Fake It Till You Make It:
A thought provoking short story
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Life resembles the process of cooking a hearty stew. Take a disillusioned woman who feels her clock ticking and is desperate to escape her overbearing mother. Add a man who is a lazy freeloader, accustomed to mooching off everyone he encounters. Stir in a sprinkle of attraction, a dash of cunning, and a pinch of love. Now, just let the mixture simmer gently, allow their viewpoints to shift, and watch as their lives develop into something remarkable. Venture into the world of Nancy and Bruce, exploring the tapestry of their shared life, woven with threads of disappointments, heartaches, hopes, compromises, and resilience. Available in: |
We could never truly grasp the complexities of how people live, or the depths of their thoughts and emotions. All we can do is catch fleeting glimpses of their everyday existence as if we were peeking through small windows into parts of their lives. We remain outsiders to their struggles, blind to their fears, and can only imagine the warmth of their joyous moments.
People are not perfect, and we all come with a baggage. We can live a happy life or a create a chaotic life. It all depends on the choices we make.
A short excerpt
Nancy Morris, an accomplished and sophisticated lawyer in her mid-thirties, first met Bruce Davis at an elegant dinner party hosted by a mutual friend. The room was filled with the soft murmur of conversation and the gentle clinking of glasses.
Bruce, a charming drifter, flitting from one romantic entanglement to another and in-between relationships, treading the uncertain waters of low-paying jobs. His gaze swept the room until it locked onto Nancy, capturing his interest with her poised demeanor. A rich lawyer who looks good in that black cocktail dress. And that emerald choker and earrings… must be worth a fortune, he thought with a sly smirk on his lips. The air seemed to hum with potential as he approached, his silver tongue ready to weave a web of smooth talk and artful flattery—his only true skills. Soon, the two were engrossed in a lively conversation, the world around them fading into the background.
After several weeks of whirlwind dates—romantic picnics in the park, late-night stargazing, and cozy evenings at jazz bars—Bruce surprised Nancy by getting down on one knee during a sunset walk along the beach. His proposal felt like the natural progression of their blossoming relationship. Nancy’s eyes glistened, and a warm smile on her lips, she was utterly captivated by Bruce. He was five years younger, with a boyish charm and a playful personality that was hard to resist.
Cathy, Nancy’s closest confidante and best friend, watched their relationship unfold with a knot of unease tightening in her stomach each time she saw them together. Her concerns bubbled over during a quiet coffee date at their favorite café, her voice low and filled with worry as she leaned across the table, “Bruce doesn’t truly love you, Nancy. He’s more infatuated with your sharp mind and the hefty paychecks you bring home.” The words hung in the air between them, assessed with Cathy’s womanly intuition. Her instincts raised red flags about his seemingly superficial affection, leaving her with a persistent sense of doubt that she couldn’t shake.
“I can feel it, Cathy, and truly, I’m at peace with it,” Nancy said, smoothing the pleats of her skirt as she anxiously shifted in his chair. “But I’m thirty-six now, a point in life where I’ve devoted the majority of my youthful energy to forging a successful career. My past has been a series of fleeting relationships, driven more by brief desires and physical needs than by any profound quest for love. I’ve always walked this path alone. I abandoned the fantasy of a prince on a white horse and an earth-shattering romance long ago because my prince never came. Now, at thirty-six, the ticking of life’s clock grows louder, echoing in my restless nights. I yearn for a stable relationship, the warmth of a family, a future built on something lasting.”
“That’s a mistake! You’ll see!” Cathy exclaimed, her voice edged with concern as she leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table.
Nancy didn’t listen; her resolve was unwavering. She gazed at the horizon, where the sun dipped below the city skyline, casting long shadows. “I’m done with waiting and trying to find Mr. Right. Bruce is a good man; he comes from a large, boisterous Italian family. He will make a good father to my children,” she asserted, her voice firm yet tinged with a hint of longing for the future she envisioned, images of family dinners and laughter flickering in her mind.
Cathy countered, her words laced with urgency and concern. “Nancy, this is crazy. He has a roving eye. I’ve heard stories about him that you wouldn’t believe. He can’t keep a job for more than a few weeks. He’s a loudmouth, a lazy bum who will drain the life out of you!” Cathy reasoned, her eyes wide with disbelief and worry as she painted a picture of a tumultuous future. Her hands gestured animatedly, as if trying to physically ward off the impending disaster she envisioned for her friend.
“Then what?” Nancy snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface like a simmering pot ready to overflow. “What do you want me to do? Wait until I’m too old to find someone, until the clock has ticked past my chances of having kids?” Her voice was a tight coil of desperation. “If you didn’t notice, there is nobody else lined up, eagerly begging to be my husband, and nobody is eagerly waiting to father the children I desperately want.” Her words trailed off into a whisper, raw with vulnerability and despair. She stared out the window, the fading sunlight casting long shadows on the street.
