The Graveyard Shift

11:30 pm

“I can’t do this Simon,” Maggie shouts from the dark hallway leading to the front door.

“Maggie, you can’t just walk out,” Simon replies, his voice getting closer as Maggie continues towards the door. Simon is following close behind her, desperately wanting more time to talk about everything.

“Yes Simon, yes I can just walk out,” Maggie shouts as she gets closer to the door, “I told you I picked up an extra shift, so I have to go work that extra shift!” She goes to leave when she feels a strong hold on her wrist.

“Do you really have to go?” Amalie asks quietly, giving Blake’s hand a hard squeeze as she gazes into his deep, dark eyes. They are sitting in front of the fireplace under a dimmed light in their living room. Blake forgot to change the broken bulb, but they were enjoying the muted light above them right now. 

“Ames, you know I’d much rather stay here,” Blake starts, holding Amalie close to him, “but I have to do these graveyard shifts in order for us to afford that honeymoon, remember?” Blake’s hand finds his way to Amalie’s hair, gently brushing through, combing out all the rough areas as delicately as he can. 

The pair share a gentle kiss, a longing kiss. The type of kiss that would have turned into something more had they not heard the sound of a door slam down the street, breaking them out of their trance.

Maggie takes a deep breath after the door slams behind her, knowing that it won’t be long until Simon throws it open again. She angrily walks towards her vehicle, ready to leave, when she notices that the door doesn’t open again. She spots a faint shadow moving slowly behind the stained glass on the door, but the figure doesn’t open the door again. That’s all he is now to her - a figure. He used to be everything, mean everything to her, tonight changed all of that. 

11:45 pm 

“I really need to go now,” Blake whispers, pulling himself away from Amalie and closer to the front door. “I’ll be home and in bed in no time, I promise.” He gives Amalie one last gentle kiss as he heads out the door. 

Blake quickly makes his way to his car, checking his watch as he walks. He knows he’s going to be late, so he begins to rush out the driveway - almost hitting the car that drives behind him. It’s a short drive to the station, and neither Maggie nor Blake minds the solitary moment in their vehicles. Driving silently towards their shift.

12:00 am

Amalie hears a quiet knock on the door and rushes to answer it, thinking that it might be Blake forgetting his keys or wanting one last kiss. However, when the door swings open, it's not Blake’s dark eyes that she meets - the eyes are a pale green. A familiar green.

“Simon,” Amalie says plainly, “I wasn’t expecting you.” Amalie moves the night dress she’s wearing slightly, trying to make it seem more modest and less revealing for him.

“Amalie,” Simon says back, “can I come in?” Amalie sees that his eyes are red and slightly puffing, she can tell he’d been crying, so she opens the door just wide enough for him to fit through.

“Simon you shouldn’t be here,” She states.

“I know,” he replies.

“Well, if you know then why did you come over?”

“I-I just had to -”

“No Simon, you’re an adult. You didn’t have -”

“I just had to see you Amalie, I had to see you tonight.” He interrupts and reaches his hand out for Amalie, who hesitates before taking it. “Amalie I’m so lost, I don’t know what to do anymore, I can’t keep doing this” Simon’s voice starts to hitch as he speaks, and he tries his hardest to force the tears that are trying to escape back behind his eyes.

“So - uh - how are you and Amalie? Make any final wedding decisions yet?” Maggie says, not wanting to cause any suspicion. This is what they usually talk about, their relationships, their fights, their happy moments.

“Nah, Amalie hired someone to take care of most of it, so the final decisions were put into place weeks ago,” Blake speaks in a monotone voice, it seems like his life has revolved around this wedding for years. It’s all anyone wants to talk to him about; the location, the color scheme, the cake, the catering. All these things that he doesn’t care about, “Amalie and I are more excited about planning our honeymoon.”

“Oh, well now you taking the extra graveyard shifts make sense,” Maggie says with a slight chuckle. Maggie sits there for a minute, thinking about how Blake is on the graveyard shift to try and help his fiancé while she is on the graveyard shift to try and get away from her husband.

