The Lawyer and the Seamstress

Gene saw Donna walking from her car to her clothing alterations shop every weekday morning. She was pretty, older than Gene normally goes for, but still more appealing than his own wife with her premature night sweats, thick waist and big thighs. Gene visited Donna's shop and had a suit coat altered. Donna's husband, Jason, was broken nearly in half in a dirt bike crash four years ago. Jason can not walk or talk or feed himself. He lies on his back, mostly, in a nursing facility. Donna hates herself. She loathes her affair with Gene, but nighttime loneliness is worse. In bed with Gene in her apartment overlooking the river, or on the floor of Donna's Alterations, Gene's touch thrills her even as it disgusts her. Why not me? Gene wonders. If not me, it would be some other guy banging this chick. At least I treat her right, and what my wife doesn't know won't hurt her. When Donna sees the story of Gene's death on page one of The Telegraph at work on a Tuesday, she cries. She starts the coffee pot and gets to work on a prom dress. Well Geno, you should have worn your seat belt. Donna laughs so hard that she sets the dress aside and sits in a chair until the moment passes.