Devonne Brown

“Martha, I told you I would be late. I’m sorry you’ve got to put the kids to bed by yourself again tonight, I just got on the bus. I can’t teleport very well,” I could tell this well dressed, dark haired, professional dude, with the chiseled chin sitting beside me on the bus was in some hot water, “I know it’s going to be an hour and a half before I get home. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s not like I planned to stay late. I wanted to go to dinner too.”

I could hear Martha screaming something on the other end of the line. The dude pulled his phone away from ear. I heard the words “sitter” and “new dress.” I wouldn’t want to be that dude nor Martha tonight. She was sorely pissed and the dude was in a load of trouble.

“Martha, tonight’s Friday. We can get a sitter for tomorrow. It’s still the weekend. Or we can take the kids and go fishing and have a picnic somewhere to make a day of it. We can hike and bike and do all the things we used to do,” He had to pull his ear away from the phone again. 

“I know I promised to do all that last week, but remember, my brother had to work on his car. I’m the only one who knows how to help him. No matter what, you and the kids come first this weekend. Nobody else.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d heard that before.

“What do you mean why was I late anyway? The boss wanted to talk to me after work. I’m trying to get a promotion.,….yeah, we talked in his office. He offered me some drinks, but just a couple. I couldn’t refuse them, that would be rude. I’m trying to get promoted. Do you know how much more money we’d make?”

I noticed he used the word “we.” He was trying to get control of a situation that he never had in the first place. If she smacked him with a skillet when he got home, everybody would understand. 

I could see a beautiful blonde woman with two perfect kids making her crazy. Her playboy husband buying them all everything money could buy in a perfect neighborhood looking like the perfect family. Her handsome dude husband comes home hours late and drunk, apologizing and promising never to do it again, or at least until the promotion comes through. 

“Will the kids be up when I get home? They’re already in bed? It’s only ten nine thirty and not even a school night, I never get to see my kids.” He was whiney and petulant. “Martha, you’ve got to start, Martha, Martha, Martha…..” She hung up on me, do you believe that?

I got off at my stop. I believed.