A Second Chance By Christopher Zimmer My head was spinning. I tried to get up and take a piss, but I stumbled and fell halfway there. I crawled back to my recliner and sat back. I don’t think there was any more Bourbon left, so I lit up a cigarette and wondered what the hell was going to happen next… *** As I was driving home from the firm, I couldn’t believe how much it was raining. My windshield wipers couldn’t go any faster. I pulled into the Township library, put out my cigarette and walked in. I can’t believe I haven’t been to the library in months. With working sixty hours a week, attending my kids five soccer games on Saturday, and doing all the church and family s*** on Sunday, I have never had the chance of having some personal, Me time. I grabbed they copies of Sporting News, Success, and Men’s Health, and sat in a sofa by the window. I was flipping through them and was thoroughly enjoying myself. At 8:55pm, the librarian with the thick-rimmed glasses came over sand said, “Excuse me sir, but the library is closing in a few minutes.” I glanced up at her, smiled, and said, “No problem.” I walked back to my car thinking that was the best forty-five minutes of the week. I walked through the garage, only to hear Andrew, Lisa, and David playing tag, while Audrey was talking on the phone and ironing clothes. She looked up and said, “Honey can you get the kids in bed? Thanks.” She cut me off before I could say, “Yeah no problem.” I walked into the living room, and I heard all my kids yell simultaneously, “Daddy!” “Hey guys. Mom wants you in bed. Let’s get to it.” Surprisingly, they all listened and ran up the stairs. I watched Drew and David brush their teeth. They looked so much like their grandfather! Just the way their blond hair and big brown eyes went together, it gave me chills. I walked in to Lisa’s room and saw her reading some princess fairy tale book. “Hey sis how was your day?” She looked at me with her bratty attitude and said, “It would be better if you were around.” This was typical of all my kids. Always complaining that I am at work. “Well Lisa, someday when you’re a grown up you will have to work just like me!” I kissed her on the forehead and said, “Make sure you go to bed soon.” She didn’t reply as I closed the door. I headed into the twins room. Their lights were already off and they were just about to fall asleep. I whispered, “Hey boys.” They looked up at me for a split second, and then put their heads back under the covers. “How come you guys don’t want to talk?” I asked. I f*ing hate the “silent treatment” my kids give me. I just said, “Ok boys sleep tight,” and closed the door. I headed to my bedroom and changed. There was a small ring around my neck from where my tie has been choking me the last two days. My legs were all red from itching the constant annoyance of my silk slacks. My navy blue sweat pants and my gray Northwestern sweater never felt so good. I walked into the kitchen and opened up the kitchen cabinet. I was making myself a Manhattan when Audrey walked in. Right as I was putting my ice and cherry in, she said, “Michael we need to talk.” “What’s wrong?” “Come. Sit down.” We plopped ourselves on the living room couch. She started to show me all these papers. “Michael, these are all the F’s and D’s that our kids have got the last quarter.” I glanced through them. “How the hell did David get a 53% on a spelling test? Do you even make them study?” She snapped back, “Michael, I can’t do everything around here! Why don’t you come home at a reasonable time to help out!?!?” I took a sip of my drink and said, “Audrey, you know good and well that since I started working for Brent Sipe and Steve Bailey, that I have been working a lot more.” She rolled her eyes, “Don’t give me that s***. I know you guys all go golfing on Friday afternoons and you go out to the bars after your cases and trials are over.” There was a sharp pain in the back of my neck; I knew where this was going. “Well what the f*** do you want me to do Audrey? Quit my $150,000 job so I can teach the kids to spell and learn about the pilgrims? What is all that tuition money for? We don’t send them to St. Charles for nothing?” She slapped my drink out of my hands and yelled, “Michael! You need to stop acting like you’re the hotshot lawyer of Chicago and be a father! And most importantly, a husband…” Anger and frustration was starting to boil inside of me. My pulse and blood pressure raised as I said, “If you don’t want my love and dedication to our kids, you can leave!” Tears were coming down from her face as she stomped out of the room. I walked back to the kitchen to make myself another drink. My vision was blurry, and I heard voices in the background. Were those my kids? “Mom, why are we leaving?” “Mom, where is Dad?” “Is Dad coming with us?” I heard footsteps hurry into the laundry room and out the door. That b**** is taking my kids! I rushed out of the room, stumbling and grabbing the wall to keep me from falling. I saw our mini van starting to back out of the driveway. I walked out, barefoot, and yelled, “Audrey! Come back!” I saw the look of horror and fright on my kids faces as the car was getting farther away. I ran to the driver’s side of the van and pounded on the window, “Stop the damn car Audrey! You’re making a mistake!” I heard her voice yell through the locked window, “F*** you!” She started to pull out of the driveway and drive off. B****. I ran back inside grabbed my keys, and hopped in my car. I drove off after her. I saw her heading down McEwen, so I cut across Penbrook to catch up. I sped up right behind her and honked the horn. I saw her accelerate, and I did the same. The light at the intersection of St. Route 725 was turning yellow, than red. She stopped and I put the car in park. I ran out of the car and went up the window. “Audrey! Pull over! Don’t take the kids!” Her blue eyes widened and she took off through the red light. CRUNCH! She ran over my left foot. I fell on my ass and yelled, “God Damnit!” I saw her get through the intersection without getting hit. I wobbled back to the car and went after her. “She can’t take the kids…She can’t take my kids…” I kept saying to myself. I caught back up to her and honked the horn again. I stuck my head out the window and yelled, “We can work this out!” I saw blue and red flashing lights behind along with the blaring sound of a siren. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw two police cars following behind. Audrey got through the intersection right before it turned red. I stepped my foot on the gas and flew. I heard a loud horn, and saw bright white lights. That’s the last thing I remember. I woke up in a room filled with machines and wires tangled all over me. There was some sort of mask around my mouth and nose pushing oxygen into my lungs. I looked down at my arms and saw red, black, and blue skin. I tried wiggling my toes, but they wouldn’t move. I obviously was in a hospital. Across from me, sitting in a sofa, was a man with black hair wearing a white lab coat. “Michael you awake?” he asked. I simply nodded. I tried to speak but my voice was so dry. “Shhh, don’t say anything,” he said. “My name is Dr. Wright. You were in a very serious accident almost twelve hours ago. “Rest. Rest. Rest.” He walked out of the room before I could ask, “What the f*** happened?” I lay there, hearing the heart beat machine go- Beep-Beep-Beep- on and on, and on. I looked out the window and the sun was starting to come up. Just then my wife Audrey, walked into the room. “Honey, what happened?” My voice was very soft and rough. “Don’t give me that s***,” she said. “Audrey, what are you talking about? What happened?” A smirk came across her face, and she leaned in close by my bed. “Michael,” she whispered. “I am leaving, and the kids are leaving. We’re never coming back. They won’t even get to say good-bye to you. Get better.” She walked out of the room. I mustered up all the voice my throat could handle, “Audrey! Wait!” Her head popped back into the window. “Just tell me what happened,” I pleaded. She fired back, “You can ask God about that!” A tear started to trickled down my face as she left…forever. I woke up from a deep, sleepless dream. I saw a old man sitting on a chair by the window. He had long white hair, and long white whiskers. He was smoking a pipe and reading a newspaper. I asked, “Who are-” “Michael! You’re awake!” He set down his papers and pipe, and wheeled his chair over. “You’re probably wondering who I am, but just to let you know, I have known you your whole life.” I was trying to recall who he was, but I didn’t have the slightest idea who he was. “My name is Theodore,” he said. “You’re guardian angel.” “My guardian what?” I asked. “Your guardian angel. That’s what!” he said. “I have been in charge protecting you your whole life.” “Then why the f*** am I in here?” I asked. “Because Michael, you’re a lousy husband.” Suddenly, I recalled all of what happened. I saw myself drinking. Myself getting in an argument with Audrey. I saw me chasing after her in our cars. I saw the police lights. I saw myself get hit by a diesel truck. “Oh my God,” I said. “Oh trust me he’s pissed,” said Theodore. “What do you mean?” “I mean the big man is really ticked off at you. I had to beg him to spare your life.” “You mean I should be dead?” “Well yeah,” he said. “Your car got pummeled by a semi.” I closed my eyes and said to myself, “This is a dream. This is a dream….” I felt a cold hand slap me across the face. “Snap out of it jackass!” Theodore’s face was red, and his green eyes looked at me straight in the face. “Listen,” he said. “You’re getting a second chance.” “A second chance at what?” I asked. “You’re so stupid…. A second chance at life!” “I don’t want it. I deserve to be here, not even this. I have been the shittiest dad ever, Work-a-holic, smoker, drinker, and have never been there for my wife.” Theodore sat back in his seat and sighed. “You really don’t want it. Do you?” he asked. “F*** you. And f*** the god that sent you.” I gave him stare, and he gave it back. “You know,” he said. “After all the people I have looked over the last thousand damn years, you’re by far the most I have looked after. All your party days in college, traveling across the country, you’re trials, your kids…. And this is how you treat me?” I yelled, “I told you to f*** off. Now beat it!” The old man collected his things, and walked out of the room. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. *** The annoying alarm clock went off at 6:30am. It was Thursday. I looked out the window, and saw rain pouring down. I got out of bed, and took a shower. The hot water beat against my skin, I kept thinking, “Why does my head hurt so bad? How come Audrey wasn’t with me in bed?” I put on my black-stripped suit, and my red tie. Perfect for defending a convicted murderer. While drinking my coffee and eating my toast, I saw my drinking glasses broke on the floor with stains of blood and alcohol on the carpet. I opened up my brief case and saw a note that read, “Whether you like it or not. Here is your second chance.” -Theodore