FLO stood in the kitchen smoking. She looked across her thrift store living room at the front door. “Still not home,” she said to herself while she watched the 20 minute meal-from–a-bag that had been on the stove for at least an hour. When the lock finally turned, Flo didn’t move. FREE walked in, tossed his keys in the bowl that sat on the table, and rested his guitar against the wall. He flipped through the mail, noticing only bills and collection notices. A low, unfriendly, “How was your day” came from the couch. Free let out a, “Fine.”

“Fine. Good. Dinner was ready an hour ago,” she said with disdain. Free took a deep breath and said, “Look, I don’t want to talk about it. But, they let me go.” Flo slammed down her finished whiskey glass on the table, “You never want to talk about it.” Free walked into the kitchen and stood over the stove looking at the pan that held his dinner, he picked out a piece of chicken to eat. “A Little dry don’t you think,” turning to the refrigerator he grabbed a beer. Flo rose up from the couch and could feel the smallness of their one bedroom apartment. “Don’t start,” Free yells before Flo says, “All I’m saying is, by now, we should be a little better off than we are.” Free just looked at her, “You sell insurance. For minimum wage.” Flo pushed everything off the coffee table, the glass broke against the wood floor. Flo took a long pause to catch herself. “You, you can’t hold down a job. How many have you had in the last 3 year. Let’s see, the renascence fair? The restaurant? You spend all day with your two pot smoking ‘friends’ that you call a band.”

“Don’t talk about them like that. They’re the only thing I have that resembles a stable relationship these days.” Free went for another beer. “Oh really! Those fucks.” Flo stormed into the kitchen, and slammed the refrigerator door almost catching Free’s hand. “Watch it.” Free popped the top and slammed the can on the counter. Flo stared in, “You’re out there every day trying to ‘help’ people with their finances, when you can even make the rent at home.”

“Look, back off. I don’t think I’m the only one here. We got in this thing together. I thought we were a couple?” Free started to shake with anger, “You haven’t been the same since you came back.” Flo whipped her head around, “What are you going to bring that up every time you lose a job.”

“Well?”

“Well, What?!” Free just took another long drink and finished the can before saying, “Maybe if I had a motorcycle and good looks you would sell me some insurance and a piece of your ass too!”

“I can’t believe you would talk to me like this,” and Flo walked into the bedroom.

To be continued…