“But he flies from one failed relationship to the next, leaving a trail of broken hearts. He will betray you!” Cathy warned, her voice urgent, almost pleading. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, her eyes searching Nancy’s face for understanding.
Nancy lowered her gaze to the worn carpet, her teeth gently biting her lower lip as if searching for the right words. “I know he’s a charmer, a lady’s man,” she admitted, her voice a soft whisper. “He’s undeniably handsome, and I find myself drawn to him just like everyone else,” she said, releasing a deep sigh that seemed to carry the weight of her hopes. “But I truly believe he will change once he’s settled in a steady, loving home. I can offer him that sanctuary.” She turned to face Cathy, determination etched in her features. “He confided in me that his father, too, had a string of girlfriends, and his mother never truly loved him. His mother is as cold as ice, bitter and unyielding. She treats her husband with disdain, constantly belittling him with her unending nagging and harsh criticism, leaving the poor man in a state of perpetual unhappiness.” Her voice quivered slightly, the story of his past hanging heavy between them, mingling with the dusk that settled outside.
Cathy shook her head, her brows knitted together, frustration radiating from her every word. “But Nancy, he’s a slacker, just like his father,” she insisted, her voice edged with a sharp exasperation. She leaned forward; her eyes fixed intently on Nancy. “My mother knows Bruce’s parents well, and she told me that his father always finds a way to dodge responsibility, slipping out of work with excuses stacked like a deck of cards. He lands a job, and within two weeks, he gets himself fired, pointing fingers at everyone else for his bad luck. It takes him forever to find another job, and she puts up with it all for her children’s sake. But you? You deserve so much more than that.”
Nancy sat in silence, her eyes downcast and filled with deep sadness, and suddenly felt a surge of heat flooding her cheeks. Her demeanor shifted rapidly as fiery anger replaced her subdued sorrow. Her voice rose, shaking slightly as she shouted at her best friend, “You’re just like my mother! You always think nobody is good enough for me. Leave me alone, Cathy! I love him, and that’s that.” Her words echoed with the intensity of her emotions, creating an almost tangible tension that hung heavily between them.
Cathy, startled by the outburst, bit her lip and chose to remain silent, her thoughts churning despite the storm brewing inside her. She clenched her jaw and forced a steady breath as she nodded, respecting Nancy’s request for space. Her feet felt heavy as she stood up and turned away, each step echoing her reluctance. She glanced back once, catching a glimpse of Nancy sitting alone by the window, her figure silhouetted against the dim afternoon light. Inside, Cathy’s heart thudded erratically, a storm of anxiety swirling in her chest. Her thoughts spun with a flurry of questions and uncertainties, each one louder than the last, making it hard to focus on anything but the unease gnawing at her.
Bruce, a charming drifter, flitting from one romantic entanglement to another and in-between relationships, treading the uncertain waters of low-paying jobs. His gaze swept the room until it locked onto Nancy, capturing his interest with her poised demeanor. A rich lawyer who looks good in that black cocktail dress. And that emerald choker and earrings… must be worth a fortune, he thought with a sly smirk on his lips. The air seemed to hum with potential as he approached, his silver tongue ready to weave a web of smooth talk and artful flattery—his only true skills. Soon, the two were engrossed in a lively conversation, the world around them fading into the background.
After several weeks of whirlwind dates—romantic picnics in the park, late-night stargazing, and cozy evenings at jazz bars—Bruce surprised Nancy by getting down on one knee during a sunset walk along the beach. His proposal felt like the natural progression of their blossoming relationship. Nancy’s eyes glistened, and a warm smile on her lips, she was utterly captivated by Bruce. He was five years younger, with a boyish charm and a playful personality that was hard to resist.
Cathy, Nancy’s closest confidante and best friend, watched their relationship unfold with a knot of unease tightening in her stomach each time she saw them together. Her concerns bubbled over during a quiet coffee date at their favorite café, her voice low and filled with worry as she leaned across the table, “Bruce doesn’t truly love you, Nancy. He’s more infatuated with your sharp mind and the hefty paychecks you bring home.” The words hung in the air between them, assessed with Cathy’s womanly intuition. Her instincts raised red flags about his seemingly superficial affection, leaving her with a persistent sense of doubt that she couldn’t shake.
“I can feel it, Cathy, and truly, I’m at peace with it,” Nancy said, smoothing the pleats of her skirt as she anxiously shifted in his chair. “But I’m thirty-six now, a point in life where I’ve devoted the majority of my youthful energy to forging a successful career. My past has been a series of fleeting relationships, driven more by brief desires and physical needs than by any profound quest for love. I’ve always walked this path alone. I abandoned the fantasy of a prince on a white horse and an earth-shattering romance long ago because my prince never came. Now, at thirty-six, the ticking of life’s clock grows louder, echoing in my restless nights. I yearn for a stable relationship, the warmth of a family, a future built on something lasting.”
