Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:46:26 -0500 From: Paul Tolbert Subject: The Unit 18 Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. WWE does. Chapter Eighteen - Numb "Susan! Susan! Where's my tie?" Mark Hanson was a busy man, always on the go. Today was no different. He had countless meetings with various local groups in need of municipal funding for their projects. It's been one month since Mark was elected into office as Mayor and he was loving every minute of it. He tried his best not to let the power and respect that came with the position get to his head. His new job meant that his time would be spread more thinly than before, finding it hard to make time for his family; His son Peter who is awaiting trial for drug sales and accessory to murder in a local jail, and his wife Susan who was going through another one of her manic phase. "Oh stop yelling Mark. Here's your tie." Susan Hanson stood behind her husband and wrapped a dark red tie around his neck. He had on a dark blue suit with white strips. "OK turn around so I can finish." Mark spun around and allowed his wife to finish. "There, Perfect! You look dashing Mark. Now you go to your meetings and come back ASAP. I have a little...surprise for you." Susan began to grope her husband, who stepped back from her touch like it was poisonous. "Susan have you been taking your meds?" Mark asked. Susan was defiant about taking her medications for her bi-polar depression. She would lie to Mark and her doctors about taking her prescriptions. She'd just flush her daily dose down the toilet. "Oh Mark of course I've been taking my meds. Their making me feel good today." She said with a grin, stepping closer to Mark. "Susan stop it." Mark demanded, grabbing her arms and pushing her back gently. "I know you haven't been taking your medications." "But Mark I don't like the way they make me feel." Susan whined. "Oh and this is any better?" Mark retorted. "Dammit Mark stop talking down to me. I'm your wife! I demand respect! Ever since you got elected mayor you've been treating everyone different. You don't even speak to your son. He's all alone in that hell hole they call jail awaiting trial, which by the way is your fault." "My fault! Are you fucking kidding me?" Mark growled. He loosen his tie, his face becoming red. "That kid has been acting up for years. You baby him constantly, making excuses every time he fucks up." "Oh so you want to put this on me? How about you? You were never even around when he was growing up! Always working, building up your political career, you family be damned." "Look Susan I'm not doing this today. I have to go." Mark attempted to walk out of their bedroom, but Susan stood at the door, relentless. "NO! You are not leaving. You always leave! I...I just can't deal with this." Susan began to break down, dropping to her knees and allowing tears to blanket her face. "I'll call your doctor." Mark pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number for Susan's doctor. "Dammit Mark I don't need a doctor! I need my husband!" She continued to cry, her nose stuffed up completely, forcing her to breathe through her mouth. Mark just looked down at his hurting wife, shaking his head. "Dr. Anges. It's Mark Hanson. Susan is having one of her fits again." Susan began to cry louder. 'How could he call them 'fits?'' She asked herself. 'Their cries for help!' "OK thank you doctor. Good-bye. Susan? Susan! Dr. Anges will be over soon. You stay up here til he gets here. I have to leave." "Please Mark stay with me! I need you!" Susan pleaded, grabbing her husband's legs. Mark reached down and pried Susan off him and headed downstairs. Susan felt alone. Her son was gone, and so was her husband. She had no one. Her friends left her, her relatives refused to speak with her. Everything in her life was deteriorating. She felt numb. ...