A dilemma .. 1st excercise in building a character and short story.

 

1(d): A dilemma

Craig Millington

 

The early morning phone calls were always an unwelcome interruption, the long hours only served to erode what was already a strained relationship.  Stev and Alex’s had meet eighteen years ago at New York University, a whirlwind romance, she had never been in any long-term relationship but they were in love and that is all that mattered.

Stev had worked it out, “god he’d been mulling it over in his head long enough.  Establishing a home the long hours, being on call, the forensic criminal work it just wears you down how can anyone have a normal relationship after looking at the crap I have to look at every day, its just dam depressing?” he thought to himself.  It was 2.00am in the morning the chill of a New York Autumn bit hard. With a distinct New York accent, Stev turned to Jock.  “Gees Jock how comes I gotta look at your ugly mug every time we come to one of these cases.”  Jock just laughed he was Irish, as sharp as a tack big and burly with a shot of red hair.  “Its simple Stev we just love to look at each others ugly mugs, its a lot better den what ya gotta look at down dhere” pointing to the familiar NYPD canvas that covered a corpse. A young policemen lifts the corner  of the canvas and gags. “Its OK Son, you’ll get used to it” said Stev, wondering when exactly does hardness incrust the heart of a person.

Stev drew close to the body the sight was grotesque, beaten beyond recognition, brains, fractured bones and hair plastered over the cold grey sidewalk, the smell of spilt blood, metallic dark and dank.  Stev was accustomed to most sights but this was nauseating. A quietly spoken voice drew his attention from the body of the half-naked corpse lying in the middle of the sidewalk, to the hourglass figure of Chevron.  Chevron was dark tall stunningly beautiful and was on placement learning the ropes of forensics in the field.

 

That was the first time they meet, Stev 42 Chevron 22. Since then they had subsequently worked on various crime scenes together. From the start, there was an attraction at first physical, then emotionally and definitely intellectually.  Stev wondered if it was mutual, it seemed to be he thought.  He still loved Alex’s, if they could just work it out. Talking came hard on these long New York autumn days and nights. Maybe they had given up trying, like the dead leaves drifting down the gutters outside the café where Stev was having his customary Mocha. In his left hand was his cell phone in the other a scorching hot Mocha. Bringing the Mocha to his lips, he sipped and wondered whether he should make the call or not.

Tormented by the unknown, “I gotta know” he thought. "Besides he always knew, that’s what forensics is all about, to know to discover. This place of not knowing is strange he thought”, his mind screamed “its bloody annoying”. The pit of his stomach had been in knots for weeks. He knew if he made the call, it could spell the end for him and Alex’s.  He still loved her, he loved Chevron the desire to be around her grew with every minute, the randomness the total inconsistency not to mention the age difference gnawed away driving him at times to distraction.  He took another gulp of his Mocha, caressing the keys to his mobile phone.  “Was it appropriate?”, his moral compass was spinning out of control the desire to have her incessant.  

To be lucky enough to love two women was both a curse and a blessing he’d decided as he watched another Autumn leaf float on past. Taking another sip of his Mocha, he flipped his phone repeatedly.