Gabby’s Babbles
Why my Lizard Brain Thinks He Is Cheating on Me
A very short romance with a scaly twist
Disclaimer: This is a short work of fiction. These characters only exist in the lizard brain.
“He’s staying late at work for the fifth night in a row,” says Becky, stay-at-home mom. She places her thin fingers to the glass of the window and peers out. Mark isn’t home, so she is alone with her thoughts.
I am getting less and less attention, thinks Becky. What if Mark found someone else? He comes home late and looks more disheveled than usual. Mark shouldn’t be that tired; he’s not stuck here with the young ones all day. She’d give anything to go back to the old days and to a time before Mark.
Becky wasn’t always this dependent. She used to travel the world. She took many lovers, though she had a soft spot for one lover in particular. Dean was a singer, and he did croon. He took her to many more places with his singing than Mark ever actually did. Mark never takes her anywhere. She is trapped in this glass house.
If only she stayed with Dean, then she’d still be out in the world. No. That’s stupid. You’re stupid, self-deprecates Becky. Dean and I were just wrong for each other. Dean swallowed her with his ambitions. He pursued whoever and whatever he wanted. Dean’s crooning would always bring jealousy and more lovers. Dean loved them all. Becky couldn’t handle Dean’s ambitions. She lost herself trying to keep up with dreams that weren’t even hers. She was trained to compromise and to bend never shatter. Plus, it is not like he was the only one she saw either.
One day, Dean’s ambitions took a deadly turn, and Becky did shatter. A lover, much more jealous and vicious than Becky ever could be, killed him in a blind passion. That lover was tired of Dean’s games and his crooning. Maybe, the old days weren’t so great, Becky reverberates. I sure have made a lot of mistakes.
Dean’s death hit Becky harder than she thought it had. His death was years ago. But she was so shattered at the time, she let herself become domesticated, taken in by Mark. At the time, she was grateful to have somebody. Anything was better than being left alone with her thoughts. Wait. She’s alone again. Mark is not there.
Becky blindly and deafly ignores her children. She’s not completely alone, but it’s not like the kids exactly hangout with her anymore. Becky isn’t experiencing empty nest syndrome like some mothers do. She mostly yearns for youth and travel. Mark’s absences make it worse. She will not be left alone with these kids that make her feel ancient. Becky burns and rages at the thought of being left alone with them while Mark is out possibly having fun with a younger woman or whoever. It’s not fair. She never wanted to be a mother. She is weak.
“Hey there, Becky!” exclaims Mark. “You don’t look too happy to see me. Are you hungry?”
Mark offers Becky a Styrofoam cup. Becky notices movement coming from the cup. Becky squirms. She is hungry, but she’s still angry.
“C’mon, girl, you know you want to eat,” taunts Mark. Mark stares into Becky’s golden eyes. He notices her pink tongue touch her lips.
Ugh, Mark is gaslighting me. He’s just going to be late again. I wonder what her name is. Becky thinks all of this worriedly to herself. She feels so betrayed. She’s even had children for him! He’s disgusting! Now, he’s taunting her with food like she’s a mere animal to him. Has he no respect?
“I don’t understand you sometimes, little girl,” Mark says softly. “I brought you fresh food. You love crickets! What’s wrong?”
Oh, you know what’s wrong. Becky thinks as she rolls her eyes. You’ve been getting back from work later and later. Sometimes, you even leave in the middle of the day! I bet she’s a hot female. It’s too bad she would be infertile, then. That’s why you come crawling back to me. Hmph, I am hungry, though.
Becky finally decides to climb up the glass window. She is tired and has had enough worry for one day. She reaches the end of her heated tank wall. This signals to Mark that she would like him to place the Styrofoam cup of crickets into her enclosure. She may be too tired to worry about Mark, but she’s always ready for fresh crickets.
“That’s a good girl! See? I knew you wouldn’t stay mad at me. Fresh crickets always do the trick,” says Mark. Who says being a gecko breeder was easy? Mark thinks to himself. Becky can be so stubborn, but she has always given him plenty of broods. She pays the bills somewhat. It’s just too bad he needs an extra job to pay the rent.
