A Real Man Is Hard To Find | 30 July, 2024 @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2449 | Prompt: inappropriate thoughts

Summoning all the will power he could muster, Jermaine stepped toward the edge of the platform. He scoured the crowd for Audrey. "What if I die this day. She won't have witnessed all I've sacrificed for her,." he lamented, his heartbeat steady increasing.

Audrey stood at the back of the crowd. She wasn't about to show her face upfront. Doing so would signal her approval. But she couldn't miss the event.

"You fool, you don't have anything to prove," she cried silently, unable to watch.

In her mind, all their dreams were headed down into the mountain of despair. A hero she never wanted. But Jermaine's insistence that he accept Mikos' extreme athlete challenge was ludicrous.

Through a mutual friend in their bowling club, she'd met Jermaine two years ago. Jermaine's jealousy spiraled the moment Audrey introduced her ex-boyfriend, Mikos, an extreme athlete.

Their group of friends would just laugh and ignore Mikos. But Jermaine couldn't. Not physically fit as he desired, he endured the constant comparisons Mikos leveled at all men who weren't in total agreement with his fitness philosophy. Constantly questioning others' habits, especially food intake, was nauseating at times.

Since then, Mikos' taunting had pushed Jermaine to question his worth as a man. Endless arguments wore Audrey down. She suggested they end friendship with the group if that would alleviate their encounters with Mikos.

The thought of word reaching her friends that he didn't feel comfortable in their group because of Mikos was embarrassing.

"Everyone else ignores Mikos. Why can't you?" Audrey argued.

But convincing Jermaine his athletic prowess wasn't a factor was a tug-of-war. Eventually, she issued an ultimatum. His response during the argument didn't bode well.

"You'll never respect me if I don't do this. I can't back down."

He refused, so she demanded he move out. The next step was to break off their engagement

Three months had passed since he left the apartment. Audrey didn't disclose the status of their relationship to her group. As the date approached for the competition, she vacillated whether to attend.

Now she stood at the back of the crowd. She didn't want to hear about the outcome from her friends but witness it first hand. What she would do and how she'd react was still uncertain.

Audrey caught a glimpse of Jermaane as he turned and searched the crowd. She knew he was looking for her.

Suddenly, a rush of overwhelming love and concern for his safety coursed through her body. She made her way to the front of the attendees at the event.

For a long moment, they stared at each other. She didn't understand why he immediately stepped back from the platform.

She ran to him.

"You fool. Don't you realize how much I love and respect you. Haven't I proven it? If I'd wanted Mikos "The Athletic Junkie", who by the way is the most obnoxious person I've known, we wouldn't be together. I'd rather have a whole husband to spend the rest of my life with and a father to help guide our son and show him the true meaning of what a real man is."

A veil of understanding immediately lifted allowing to fall the cobwebs of jealousy mixed with hubris.

Audrey extended her hand. He accepted, and she led him away from the crowd.

They paused. Surprised and excited, Jermaine lifted her up, planting kisses of joy over her fact, then exposed a playful frown.

"Let's go home. I'll get enough exercise constructing the baby's room."

For my theme, I was inspired by and utilized the @daily.prompt's publishing of 30 July 2024, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2449: inappropriate thoughts.