jnr leaves with the feeling that he’d really not been wanted and walks to the doctors’ office where he sits down and concentrates on checking the letters rather than dealing with the feelings overhearing that conversation had triggered. The rest of the morning is taken up with checking results and then assisting in two operations under Professor Donaldson and then another under Mrs Schumacher who actually lets him perform the appendectomy.
Before he leaves, Michael drops the letters back on Becky’s desk but she’s already gone. Her hours are more regular than his.
He wonders who the bloke was who’d most likely be dropped now. Unless of course Becky is different from him and Shane and has decided to go with him. To his surprise the thought of what happened three years ago doesn’t hurt as much as he’s expected. Maybe he’s growing up.
Michael drives home. It is dark and cold, but at least it’s not raining today. After a day in a well-lit ward with few windows, it’s easy to forget what the outside conditions are. Parking is thankfully easy as the house he lives in has garages at the back of its large garden. His two bedroom flat is on the ground floor of the large Victorian House which contains four flats altogether. Lights indicate that Jared, in the attic flat, is around but tonight Michael’s not in the mood to drop in on his friend. The other two flats, occupied by a married couple and a family respectively, are also lit up.
It doesn’t take long to prepare dinner (microwave lasagne and vegetables from the freezer), get out of his work clothes, and then he can sit down to watch TV. He’s made it in time for his favourite soap (if only because the characters’ lives are so much worse than his) and likes pretending he is happier than them. He grimaces when the gay couple get a happy moment kissing, wishing he wasn’t so alone.
Only when one of the characters, a ditzy blonde, ditches her boyfriend because he wants to move on and she doesn’t, does Michael remember the overheard conversation from the morning. He’d been in the same situation and had done the same.
Three years ago, he’d been sharing a flat with Shane during their first years after graduating. Then Shane had been recalled to London by his parents who wanted their son at a more prestigious hospital in the capital. Michael had wanted to be with Shane but that hadn’t been an option it seemed.
In the end, they had fought and accused each other of not caring enough. They had given up their joint tenancy and Michael had moved back in with his family for a while as Shane packed his bags and left without so much as a goodbye.
Since then Michael had concentrated on work and being a good doctor, choosing to move into general surgery because it was the field that interested him the most. Shane had chosen his field on where he would get the most cache and started working for Professor McDonald at London’s foremost centre for neurology, giving his career a boost by being attached to her famous name.
After a few months with his mother and sister Tracey, Michael had found out about the flat through Jared and rented it. The second bedroom has been converted into an office and the open plan kitchen / living room was turned into a comfortable area with Tracey’s help and a large TV to watch his favourite shows on. Shame had sneered at the fact that he liked soaps and wasn’t just watching educational programmes, like this one about the North Pole.
When the news start, Michael decides to go to bed and get rest instead of watching. Bad news are not cheerful and he needs to be alert in the morning for a gastric band operation he has been scheduled to assist with. Sleep eludes though him as he still hears in his head, ‘He won’t change. Get rid. Now.’
Has he changed? Michael wonders. He’s not been with anyone beyond the odd one night stand since breaking up with Shane. Is he capable of taking anyone else into account when making decisions? Would he want to? Shane had never asked if he wanted to come with, just told him that it was over.
So Michael had moved on, concentrating on work which had been challenging enough, and finding the odd bed mate when he fancied it. He’d regularly gone out with Jared but they’d quite early figured out they were better off as friends. Since the New Year, Michael had added going to the gym to his activities, afraid to lose his physique. Right now he looks good with his dark brown, spiky hair, toned body and a small shadow where a beard would grow if he’d let it.
He forces himself to go to sleep. It’s going to be a long week if today is anything to go by.