Descending Road - BETRAYAL AND DESERTION by Dana W. Paxson

BETRAYAL AND DESERTION

1560 4D

Leil slowly and reluctantly freed herself from Arlen‘s kiss. Then she turned again and faced Andrew. “It was too much, Andrew. I tried, but it was too much.”

“He’s drugged you!” Andrew took a step forward, but Arlen held up a hand, and four men stepped up threateningly.

Leil looked down. “No. I chose this. There were no drugs.”

“But you never gave a hint of any trouble! When did I lose you?” The heartbreaking questions made Andrew bite back tears and rage. He sensed Arlen‘s eyes on him as he stared into Leil‘s face. “He’s drugged you. This isn’t you. You’re like another woman. A biopuppet.”

Now she looked in his eyes, and her gaze burned him. “I’ve been another woman for a long time, Andrew. You’ve never seen me. You’ve seen the wife and partner you imagined and wanted. You wanted more children than I could give you. You wanted farms and crops and mountains more than you wanted me.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I did, again and again. You never heard me. It was as if you were writing the story of our lives, and you just left out all the words I said that would have changed things.”

He stood silent for a moment, trying to remember. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand.

“No, Andrew. You have the children you want. You have the farm you want. Now, at last, I have the man I want.”

Bitterness filled Andrew in the midst of his pain. “Yes, and he’s rich, and you’re free of me, and isn’t that wonderful?” He glared at Arlen, who smiled a little. “And you, what will you do with her when you’re tired of her?”

“She knows,” Arlen said.

“I know who he is, Andrew, and he’ll leave me some day, and I don’t care. Today I claim him.” She looked up and back at Arlen, and raised her hand to touch his cheek. “Goodbye, Andrew.”

He looked down. “I’ll be here. Maybe when you’re free again, you’ll realize…" His words trailed off.

No more words came. Arlen and Leil turned, and walked together down the pathway to Arlen‘s flyer. The few clouds in the sky slid between the farm and the sun, casting a soft gray shadow in the midst of an otherwise brilliant day. Andrew shut his eyes and the bitter tears came.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	BETRAYAL AND DESERTION 1560 4D Leil slowly and reluctantly freed herself from Arlen‘s kiss. Then she turned again and faced Andrew. “It was too much, Andrew. I tried, but it was too much.” “He’s drugged you!” Andrew took a step forward, but Arlen held up a hand, and four men stepped up threateningly. Leil looked down. “No. I chose this. There were no drugs.” “But you never gave a hint of any trouble! When did I lose you?” The heartbreaking questions made Andrew bite back tears and rage. He sensed Arlen‘s eyes on him as he stared into Leil‘s face. “He’s drugged you. This isn’t you. You’re like another woman. A biopuppet.” Now she looked in his eyes, and her gaze burned him. “I’ve been another woman for a long time, Andrew. You’ve never seen me. You’ve seen the wife and partner you imagined and wanted. You wanted more children than I could give you. You wanted farms and crops and mountains more than you wanted me.” “Why didn’t you say anything?” “I did, again and again. You never heard me. It was as if you were writing the story of our lives, and you just left out all the words I said that would have changed things.” He stood silent for a moment, trying to remember. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand. “No, Andrew. You have the children you want. You have the farm you want. Now, at last, I have the man I want.” Bitterness filled Andrew in the midst of his pain. “Yes, and he’s rich, and you’re free of me, and isn’t that wonderful?” He glared at Arlen, who smiled a little. “And you, what will you do with her when you’re tired of her?” “She knows,” Arlen said. “I know who he is, Andrew, and he’ll leave me some day, and I don’t care. Today I claim him.” She looked up and back at Arlen, and raised her hand to touch his cheek. “Goodbye, Andrew.” He looked down. “I’ll be here. Maybe when you’re free again, you’ll realize…" His words trailed off. No more words came. Arlen and Leil turned, and walked together down the pathway to Arlen‘s flyer. The few clouds in the sky slid between the farm and the sun, casting a soft gray shadow in the midst of an otherwise brilliant day. Andrew shut his eyes and the bitter tears came.