Light a Rainbow
1) Life on Standby-Hawthorn Heights
The music was loud and the beat heavy. He didn’t normally go into bars like this, but tonight, he needed to. They’d lost a witness today. By no fault of their own, but that didn’t matter. He should have known that the idiot witness wouldn’t be able to cut ties to an extended family that spanned four generations in one little town.
And now they were going to be burying him. At least he’d be going home.
He looked over at the woman on the bar stool next to him. She was beating herself up more than he was and it wasn’t even her witness. He reached out a hand and touched hers where it cradled her whiskey glass. She was cold.
Without thinking he grabbed her and pulled her out to the dance floor. This was her music, not his, but it’s what she needed, and everyone knows he lives for her. He would do anything for her, so when he feels her lips on his he doesn’t stop her, just lets her lead them back to his truck in the parking lot where they steam up the windows and when they’re done he watches her drive off to the arms of another man.
2) Amazing-Blue October
She often wondered what it was about him that she couldn’t let go. She knew he deserved better than her, but she didn’t care. She watched him sleep, silent and unmoving. The sleep of death. She didn’t know how it had happened, them ending up like this, but it had. She never meant for this to happen, but it did.
She lay next to him, pulling his arms around her, letting his warmth envelop her. She shouldn’t be here, giving him hope that doesn’t exist. She’s not good for him, but she can’t let him go. She’s trying. Really she is. But, she just can’t.
She looked at the ring on her finger, his ring. And knows it’s a sham, she was won over by fancy words and love. But she couldn’t give it back, then or now. She couldn’t let him go, she couldn’t set him free. She was afraid. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t want to admit that she might have been wrong. She just didn’t do that.
He stirred; death not so final after all, his hands moving on her body, oblivious to the turmoil inside of her, oblivious to the pain she is feeling. His hands touch, caress, cause her to moan, but it’s not him she sees, it’s that other man in her life, tall and white, haunting her dreams, she’s unable to have him, maybe that’s why she stays.
His lips on hers, his body in hers, and all she can think is, I’m Sorry.
3) Caroline-Brooks and Dunn
She loved road trips. When she was younger she used to go on them with Mary all the time, but not so much anymore. So when Marshall told her they were all going on a road trip she was thrilled. A chance to get out of Albuquerque, a chance to see something new. She hadn’t counted on the road trip being long and boring. She hadn’t counted on Marshall not shutting up or Mary threatening to kill and maim all of the drivers that passed them or that they passed.
And now they were broken down by the side of the high way, and she still had no idea why she was with them, why they had insisted on taking her and not Raph, still sitting at home wondering where everyone was going. Marshall worked his magic, half an hour they were on their way. When they rolled in to Vegas she was even more confused. If they were going to Vegas Raph should have been there.
When they pulled up to The Little White Wedding chapel she was even more surprised, when she was asked to be a witness she wondered why she hadn’t guessed sooner. She smiled now, at the road trip, it was worth the hassle just to see this.
4) 1-2-3-4-The Ataris
She’s my best friend, and I’m ok with that. I know where I stand as that. I just love her smile, and I love the way she looks at me when she’s mad, like she could castrate me and not think anything about it. One day I might be able to get up the courage to ask her out, but no. I think for now I’ll just stay where I am, her whipping boy. I know how that ends, and though it’s sad, at least I know that I’ll still be with her, still see her every day, still be her first call when she gets good news.
5) Lightness-Death Cab for Cutie
She looked at the amber liquid in her glass. This was not her preferred drink, but sometimes, when she was desperate she would find Mary’s stash. She knew Mary thought it was safe, not being in the house, not being in the garage, but really, the fridge by the pool? Mary didn’t like her hard alcohol cold, but she kept it there anyway.
Mary was out of town. Raph had been fighting with her on the phone, Brandi had been spending more and more time with Peter, that was good. But Mary and Raph worried her. She sat the glass down on the table next to her. She wasn’t going to drink it, it was still there though, an option if she needed to drown her worries.
She worried that one day Raph was going to get upset and leave, that one day Mary was going to push too hard and she was going to end up alone.
