Fallout 07: The Boss

"Let me know when I can see her," I said, giving the nurse my cell number. I went back to my room and cried. Don't ask me why. Maybe it was grief for the years I had spent with Alice, but I don't know. What I do know is that most of the hatred I felt for her was now gone. Before she hooked up with Jake, she was the love of my life.

I went online and filed a claim with my insurance company. According to the site, I would be informed of their intentions within 30 days. That night was the first time I slept without experiencing my nightmare.

Over the next few days, I confirmed that Jake had died in the initial explosion. Jon also informed me that Jake's job was now mine, if I wanted it. What the hell, I thought. I figured I might as well take it, since it would mean more money and not much travel.

I spent a couple days looking for a decent apartment and found one. I moved my stuff in, set up house and spent a weekend pulling my tools from the old shop. While I was there, I walked through the ruins of our house, looking for anything that could possibly be salvaged. Sadly, I found nothing useful.

A few days later, I got a call from the hospital, saying I could see and talk with Alice.

I walked into her room and looked at her, most of her body covered in bandages. I walked to the side of her bed and looked down at her. She looked up at me with one eye and I could see the tears falling down her face.

"Can you talk?" I asked. She nodded her head slightly and mouthed, yes. "What happened?"

"We went out Wednesday night," she said. "When we got back, I asked Jake to turn on the fireplace in the bedroom. He got it lit on Monday and we used it for two nights without any problem."

"What?" I asked, stunned. "Don't you remember I told you to keep the gas to that thing shut off until the insert was replaced? What were you thinking?"

"I'm... sorry," she said.

"Go on," I said.

"Well, Jake saw the pilot was out, so he checked to see if the gas was turned on, then he lit a match to start the pilot, and that's when it happened," she said. "I heard a loud boom, then the next thing I know, I'm waking up here."

"That's why I shut the gas off to that thing," I said. "I told you it was too dangerous to turn on."

"I guess I forgot," she said.

"Well, Jake is dead now," I told her. Tears fell down her face. "And the house is completely demolished. Just like our marriage."

"I really fucked everything up, didn't I?" she asked.

"Yes, you did," I told her.

"So, what happens now?" she asked.

"Well, they tell me you're probably going to need skin grafts," I said. "It's going to be very expensive. I don't know if your insurance will be able to cover it."

"What about us?" she asked.

"I already told you, there is no 'us' anymore," I said. "You fucked that up, too. The divorce will go on," I added as she sobbed. "But I'll keep you on my insurance until you get through this."

"Thank you for that," she said. "Do you still hate me?"

"Not as much as before," I said. "But I still don't like you very much."

"I understand, Tom," she said.

"Anyway, I'll get out of your hair for now," I said. "I just hope you've learned your lesson."

"What's that?" she asked.

"If you play with fire, you're gonna get burned," I said before walking out of the room.

Epilogue:

Much to my surprise, the insurance company came through for me, and I got a check for the damage to the house. There wasn't much left after the mortgage was paid off, and I had no intention of rebuilding, so I talked with Alice and we agreed to sell the property and split the proceeds.

She remained in the hospital for quite some time. The paper put her on an extended paid leave of absence while she recuperated. The divorce went through as my lawyer said it would, and in 60 days I was a free man. In the meantime, I had started seeing Rose and she was doing an excellent job of getting me through my anger issues.

I kept my word to Alice and kept her on my insurance until she was healed enough to get out and about on her own. The doctors had done a wonderful job on her and the skin grafts seemed to take hold just fine. She wasn't the beauty she was when we married, but she still looked pretty good, despite her scars.

As a final gesture, I helped her get set up in a new apartment. I handed her the keys to the place after the furniture was moved in.

"I hope you like it," I said. "I made sure to pick one that doesn't have a fireplace." She laughed as she took the keys.

"Thank you, Tom," she said, tears forming in her eyes. "I appreciate that. You're a good man, Tom, and you deserve a good woman. I'm sorry I messed everything up for us." I nodded my head.

"Yeah, well, I guess that's the way it goes," I told her, giving her one last hug. "You take care of yourself."

"I will," she said before I walked out. What now, I asked myself. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts. I couldn't believe so many women had given me their numbers these last few months. I found the number I was looking for and called.

"Hello," I heard a female voice say.

"Yeah, this is Tom," I said. "You busy tonight?"

"I was until you called," Nancy said. I had met Nancy a couple weeks ago at a club in town. She had the deepest blue eyes and legs that wouldn't quit. "You want some more of my lasagna?" she asked.

"You know it," I said.

"Well, come on over," she said. "I'll warm it up for you."

"I'm on my way," I said, ending the call. Yeah, sometimes playing with a little fire is just what the doctor ordered...

...

Note:Jon and Rose Carlson were featured in my series, "Rules."They've also appeared in a couple other stories as well.