1:00 am

“I think the one piece of advice I’d give about marriage is,” Maggie pauses, “don’t do it.” Her and Blake laugh, knowing that she is (mostly) joking. “No, but it really is hard you know, there are going to be things that come up and you just won’t even where to begin with fixing it.”

“Yeah, we don’t think it's going to be easy,” Blake replies, “but we love each other so much, there’s just no way it won't work out, no way.” Blake speaks plainly but confidently, like this is something he believe down to the core of his being. “You know I always tell Amalie that we were destined to be together.” He speaks again, causing Maggie to slightly laugh.

“I don’t know if you’re joking or not.” Maggie replies.

“No, really,” He says, “on our first date there was a random meteor shower, just lights flashing and dancing all over the sky. It was the first date and when we wished on the shooting stars I would wish the same thing, I’d wish for Amalie forever. I know she was wishing the same thing too; I can feel it. We were made for one another.”

“No Simon,” Amalie says, getting slightly more frustrated, “I’m serious, we can’t do this anymore.”

Simon stands behind Amalie, his hands making their way around her waist and down her hips.

“Simon I’m getting married in three months,” Amalie turns to face him, her hands now resting on his strong shoulders, “I told you before, that it was a onetime thing.” 

“I know, Amalie,” Simon replies, placing a soft hand on her shoulder, “but just once more, just tonight. I just need it tonight; I need you tonight.” Simons stares intensely into Amalie's eyes, searching for the spark that he can never find in Maggie’s anymore. They stand in silence for a few moments and then he sees the spark and pulls her into a tight embrace, lightly kissing her neck as he feels Amalie melt into his arms.

1:30 am

As Maggie hears more of Blake and Amalie’s relationship, her jealousy and anger begin to grow. How can he be so happy, how does he not see that something is wrong with his relationship? How did she not see that there was something wrong with her relationship? Maggie zones in and out of the conversation with Blake as they drive along the dark, dimly lit streets. 

“Amalie this -” Maggie hears, “Amalie that-”

“Do you ever get sick of talking about Amalie?” Maggie spits out, “Because I sure as hell get sick of listening to you talk about her.” 

“Woah, what's your problem Maggie?” Blake questions, not understanding where Maggie’s burst of anger is coming from. He knows that he talks about Amalie a lot, but she has never had any issue with listening before, she usually pipes in with her own stories of Simon. “What’s going on with you?” He pushes.

“Nothing,” Maggie says firmly, “just - no. Nothing.” 

“Maggie, tell me,” Blake says, “you obviously want to say something. We’re partners. Just tell me!”

“Amalie is cheating on you.” Maggie says quietly, so quietly that Blake isn’t positive that he heard her correctly.

“What?”

“She’s cheating on you. Amalie is cheating on you…” Maggie pauses, “with Simon.”

2:00 am

“You’re lying.”

“Why would I lie about something like this Blake?” 

“Because you’re insane, you-you’re insane -” Blake says quickly “she wouldn’t do this to me, she wouldn’t.”

Simons hands grave over the soft curves of Amelia’s body, his touch leaving cold shivers running down her spine. She hungrily grasps his hair and pulls him closer to her. That’s all she wants at this moment, for him to be closer, for their bodies to be intertwined.

“I’m the insane one?” Maggie yells, “At least I’m not the one in complete denial!” 

“When did it happen?” Blake insists, “Tell me when it happened! It’s impossible!”

“Three weeks ago.” Maggie states plainly.

“I want you,” Simon moans in her ear, “tell me you want me,” he whispers. 

“I want you, Simon.” Amalie says softly, digging her nails into his back.

“Three weeks ago?” Blake pushes, “No. We’re together all the time, we were together three weeks ago, you’re lying.”

“I’m not lying Blake, stop telling me I’m lying,” Maggie insists, trying to hold back her own tears, “Simon told me tonight. He told me that three weeks ago during one of our Graveyard shifts, Amalie asked for his help with the sink or the toilet - I wasn’t listening to the details -” 

“The toilet was broken,” Blake interrupts, his hand flying to his mouth in shock, “the toilet was broken and she - she told me it was an easy fix. She told me she fixed it.”