6) I Would be Stronger Than That-Faith Hill
Mary hated this. She hated that she could hear the woman next door. It felt wrong to her that all day she spent giving criminals’ new lives and the woman next door can’t escape her own. She has no way out. But she doesn’t know the woman well enough to go over to her and say get out, she tried once, it didn’t work.
Marshall was there one day when the shouting from next door started. And the breaking glass. And it was a quiet night. They could hear the whimpers and the sound of his fist hitting her she had to physically restrain Marshall from going over there.
The second time he was there she didn’t hear it, but he did. She was inside, he was out by the pool, she tried to figure out where he’d gone but knew the second she heard another voice next door. She called the cops, hoping they would get there in time to keep Marshall from doing something he would regret.
The next time the shouting came from next door Marshall didn’t just talk to the man, he didn’t just sneak off on Mary, he took her with him, and while he kept the man occupied in the front, Mary took her out the back. When they met up later, outside the bus station they both prayed that this time, she would leave for and good that she wouldn’t come back, but they both knew that wasn’t going to happen, but they prayed for it anyway.
7) Blacking Out the Friction-Death Cab for Cutie
The snow was falling thick and white around him; he couldn’t see what was going on. He could hear it, shouts coming from behind him warning him to get down, shots from in front, causing him to hit the ice cold ground. Then silence.
He lay there making sure that there was no more gun fire, looking around, trying to find her. Red in the white snow, the man who was shooting at them, dead. She isn’t there, nowhere to be seen. The snow is coming to fast, covering up the foot prints.
A shed, just ahead, a smear of red on the door frame, her breathing short and shallow, the red spreading from the hole in her side, no, he couldn’t do this again, he wouldn’t.
Darkness and sweat, the night so hot. It was a dream, a dream of loss. He looked at the invitation next to his bed, the wedding. The colors; white and red.
8) Armageddon-Alkaline Trio
“The worlds not going to end of you don’t show up.”
“How the hell would you know, you’re never around long enough to find out.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I didn’t even think you were going to show up tonight, you’re always off with your best friend.”
“Marshall?”
“Who else? And I don’t like it.”
“What are you jealous of Marshall? That’s ridiculous!”
“Really? Because he thinks he’s in love with you Mary. You know he’s hoping that one day you’re going to wake up and realize that you love him too. Do you really think he’d stick around that long without that hope? No one could put up with you for that long and not be in love with you!”
“You’re crazy! I don’t love him, he’s just a friend, he knows that. He doesn’t love me, not the way you think he does.”
“No?”
9) Light a Rainbow-Trance Party, Vol. 2
She had been young and stupid her first time, and since then she hadn’t done much better. She’d been involved in a string of bad relationships for as long as she could remember. Even Raph was a bad relationship gone on too long, but she didn’t know how to stop it. He represented everything she was supposed to want-love and a white picket fence. Everything she couldn’t have on her own.
She watched as the guests filed in, watched as her maid of honor took her place, and waited, he wasn’t here. He was going to miss it. She knew this was a bad idea. She never should have asked him to do something like this.
“Mary." He was here. “Sorry I'm late, I needed to stop and get your gift.”
“Where is it?” She asked looking around, not noticing anything in his hands.
He didn’t say anything, just took her arm as the music started, leading her down the aisle to her fate. She looked at him once and didn’t see him smile, he had come, that was her gift.
10) The Preacher Man-Andy Shelton
She hated church. She always had. Why did the witness insist on being a preacher? This was as close to his former profession as he could get. Standing up there at the pulpit and preaching about repentance and forgiveness to the congregation that was just eating it up, it was like watching lemmings. Mary wondered what had been in the wine that they had all taken, well, not her. She was on duty.
Where was Marshall? He was supposed to be here, with her, to save her from this horrible mess. She just didn’t want to have to deal with this alone. The woman next to her fell to the ground, shouting ‘halleluiah’ and waiving her feet around, and the preacher was encouraging her. So not her scene.
Not soon enough it was over, and Mary stood on the front steps of the small white church waiting for Marshall, he was going to get it when he showed up. There was no way that she was going to be practicing forgiveness on him today.
