whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

Rita leaned against the whitewashed brick wall and adjusted her boots. She bent her leg up slightly and pulled on the leather tongue and then ran her hand along the back from the heel. The black leather was smooth under her touch.

“Rita” Henry called. Henry and Rita had been friends for almost ten years. There was a time when they both thought there was something more than friendship between them, but they thought it at different times. In spite of the awkward moments of unrequited love, they remained friends. Rita ignored Henry.

“Rita!” he called again. He stood holding the door of the cab open, waiting for her.

“Oh hang on. My feet hurt. These new boots are killer.” Rita said, as she finally made her way to the curb. Henry laughed.

“Yes, yes they are. We are going to be late.” He said as he ducked his head and got into the taxi before her. Rita slipped in beside him and slammed the door shut. She turned on the leather seat to look at Henry.

“You look good. Like that black shirt. The graphic is awesome. Brave man to wear a chandelier.” Rita said, making no move to hide her smirk.

“Oh shut up, you know it’s not a chandelier. Scrolly bits and swirls. It’s cool. Fuck off” he said, with mock pain in his voice. Henry flashed a wide smile and patted the lapels of his jacket. He gave the address to the cab driver and leaned back on the seat.

“Where are we going again?” Rita asked. She fished in her purse for her lipstick.

“Didn’t you check your email before meeting me?”Henry asked, shaking his head. Rita looked at him over the black rim of her glasses.  She raised her eyebrow and shrugged as she touched up her lips. She smeared the pink cream with the tip of her finger to blend it in with the red she was already wearing. With one fluid motion she closed the lipstick and tucked it way as she leaned into Henry. She looked up at him with wide crystal blue eyes.

“No, I didn’t of course. Tell me what fabulous place we are going to get lost in tonight” she asked sweetly, reaching out one hand to look at her perfectly manicured fingernails. They were hot pink to match her hair. Rita smiled up at Henry. The cab suddenly turned a corner sharply. Rita reached for the back of the front seat and held on. Henry braced himself against the door.

“Whoa man! What the hell are you doing?” Henry yelled. The cab came to an abrupt stop. The cab turned to them both.

“$35.50” the man said, holding his hand out. He tapped the meter with his fingers when Henry hesitated. Henry snorted. He took out his wallet and paid the fair. Henry muttered under his breath. Rita did not wait. She was already standing on the sidewalk. She looked up at the sign.

“Here?!” Rita exclaimed as Henry got out of the cab. Henry smiled slightly.

“Yes, here.” He said and led Rita up the steps of the Lotus restaurant.
~

Re: whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

Hi, la!  Well I am already wondering whether Henry is really madly in love with Rita and why Rita just can't love him back equally.  Why she's so distant.  But then again, why should Rita love him back?  Maybe she just doesn't feel it.  Maybe she just wants to be friends with him.  It's been ten years, so maybe it's simply a friendship…

The fact that she doesn't answer him sometimes, doesn't check her email, makes me wonder what she's getting out of the relationship.  What he's getting out of the relationship.

And where it's all going!  OK, that's a lot of questions.  Are you going to keep going on it?  P.S.  I am fascinated with the way you write “real” stories with a lot of dialogue.  Does it hold your interest?  To find out how the characters are going to develop, what they're going to say, who they really are?

Thank you for sharing this here.  Love, Kathy

Re: whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

thanks Kathy :-)

Are you going to keep going on it?

- I don't know, but probably at some point, there's more to that story I am sure!

P.S.  I am fascinated with the way you write “real” stories with a lot of dialogue.

-this is actually a new thing for me, that dialogue is coming up so easily… usually it's not like that for me (not sure how it came across before though). I have been trying to listen more to the characters as I am writing and I guess, that is how it is coming out. I was distracted by the narrative before I guess!

Does it hold your interest?  To find out how the characters are going
to develop, what they're going to say, who they really are?

-for now, yes, though I am still getting used to it… there is a shift that I am feeling in my writing, how I am approaching the story maybe, and the focus now seems to be more on the characters rather than on the action/ scene… Probably it has to do with being immersed in writing the script, and not really being able to describe in great detail the scene/ narrative. I was forced into economy of scale and now I am still stuck there ;-)

I am going to have some time to write tonight (hopefully) and maybe Rita and Henry will be chatty:-)!

xo
la

Re: whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

Rita and Henry draw me in. Rita more so. I think that is because I love reading female characters and she feels like she has some wonderful strengths.

Their relationship is interesting and sweet. Made me think of wild birds for some reason. They both give something to each other, but they are both too scared or skittish to know what it is or to allow it to go into a new depth?

I am intrigued by relationships because I am so doing my best to learn to have better ones in my own life at the moment.

This was what was most telling for me ~
There was a time when they both thought there was something more than
friendship between them, but they thought it at different times. In
spite of the awkward moments of unrequited love, they remained friends.
Rita ignored Henry.

Is the taxi cabs abrupt turn and restaurant name telling us something is about change for them both? I wait eager to read more.

xx azyh

Re: whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

As always, loved the 'textures” of your story.  I could almost feel smooth soft leather boots under my hands while reading.

I seem to like both of these characters.  I started wondering if they were going to fall in love after all when Rita flirted with her eyes …but I guess that remains to be seen.  If you go back, and if you want to, I'd love to hear about the times that they did fall in love …except that it was at different times.  That sounds so interesting! 

Now, what's up with that cab driver and his abrupt stop?  What's special about this place The Lotus?

I enjoyed reading this.  I was sorry it ended so quickly.

Love, Ayla

Re: whatever occurs - Rita and Henry

thanks Azyh and Ayla xo

I don't know if there will be more on this one, not so far, but who knows!

xo