“He fixed it.” Maggie states as she lets a few tears fall, “He fixed it and then they fucked and now here we are.”

“Simon, I want you,” Amalie moans, “oh my god I want you so bad.” Simon pulls her in close to his body, groaning with every touch.

“He fixed it.” Blake says as he starts softly crying.

4:50 am

“Possible break in on 34 Clover Street,” A voice booms through the police car, “possible break in. 34 Clover Street.”

“We got it.” Blake says quietly into the walkie talkie. He and Maggie have been quiet since she told him, neither one of them knowing what to say or how to comfort each other. “Let me take the lead on this one.” 

“Yeah,” Maggie whispers, “that’s fine.”

They arrive at the house, and just as he said, Blake takes the lead. Maggie waits by the car as Blake goes up to the door, knocking firmly and talking to the man who opened it. All of a sudden, the man pulls out a gun and takes a shot at Blake. Without any hesitation, Maggie pulls her gun out and immediately fires a shot back at the man - shooting him in the chest. The man falls and Maggie runs up to Blake who is stumbling, clutching his side.

Maggie speaks, but nothing coherent comes out. All she thinks about is getting Blake to the hospital. Get him to the hospital. Get him to the hospital. 

She gets Blake in the passenger seat and flicks the car’s lights on, taking off towards the hospital. 

“There was a shooting.” Maggie says over the walkie talking, “34 Clover Street. Perp is down. Blakes been shot, I’m a minute from the hospital.”

A voice comes back and says something - but Maggie doesn’t hear it. Her whole focus is on the road. 

6:15 am 

Amalie is startled awake from a loud knock on her door. She groggily looks at the clock next to her and then lifts the heavy arm that’s around her to go answer the door.

“Hello?” Amalie says, squinting from all the brightness around her.

“Amalie.” Maggie says at the door, “Amalie, it’s Blake. He’s in the hospital.”

Amalie barely lets Maggie finish her sentence and she’s grabbing her keys, heading to Blake. 

Maggie stands on the front porch of Amalie and Blake's house. She doesn’t leave right away, instead she stands there. She stands and she just stares into their house, a house that once was familiar and warm, one where you would walk in and be engulfed in love and light. Now, all she sees is lies, deception… and Simon. 

“Wha-what are you doing here?” Simon says from the hallway, starring at Maggie in complete bewilderment.

“What are you doing here?” Maggie says back. 

The pair stare at one another for a moment, both understanding that their marriage is over, both knowing that there’s no fixing what they have anymore. Maggie turns and walks to the police car. Leaving Simon standing in the house. Simon doesn’t chase after her.

8:00 am 

Blake slowly wakes up, confused and tired. He looks to the side of him and sees Amalie sleeping in the hospital chair, her hand still placed in his. He gently lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses it, waking her in the process. 

“You’re awake.” She whispers. 

“I’m awake,” He whispers back, “and I know about Simon.”

Amalie’s face drops and her mouth moves slightly, as if she’s struggling to form words. Blake puts his hand up to stop her and then lays a hand on her shoulder.

“I know about Simon,” He says again, “but I love you Amalie. I love you and I know we can get through this. We can get through this.” Amalie isn’t sure whether he is trying to convince her or himself, but either way, a wave of relief washes over her.

“I love you.” She says, slowly standing to kiss Blake. 

“I love you too.” Blake says.

Maggie quietly walks away from the hospital door, not wanting to interrupt the pair's moment. She thinks about their love, their relationship, and how her and Simon’s was never that intense or loyal. It was never truly unconditional. Maggie walks out of the hospital doors, and she stands for a moment outside, letting the hot sun sink into her. It’s a new day, she thinks, a brand-new day.

An alarm on Maggie’s phone starts to go off as she’s standing there.

8:01 am

The end of her graveyard shift.