Parallel Lanes (Weekend Freewrite -- 09/21/2019)

Prompt First Sentence: "I thought we were partners! You were the first who wanted this project. And now...

... you're backing out? Why? What changed?" Ritchie asked, confused with the change of plans.

Marcus, who was the first to approach Ritchie regarding the land development project down at West Road, looked dejectedly at her and said, "I'm really sorry Ritz, there's just been a change in budget and well..."

"And well what?" Ritchie asked, starting to get annoyed with Marcus now, "You know how important that land means to the people! If we don't do something about it, some other big company's gonna swoop down and build God knows what on it!"

Ritchie felt betrayed, she thought Marcus would understand the situation, that's why she didn't hesitate when Marcus offered to help. After all, they did grow up here once.

"I'm really sorry Ritz, you know I'm not the only one who makes the decisions here..." Marcus replied, rubbing his nape in frustration at having his hands figuratively tied despite the urgency of the situation.

"It's him, isn't it? He's the one who's against this project." Ritchie looked imploringly at Marcus, gauging his reaction.

Marcus looked away, guiltily, and got up to leave, murmuring an apology along the way. Just as he was out the door though, he heard Ritchie say, "You can't always live in his shadow, Marcus."

Prompt 2
She is a very determined woman, but this is a men's world.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

said Samuel Lane, owner of Real Lane Development, and also Marcus' grandfather.

Marcus briefly remembered having spent his early years of childhood with his father in the town of West Road; he never knew his mother. So after his father died in a freak accident at the construction site he worked at, it was his grandfather who took him in and away from Ritchie and the small town of West Road.

Now years later, here he was staring lividly at his old man and wishing things to have gone differently. "M'boy, you make your granddaddy proud! Nothing like your pops could have done! Ha!" Samuel laughed, slapping his desk.

Disgusted with himself, Marcus abruptly stood up to leave, but not before his grandfather said, "That's right, you get back to work! Who knows who'll be doing the work around here once I'm gone!"

Marcus only glared at his grandfather, before turning to leave.

Prompt 3
you can't have it all

Image by Kirk Fisher from Pixabay

That's what Samuel Lane made sure to ingrain in his grandson's brain even in his dying breath.

But in the two years after he met with Ritchie, he made sure that the land on West Road would be in good hands once another company laid eyes on it. Now having inherited Real Lane Development, Marcus was now free to see the fruits of his labor.

A knock at his office door brought him out of his reverie, "Sir, the car is ready to take you to West Road."

As Marcus stood up to gather his things, he heard his mobile beep of an incoming message. He stopped to check who it was from and then smiled seeing as it was from Ritchie.

It was time they stopped living in parallel lanes.

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