Isyra: The Last Outpost

She stayed with him despite the ugly scandal that had exploded all over the news. It was a national issue now, his irresponsible pecker and it's quirky habit of turning hookers into bull horns. Talking heads with better hair than sensibilities cursed him in their curious distant, passive aggressive ways.

It was quite comical once you got past the disease and public outcry for a fiscally responsible governor that didn't enjoy a piece of street trash once in awhile.

You can't have your cake and eat it too, you know. He's a busy man, not a cashier at Denny's.

Perry thought to herself as she buttoned up her black Armani blouse in front of the cheap body mirror. Todd had personally salvaged it from her trailer after it flipped over in the ensuing riots. It was a little cracked toward the bottom left corner, but over all it was in pretty good condition. The same mirror she had been gazing into since she was a toddler, fascinated with the way the dingy nicotine residue made her cobalt hued eyes glow.

She really loved the man, despite all of his ugly habits. He was just a desperate man with an excitable peter. It took the edge off of things. It wasn't like he was doing heroine or anything serious.

Okay, besides that one time..

There was a quick succession of knocks, like the pitter patter of little feet.

"Come in,"

She more mouthed than anything. Todd quickly cracked open the door and poured into the room. He was hyperventilating again, his remaining hair plastered to his wide forehead.

Perry looked at him from the corner of her eye while securing a diamond stud into her ear.

"Oh, honey. Not again. Really..?"

She swooned sympathetically yet unmoving from her corner of the room.

"Nnn-n-n--no! I j-j-just f-f-finished r-r-running a--a--a m-mm-marathon!"

Eying it on the unsavory hotel bed he rushed to and frantically tore apart her Coach purse in a whirl wind of sweat stains and wheezes.

Perry sighed, wondering if her bangs would look too childish in the court room lights. She caught him again with the corner of her eye

"It's in the left pouch, dear."

"No, the other left."

A heavily crinkled paper bag materialized from his mess of lipstick, tampons, Magnum sized condoms and ammunition. He unfolded and breathed into it frantically.

She continued the finishing touches on her appearance while he struggled to calm down. It was an important day, the lights at the witness stand could add fifty pounds to Katie Couric. Perry denied herself memories from the previous day, the damning evidence that woman brought against her darling.

So what, he just asked for a squeeze. It's not like she's the pope or anything..

She turned around and flashed Todd (who had nearly collapsed in exhaustion) a bright, optimistic smile. Oddly enough, she denied him her usual favors.

"She's going to tear me apart, y-y-y-you know."

Good, he was beginning to collect himself.

"Yeah right,"

She dismissively waved.

"Who is she? Nobody."

She did her best to put the right tone behind her words.

"She's my w-w-w-wife, Perry."

He began inflating the little paper bag again.

"Well yes, there is that.."

A flashbulb went off.