The Idealists: Part V

The Idealists – Part V


The Portrait

Derick pulled the door closed, leaving the din of argument behind him, and went and sat on the bed. He picked up a magazine from his wife’s bed (her parents had them sleeping in twin beds a la a 50’s sitcom). It wasn’t very interesting and his thoughts wandered, as did his eyes.

​There were pictures all along one wall, and his eyes kept coming back to one. It was an old black and white family photo. The parents were on either end with three kids in between. He compared the faces with other pictures and realized the man was his wife’s mother’s father. He was dressed in an air force uniform and wore a cocky look that signaled his asshole nature to the world.

​The man’s wife, on the other end, looked frumpy and annoyed. Her eyes were full of anger and fatigue. Maybe she didn’t realize how much of an asshole this guy was until after she married him. Maybe she thought she could change him; who knew.

​There were two boys by the mom and a girl by the father. Derick compared faces and realized the girl was his wife’s mother. All three of the kids, especially her, looked scared. It was a terrible thing to see in their eyes. It was something he decided his kids would never wear, whatever he had to do. Outside, one of the aunts was yelling at someone. He glanced at his suitcase, at the picture, at the door. The doorknob turned, his wife, Ruthie, stepped in and closed it behind her. She looked at him and he glanced at the picture, then back at her. She sighed a loud breath out and it occurred to him that it wasn’t her, yelling, not yet. There was time.


C.L. Bledsoe

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