Anori Outtake: Taking Pictures

She opened her eyes to see the intern with his phone up, flat, facing her; he was taking a picture.

“What are you doing?”

He lowered it as she stared back and looked down, opening a file. Dee waited for him to look back, but he wouldn’t, keeping his face stupidly low.

“Hello?” Dee knocked on the table; everyone looked up at that.

He hunched forward. “I’m sorry?”

“Fucking admit it.”

He made a ridiculous quizzical face and looked around at the others.

Dee stood and reached across the table.

“What is this?” The judge returned from the hall.

“This guy just took my picture.”

“Miss Sinclair, you will have to sit down.”

“He just took my fucking picture!”20150106_074058

“Your language!”

“Is it allowed, judge? Yes or no?”

“No.”

“Look at it then.” Dee waved at the lawyer to surrender his phone.

She glanced back at the lawyers. “Mr. Cates, did you take her picture?”

“I was scrolling through my messages, looking for a file-”

“Did you take her picture, Mr. Cates?”

“I was…It was a mistake.”

Anori Outtake: Bathroom Prayers

The door led into a hall back into another room like this, another door, another corridor, and then the bathroom. Dee sat in the stall. She had to shit but then couldn’t. It was trapped inside her like everything else. The door squeaked open and someone came in the stall beside her. The protracted silence became funny and she wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t get it out, and her face was getting red. She was scared of an aneurysm; she was pushing that hard. And then she was done. Malcolm’s assistant pulled out three paper towels in quick succession and balled them together. “I’m praying for you.”

“What?”

“I’m praying for you.”

“Why?”

“I’m praying for you to have the strength.”

“You’ll have to stop saying that.”

“I can’t stop praying for you.”

“Prayers have nothing to do with it. It’s the lawyers.”

“Prayers are in my heart.”

“Why would you…? I’ve never heard anything so stupid.”

“I’m praying for you through this difficult time.”

“Jesus Christ!” Dee’s hands cramped around the empty air. “You say that again and I’ll have to punch you!”

“Excuse me?”

“Say that one more time and I will punch you in the jaw. Got it?”

She peered back, her eyes pleading with Dee to find peace and love in everyone’s heart.