Fraser's Mistake Challenge
Jul. 25th, 2004 05:34 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ds_flashfictionBored this afternoon. PMS this week. 1208 words of fic with no happy ending. It's PG - maybe even G - just awful sad. Enjoy is not the right word:
Letting Ray Go
By BJCochran
(dS, F,K, PG – no bad words, s*e*x, just no happy ending)
Disclaimer: AA owns everything, but the ideas. They belong to me.
Summary: Fraser makes a mistake challenge on ds_flashfic. 1208 words of angst. No happy ending here.
>>><<<
The horizon was endless, the hint of twilight clinging to its edges. Since Dief had retired from lead dog status, Ben had understood the need to adopt a snow mobile for his main transportation across the tundra. On endless cold days like today, he wondered if he should be in the office in front of the propane heater.
He'd gotten a letter from Ray yesterday. It sat there on the desk in his office unopened, like a snake ready to strike. It would be opened eventually. They never sat, mocking him, very long. If Ray took the time to write, it was important. Another milestone to mark.
Ray had written him when he'd gotten engaged to be married. Her name was Laurie Hewlett. She worked in the IT division of the Chicago PD. Since Fraser wasn't there to help him with the computer thing, he had to find someone else, right? But she like blow 'em up movies, and the Cubbies and, you know, other stuff. That was a euphemism for sex, Ben imagined. Sure, she was younger than Ray, but she kept up with him and brought him up into the twenty-first century.
Fraser wrote back and wished them well.
The wind was picking up and his patrol was producing nothing. Nothing but wind burn. He pulled his lip balm from a pocket deep inside his parka and took a few minutes to apply it before turning the snow mobile around to head back to the office.
The next time Ray wrote was with an invitation to be Ray's best man. It was spring; it would be a June wedding. Nice little church wedding, just the closest family and friends. White dress, black tuxes, black bridesmaids dresses (latest fad for the Chicago Wedding, he said), nothing to clash with the red tunic and pumpkin pants.
Ben declined. June was a busy time in the Yukon. Much poaching activity, he couldn't get away. Ray's note back was understanding, saying that keeping the great, wild north free of malficients was pretty important. He included pictures of his bachelor party, apparently held at Detectives Huey and Dewey's comedy club. Ray's hair was freshly dyed. He had new glasses on. Flushed with drink. He looked happy.
He didn't hear from Ray for a long time after that. Ben never initiated contact. He felt he'd lost the right when he sent Ray home after the adventure. His partner had been willing to stay, willing to carve a life out by his side. Yet, with his wilderness posting, Ben would spend very little time at Ray's side. Like his father, his duty was paramount. Ben could not even give Ray a child to keep him company during his long absences; therefore, he could not sentence Ray to a life of waiting alone.
Nearing the village, outpost really, he saw the glow of lights from his office. Marjean would have gone home by now. Having her as a part-time clerk was a boon. She did all of his office work, filed his reports, took incoming calls. Made sure he had at least one good meal a day – during the week. On the weekend, he was on his own. Kraft Dinner had become his friend.
He pulled into the shed beside the prefab RCMP office. Plugging in the block heater and covering the snow mobile, he heard Dief pawing at the front door of the office.
The most recent note came several months ago. Laurie was pregnant. Fraser could almost hear Ray's ecstatic voice through his erratic handwriting. Finally, Ray said, he was going to be a dad. He was going to be the best dad. An old dad, but a good dad.
Ray would make a fine father. A little rough around the edges, but a fall over, knock over? Push over. It was Ben's hope that Laurie Hewlett would be the bad cop in the parenting partnership otherwise the child would be spoiled at an incredible level.
Diefenbaker shot by him when he opened the door. Marjean must have not let him out when she left. He reflexively looked at the wall clock. Oh. It was nearly 2200. The wolf must be in pain. He moved to his desk. "Stew in the crock pot in your quarters. Wolf wanted to wait here." Of course, there you are.
Under his assistant's note was the envelope from the States. Putting it in the pocket of his parka, he turned the lights out and reduced the flame on the propane heater before heading to his quarters.
