The Cockroach

written by: Ian Fletcher

“It just happened,” he said, abnegating responsibility to some all-powerful irresistible force.

Happened every week for two years, she thought, cringing at what really occurred during those ‘overtime’ nights.

“I never loved her,” he said.

Or me obviously, she thought.

“It’s over now, anyway,” he said.

Yes, she’s a younger woman who ditched you for another partner, she thought.

“Forgive me,” he groveled, shamed by her eyes which were not judging but merely sad.

She watched a bloated cockroach scurry across the kitchen floor.

I’ll ring a lawyer tomorrow, she thought.

She would get the house at the very least.

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Ian Fletcher

Born and raised in Cardiff, Wales, Ian has an MA in English from Oxford University. He lives in Taiwan with his wife, two daughters and cat. He teaches English in a high school. He has had poems and short stories published in Tuck Magazine, The Ekphrastic Review, 1947 A Literary Journal, Spillwords Press, Dead Snakes, Your One Phone Call, Schlock! Webzine, Short-story.me, Literary Yard, Indian Periodical, Anotherealm, Under the Bed, A Story In 100 Words, Poems and Poetry, Friday Flash Fiction, and in various anthologies.