The music was loud and the beat heavy. He didn’t normally go into bars like this, but tonight, he needed to. They’d lost a witness today. By no fault of their own, but that didn’t matter. He should have known that the idiot witness wouldn’t be able to cut ties to an extended family that spanned four generations in one little town.
And now they were going to be burying him. At least he’d be going home.
He looked over at the woman on the bar stool next to him. She was beating herself up more than he was and it wasn’t even her witness. He reached out a hand and touched hers where it cradled her whiskey glass. She was cold.
Without thinking he grabbed her and pulled her out to the dance floor. This was her music, not his, but it’s what she needed, and everyone knows he lives for her. He would do anything for her, so when he feels her lips on his he doesn’t stop her, just lets her lead them back to his truck in the parking lot where they steam up the windows and when they’re done he watches her drive off to the arms of another man.
2) Amazing-Blue October
She often wondered what it was about him that she couldn’t let go. She knew he deserved better than her, but she didn’t care. She watched him sleep, silent and unmoving. The sleep of death. She didn’t know how it had happened, them ending up like this, but it had. She never meant for this to happen, but it did.
She lay next to him, pulling his arms around her, letting his warmth envelop her. She shouldn’t be here, giving him hope that doesn’t exist. She’s not good for him, but she can’t let him go. She’s trying. Really she is. But, she just can’t.
She looked at the ring on her finger, his ring. And knows it’s a sham, she was won over by fancy words and love. But she couldn’t give it back, then or now. She couldn’t let him go, she couldn’t set him free. She was afraid. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t want to admit that she might have been wrong. She just didn’t do that.
He stirred; death not so final after all, his hands moving on her body, oblivious to the turmoil inside of her, oblivious to the pain she is feeling. His hands touch, caress, cause her to moan, but it’s not him she sees, it’s that other man in her life, tall and white, haunting her dreams, she’s unable to have him, maybe that’s why she stays.
His lips on hers, his body in hers, and all she can think is, I’m Sorry.
3) Caroline-Brooks and Dunn
She loved road trips. When she was younger she used to go on them with Mary all the time, but not so much anymore. So when Marshall told her they were all going on a road trip she was thrilled. A chance to get out of Albuquerque, a chance to see something new. She hadn’t counted on the road trip being long and boring. She hadn’t counted on Marshall not shutting up or Mary threatening to kill and maim all of the drivers that passed them or that they passed.
And now they were broken down by the side of the high way, and she still had no idea why she was with them, why they had insisted on taking her and not Raph, still sitting at home wondering where everyone was going. Marshall worked his magic, half an hour they were on their way. When they rolled in to Vegas she was even more confused. If they were going to Vegas Raph should have been there.
When they pulled up to The Little White Wedding chapel she was even more surprised, when she was asked to be a witness she wondered why she hadn’t guessed sooner. She smiled now, at the road trip, it was worth the hassle just to see this.
4) 1-2-3-4-The Ataris
She’s my best friend, and I’m ok with that. I know where I stand as that. I just love her smile, and I love the way she looks at me when she’s mad, like she could castrate me and not think anything about it. One day I might be able to get up the courage to ask her out, but no. I think for now I’ll just stay where I am, her whipping boy. I know how that ends, and though it’s sad, at least I know that I’ll still be with her, still see her every day, still be her first call when she gets good news.
5) Lightness-Death Cab for Cutie
She looked at the amber liquid in her glass. This was not her preferred drink, but sometimes, when she was desperate she would find Mary’s stash. She knew Mary thought it was safe, not being in the house, not being in the garage, but really, the fridge by the pool? Mary didn’t like her hard alcohol cold, but she kept it there anyway.
Mary was out of town. Raph had been fighting with her on the phone, Brandi had been spending more and more time with Peter, that was good. But Mary and Raph worried her. She sat the glass down on the table next to her. She wasn’t going to drink it, it was still there though, an option if she needed to drown her worries.
She worried that one day Raph was going to get upset and leave, that one day Mary was going to push too hard and she was going to end up alone.