His quarters were relatively large – 2 bedrooms – in the off chance that the serving constable would have a family. Odd that the RCMP would imagine that an officer would want to bring his or her family with them to the way too north. An enticing fragrance wafted from the kitchenette into the lounge area. Probably caribou with potatoes, onions and carrots if he wasn't mistaken.
Taking off his parka, he tossed the letter onto the table beside his reading chair. He let Dief in before he went to take a shower. Dief complained about being hungry, but Ben ignored it. Clean first, food second.
Heartbreak third.
He ate the stew because it was necessary. He laid his uniform and underwear out for the morning because it was ingrained habit. He poured himself a small dram of scotch whiskey because it was – necessary, also.
It was not a letter, it was a birth announcement.
Haylee Marie Kowalski
7 lbs 10 oz
19 inches long
Born March 11, 2004
Ben took a deep, stuttering breath. Included with the pretty pink announcement were pictures. The ecstatic mother beaming down at her newborn, a scene as old as time. This was the first picture he'd seen of Laurie Kowalski nee Hewlett. She was younger than Ray, her brown hair pulled back into a pony tail. A turned-up nose and a laughing smile were probably what attracted Ray. But that was only speculation on Ben's part. He had no idea why Ray was attracted to her. The next picture was of Ray beaming down at the baby, his arm around his wife. The third picture was of Ray and his daughter. Ben could see that the sun did indeed rise on her. Ray's eyes sparkled, amazed at the bundle in his arms, the small hand splayed on his thumb. There was no note. No personalization as was normally Ray's wont. That meant something.
He'd really intended to sip the whiskey, but the whole shot burned a path to his stomach. The hole was already burned into his heart. He set the pictures and announcement down on the table, as he pulled out his cheque book and checked his balance.
Writing decisively, signing it with a flourish, he would make the trek east tomorrow to get it on the next day's mail plane. One thousand dollars might seem an excessive baby gift to Ray, even if it was Canadian funds.
But, it was time to start paying for his mistake.
The end.
Like it? Hate it ? Tell me.
For Akite and Karen/s because they let me do this stuff. No matter what.
Letting Ray Go
By BJCochran
(dS, F,K, PG – no bad words, s*e*x, just no happy ending)
Disclaimer: AA owns everything, but the ideas. They belong to me.
Summary: Fraser makes a mistake challenge on ds_flashfic. 1208 words of angst. No happy ending here.
>>><<<
The horizon was endless, the hint of twilight clinging to its edges. Since Dief had retired from lead dog status, Ben had understood the need to adopt a snow mobile for his main transportation across the tundra. On endless cold days like today, he wondered if he should be in the office in front of the propane heater.
He'd gotten a letter from Ray yesterday. It sat there on the desk in his office unopened, like a snake ready to strike. It would be opened eventually. They never sat, mocking him, very long. If Ray took the time to write, it was important. Another milestone to mark.
Ray had written him when he'd gotten engaged to be married. Her name was Laurie Hewlett. She worked in the IT division of the Chicago PD. Since Fraser wasn't there to help him with the computer thing, he had to find someone else, right? But she like blow 'em up movies, and the Cubbies and, you know, other stuff. That was a euphemism for sex, Ben imagined. Sure, she was younger than Ray, but she kept up with him and brought him up into the twenty-first century.
Fraser wrote back and wished them well.
The wind was picking up and his patrol was producing nothing. Nothing but wind burn. He pulled his lip balm from a pocket deep inside his parka and took a few minutes to apply it before turning the snow mobile around to head back to the office.
The next time Ray wrote was with an invitation to be Ray's best man. It was spring; it would be a June wedding. Nice little church wedding, just the closest family and friends. White dress, black tuxes, black bridesmaids dresses (latest fad for the Chicago Wedding, he said), nothing to clash with the red tunic and pumpkin pants.