“That’s a mistake! You’ll see!” Cathy exclaimed, her voice edged with concern as she leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table.
Nancy didn’t listen; her resolve was unwavering. She gazed at the horizon, where the sun dipped below the city skyline, casting long shadows. “I’m done with waiting and trying to find Mr. Right. Bruce is a good man; he comes from a large, boisterous Italian family. He will make a good father to my children,” she asserted, her voice firm yet tinged with a hint of longing for the future she envisioned, images of family dinners and laughter flickering in her mind.
Cathy countered, her words laced with urgency and concern. “Nancy, this is crazy. He has a roving eye. I’ve heard stories about him that you wouldn’t believe. He can’t keep a job for more than a few weeks. He’s a loudmouth, a lazy bum who will drain the life out of you!” Cathy reasoned, her eyes wide with disbelief and worry as she painted a picture of a tumultuous future. Her hands gestured animatedly, as if trying to physically ward off the impending disaster she envisioned for her friend.
“Then what?” Nancy snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface like a simmering pot ready to overflow. “What do you want me to do? Wait until I’m too old to find someone, until the clock has ticked past my chances of having kids?” Her voice was a tight coil of desperation. “If you didn’t notice, there is nobody else lined up, eagerly begging to be my husband, and nobody is eagerly waiting to father the children I desperately want.” Her words trailed off into a whisper, raw with vulnerability and despair. She stared out the window, the fading sunlight casting long shadows on the street.
“But he flies from one failed relationship to the next, leaving a trail of broken hearts. He will betray you!” Cathy warned, her voice urgent, almost pleading. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, her eyes searching Nancy’s face for understanding.
Nancy lowered her gaze to the worn carpet, her teeth gently biting her lower lip as if searching for the right words. “I know he’s a charmer, a lady’s man,” she admitted, her voice a soft whisper. “He’s undeniably handsome, and I find myself drawn to him just like everyone else,” she said, releasing a deep sigh that seemed to carry the weight of her hopes. “But I truly believe he will change once he’s settled in a steady, loving home. I can offer him that sanctuary.” She turned to face Cathy, determination etched in her features. “He confided in me that his father, too, had a string of girlfriends, and his mother never truly loved him. His mother is as cold as ice, bitter and unyielding. She treats her husband with disdain, constantly belittling him with her unending nagging and harsh criticism, leaving the poor man in a state of perpetual unhappiness.” Her voice quivered slightly, the story of his past hanging heavy between them, mingling with the dusk that settled outside.
Cathy shook her head, her brows knitted together, frustration radiating from her every word. “But Nancy, he’s a slacker, just like his father,” she insisted, her voice edged with a sharp exasperation. She leaned forward; her eyes fixed intently on Nancy. “My mother knows Bruce’s parents well, and she told me that his father always finds a way to dodge responsibility, slipping out of work with excuses stacked like a deck of cards. He lands a job, and within two weeks, he gets himself fired, pointing fingers at everyone else for his bad luck. It takes him forever to find another job, and she puts up with it all for her children’s sake. But you? You deserve so much more than that.”
Nancy sat in silence, her eyes downcast and filled with deep sadness, and suddenly felt a surge of heat flooding her cheeks. Her demeanor shifted rapidly as fiery anger replaced her subdued sorrow. Her voice rose, shaking slightly as she shouted at her best friend, “You’re just like my mother! You always think nobody is good enough for me. Leave me alone, Cathy! I love him, and that’s that.” Her words echoed with the intensity of her emotions, creating an almost tangible tension that hung heavily between them.
Cathy, startled by the outburst, bit her lip and chose to remain silent, her thoughts churning despite the storm brewing inside her. She clenched her jaw and forced a steady breath as she nodded, respecting Nancy’s request for space. Her feet felt heavy as she stood up and turned away, each step echoing her reluctance. She glanced back once, catching a glimpse of Nancy sitting alone by the window, her figure silhouetted against the dim afternoon light. Inside, Cathy’s heart thudded erratically, a storm of anxiety swirling in her chest. Her thoughts spun with a flurry of questions and uncertainties, each one louder than the last, making it hard to focus on anything but the unease gnawing at her.
Thank you for reviewing this book!
victoria woten
5.0 out of 5 starsEasy read
June 24, 2019
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
It was a good short story about a man who was taught by his father to fake it in love and marriage. The marriage was a role reversal of stay at home husband and working wife. The story showed that even someone who seems like they will never change, can change for the good. Very encouraging.