6) I Would be Stronger Than That-Faith Hill
Mary hated this. She hated that she could hear the woman next door. It felt wrong to her that all day she spent giving criminals’ new lives and the woman next door can’t escape her own. She has no way out. But she doesn’t know the woman well enough to go over to her and say get out, she tried once, it didn’t work.
Marshall was there one day when the shouting from next door started. And the breaking glass. And it was a quiet night. They could hear the whimpers and the sound of his fist hitting her she had to physically restrain Marshall from going over there.
The second time he was there she didn’t hear it, but he did. She was inside, he was out by the pool, she tried to figure out where he’d gone but knew the second she heard another voice next door. She called the cops, hoping they would get there in time to keep Marshall from doing something he would regret.
The next time the shouting came from next door Marshall didn’t just talk to the man, he didn’t just sneak off on Mary, he took her with him, and while he kept the man occupied in the front, Mary took her out the back. When they met up later, outside the bus station they both prayed that this time, she would leave for and good that she wouldn’t come back, but they both knew that wasn’t going to happen, but they prayed for it anyway.
7) Blacking Out the Friction-Death Cab for Cutie
The snow was falling thick and white around him; he couldn’t see what was going on. He could hear it, shouts coming from behind him warning him to get down, shots from in front, causing him to hit the ice cold ground. Then silence.
He lay there making sure that there was no more gun fire, looking around, trying to find her. Red in the white snow, the man who was shooting at them, dead. She isn’t there, nowhere to be seen. The snow is coming to fast, covering up the foot prints.
A shed, just ahead, a smear of red on the door frame, her breathing short and shallow, the red spreading from the hole in her side, no, he couldn’t do this again, he wouldn’t.
Darkness and sweat, the night so hot. It was a dream, a dream of loss. He looked at the invitation next to his bed, the wedding. The colors; white and red.
8) Armageddon-Alkaline Trio
“The worlds not going to end of you don’t show up.”
“How the hell would you know, you’re never around long enough to find out.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I didn’t even think you were going to show up tonight, you’re always off with your best friend.”
“Marshall?”
“Who else? And I don’t like it.”
“What are you jealous of Marshall? That’s ridiculous!”
“Really? Because he thinks he’s in love with you Mary. You know he’s hoping that one day you’re going to wake up and realize that you love him too. Do you really think he’d stick around that long without that hope? No one could put up with you for that long and not be in love with you!”
“You’re crazy! I don’t love him, he’s just a friend, he knows that. He doesn’t love me, not the way you think he does.”
“No?”
9) Light a Rainbow-Trance Party, Vol. 2
She had been young and stupid her first time, and since then she hadn’t done much better. She’d been involved in a string of bad relationships for as long as she could remember. Even Raph was a bad relationship gone on too long, but she didn’t know how to stop it. He represented everything she was supposed to want-love and a white picket fence. Everything she couldn’t have on her own.
She watched as the guests filed in, watched as her maid of honor took her place, and waited, he wasn’t here. He was going to miss it. She knew this was a bad idea. She never should have asked him to do something like this.
“Mary." He was here. “Sorry I'm late, I needed to stop and get your gift.”
“Where is it?” She asked looking around, not noticing anything in his hands.
He didn’t say anything, just took her arm as the music started, leading her down the aisle to her fate. She looked at him once and didn’t see him smile, he had come, that was her gift.
10) The Preacher Man-Andy Shelton
She hated church. She always had. Why did the witness insist on being a preacher? This was as close to his former profession as he could get. Standing up there at the pulpit and preaching about repentance and forgiveness to the congregation that was just eating it up, it was like watching lemmings. Mary wondered what had been in the wine that they had all taken, well, not her. She was on duty.
Where was Marshall? He was supposed to be here, with her, to save her from this horrible mess. She just didn’t want to have to deal with this alone. The woman next to her fell to the ground, shouting ‘halleluiah’ and waiving her feet around, and the preacher was encouraging her. So not her scene.
Not soon enough it was over, and Mary stood on the front steps of the small white church waiting for Marshall, he was going to get it when he showed up. There was no way that she was going to be practicing forgiveness on him today.