Ben declined. June was a busy time in the Yukon. Much poaching activity, he couldn't get away. Ray's note back was understanding, saying that keeping the great, wild north free of malficients was pretty important. He included pictures of his bachelor party, apparently held at Detectives Huey and Dewey's comedy club. Ray's hair was freshly dyed. He had new glasses on. Flushed with drink. He looked happy.
He didn't hear from Ray for a long time after that. Ben never initiated contact. He felt he'd lost the right when he sent Ray home after the adventure. His partner had been willing to stay, willing to carve a life out by his side. Yet, with his wilderness posting, Ben would spend very little time at Ray's side. Like his father, his duty was paramount. Ben could not even give Ray a child to keep him company during his long absences; therefore, he could not sentence Ray to a life of waiting alone.
Nearing the village, outpost really, he saw the glow of lights from his office. Marjean would have gone home by now. Having her as a part-time clerk was a boon. She did all of his office work, filed his reports, took incoming calls. Made sure he had at least one good meal a day – during the week. On the weekend, he was on his own. Kraft Dinner had become his friend.
He pulled into the shed beside the prefab RCMP office. Plugging in the block heater and covering the snow mobile, he heard Dief pawing at the front door of the office.
The most recent note came several months ago. Laurie was pregnant. Fraser could almost hear Ray's ecstatic voice through his erratic handwriting. Finally, Ray said, he was going to be a dad. He was going to be the best dad. An old dad, but a good dad.
Ray would make a fine father. A little rough around the edges, but a fall over, knock over? Push over. It was Ben's hope that Laurie Hewlett would be the bad cop in the parenting partnership otherwise the child would be spoiled at an incredible level.
Diefenbaker shot by him when he opened the door. Marjean must have not let him out when she left. He reflexively looked at the wall clock. Oh. It was nearly 2200. The wolf must be in pain. He moved to his desk. "Stew in the crock pot in your quarters. Wolf wanted to wait here." Of course, there you are.
Under his assistant's note was the envelope from the States. Putting it in the pocket of his parka, he turned the lights out and reduced the flame on the propane heater before heading to his quarters.
His quarters were relatively large – 2 bedrooms – in the off chance that the serving constable would have a family. Odd that the RCMP would imagine that an officer would want to bring his or her family with them to the way too north. An enticing fragrance wafted from the kitchenette into the lounge area. Probably caribou with potatoes, onions and carrots if he wasn't mistaken.
Taking off his parka, he tossed the letter onto the table beside his reading chair. He let Dief in before he went to take a shower. Dief complained about being hungry, but Ben ignored it. Clean first, food second.
Heartbreak third.
He ate the stew because it was necessary. He laid his uniform and underwear out for the morning because it was ingrained habit. He poured himself a small dram of scotch whiskey because it was – necessary, also.
It was not a letter, it was a birth announcement.
Haylee Marie Kowalski
7 lbs 10 oz
19 inches long
Born March 11, 2004
Ben took a deep, stuttering breath. Included with the pretty pink announcement were pictures. The ecstatic mother beaming down at her newborn, a scene as old as time. This was the first picture he'd seen of Laurie Kowalski nee Hewlett. She was younger than Ray, her brown hair pulled back into a pony tail. A turned-up nose and a laughing smile were probably what attracted Ray. But that was only speculation on Ben's part. He had no idea why Ray was attracted to her. The next picture was of Ray beaming down at the baby, his arm around his wife. The third picture was of Ray and his daughter. Ben could see that the sun did indeed rise on her. Ray's eyes sparkled, amazed at the bundle in his arms, the small hand splayed on his thumb. There was no note. No personalization as was normally Ray's wont. That meant something.
He'd really intended to sip the whiskey, but the whole shot burned a path to his stomach. The hole was already burned into his heart. He set the pictures and announcement down on the table, as he pulled out his cheque book and checked his balance.
Writing decisively, signing it with a flourish, he would make the trek east tomorrow to get it on the next day's mail plane. One thousand dollars might seem an excessive baby gift to Ray, even if it was Canadian funds.
But, it was time to start paying for his mistake.
The end.
Like it? Hate it ? Tell me.
For Akite and Karen/s because they let me do this stuff. No matter what.
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