Destroyed Dreams by Jessica Gray Page A

started to settle in, Melissa finally decided that he wasn’t going to return that day and unplugged his power tools and moved them to a covered spot on the deck.
     
    She complained to herself the entire time, and decided that he was going to hear it the next morning; at a minimum, he could have called and let her know he wasn’t coming back.
     
                                                                          *****
     
    The next morning, Melissa found herself awake at 8 o’clock, ready to let Robert know how rude his behavior the day before had been. When he didn’t show up, she took a shower and dressed for the day.
     
    Emerging from the bedroom an hour later, she expected to see Robert hard at work on the deck again. But when she glanced through the windows, she saw his power tools lying in the same pile she had put them the night before. He still wasn’t at work.
     
    Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, she decided to wait another hour before allowing herself to get really upset. By 10:30 a.m., she had worked herself into a frenzy and was spitting mad. How dare he just decide to take the day off? Her uncle was paying him to finish the project. She was expecting him to be there.
     
    Gathering her purse and keys, she headed in to town before she could stop herself. Arriving at Robert’s house, she saw his truck sitting in the driveway and saw red. Climbing from her vehicle, she approached the front door and knocked.
     
    When he didn’t immediately answer, she knocked louder and called his name several times. When he still didn’t come to the door, she peeked in the living room window and saw him sprawled across the couch, empty beer cans littering the floor around him.
     
    She resumed her pounding on the door and yelling his name. He had ditched work so he could drink. Really? As she pounded on the door, she hoped his head hurt like hell when he got up. It would serve him right.
     
    Robert felt like someone was using a jackhammer inside his head. There was this persistent pounding noise and a shrill voice screaming his name, demanding he open the door. What door? Groaning loudly, he attempted to roll over, only to find himself falling and landing on the living room floor.
     
    Picking himself up, he held a hand to his throbbing head and looked around for the source of the noise. Realizing that someone was pounding on the front door, he stumbled across to it and threw it open. Shielding his eyes from the sunlight, he was able to ascertain that Melissa was standing on his front step and she did not look very happy.
     
    “It’s about time.” Pushing past him, she invited herself in and moved into the living room. Robert turned, one hand supporting himself by hanging onto the front door. When she got to the middle of the room, she looked around at the beer cans lying on the floor and then put her hands on her hips and stared him down.
     
    “Is this what you were doing yesterday when you weren’t at work?” Melissa knew she should probably soften her tone, but she was angry and having a hard time controlling herself. “I put your power tools under the eave last night. You didn’t even come back and do that?”
     
    Robert hated hearing the accusations coming from her. His head throbbed, his mouth felt like someone had stuffed it full of cotton, and his bladder was about ready to explode. After giving her a nasty look, he turned and headed for the restroom.
     
    Melissa couldn’t believe the look he had just given her; and then he turned and walked away. Following him, she continued to berate him with comments all the way down the hall. Attempting to follow him through a doorway, she stopped short when she saw which room they were in.
    Robert turned as she followed him into the bathroom and wondered if she was even aware of the room she was in. Gesturing to the toilet and preparing to drop his pants, he said, “Thinking of