"Checkmate" said Ginny with glee
"What?!? No!!" Ruby exclaimed. Instant denial rapidly followed by the certain knowledge her opponent was speaking the truth. Sometimes defeat hurts.
"Better luck next time" Ginny replied solicitously "You're getting there" and she began to pack away the game pieces.
"I know you're the one trashing me to the papers and it stops now!"
"You're talking out your a** Johnson; you don't know anything." Billy retorted.
"You're a low-life, unimaginative scum who bolsters his own reputation by destroying others." Craig replied angrily, his fists balling up and his face colouring.
"You want some Johnson? Bring it!" Billy laughed "You're a loser, always have been, always will be."
As Billy had thought would happen, Craig stormed away, his face bright red.
"See you around; failure." Billy called at his back.
Those were the days when it was both good to go home and difficult to make small-talk. It was one of the reasons Ruby and Craig loved each other; both knew days when the humiliation cut like a knife and they knew how to deal with it.
Heading to work the next morning, Ruby looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She determined, as she frequently did, that she would eat less and exercise more. These resolutions usually only lasted until the next bad day, leading to an ice-cream binge in order to stifle the miserable feelings.
The collection on childhood completed, Craig decided to try the little consignment shop in town with some of his other pieces.
"Mmm" June screwed up her face "I suppose we could take two or three ... give them a try." She looked doubtful.
"That's all I'm really asking" Craig replied "Just a try."
"Give the paintings to Murray. We'll call you if anyone buys one." June said with a tone of dismissal.
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