To Prologue Or Not To Prologue

 

Last night I didn’t post because I was working on the outline for my romance novel and watching the Olympics.  This morning I thought I could cut and and paste what I wrote below from Word to WordPress.  I thought it would take ten or fifteen minutes to write my post and I would be done.  That didn’t happen.  I could copy my manuscript in Word but I couldn’t paste it in WordPress so I typed it tonight when I got home from work.  You live and you learn.

What I am sharing with you is the Prologue to my romance novel.  I know some people don’t like a prologue and some people do.  I don’t mind it as long as I can relate to it throughout the book.   What are your thoughts on prologues?

I feel like I’m using someone else’s blog post title.  If I am, I apologize.

My Prologue

“That son of a bitch,” Cindi Reeves stormed into the shipping area.  “He’s the reason you didn’t take the job isn’t he?”

Becky Larsen opened her mouth, but nothing came out.  He, the HE, she is referring to is is Becky’s husband, Tommy.  Tears came to Becky’s eyes as she looked at the wall.  What could she say?  It was true.  She didn’t take the job because of Tommy.  “Women shouldn’t make more money than their husbands” were Tommy’s exact words.

“I’m pissed off,” Cindi kicked an empty box across the room.  “Do you realize how I put myself on the line for you?  Management had another person in mind for the job, but I asked them, several times, to give you a chance.  And they did.  And you turned them down.  Now I look like an idiot.”

“I’m sorry,” Becky tucked a piece of blond hair behind her ear as she felt her cheeks get red.  “I really did want the job.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

Beck shrugged.  She really did want the job.  She wanted to move up in the company.  She was excited.  Being on different shifts would be an adjustment on both of their parts, but she thought they could make it work.  Later on that evening, Tommy didn’t share her excitement or her positive thoughts.  There wasn’t a discussion.  He got pissed and told her she was being selfish. Who would make him lunch and his lunch for work?  Why should she get to work first shift and he be stuck on 2nd?  He deserved it more than she did.  He threw his beer bottle and missed the garbage.  It crashed against the counter, leaving broken glass and puddles of beer on the floor.  “Clean it up,” he hissed and walked out the door.

“Why don’t you just leave him?”

“Leave him?  Wwwhat,” Becky stammered as her head jerked up.  “I can’t do that.”

“Everyone knows you didn’t take the job because Tommy had a fit,” Cindi sighed and sat down next to her.  “You are perfect for the job.  Why do you put up with his shit?”

Becky turned her head away from Cindi as she blinked back tears.

“I can see how unhappy you are,” Cindi said quietly.  “Marriage isn’t suppose to be like that.”

Becky nodded.  She admired Cindi. She was a good leader.  Strong yet flexible.  She wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.  She weighed 110 pounds soaking wet, but she didn’t take shit from anyone.  She was happily married.  She and her husband worked hard and as a team for what they had.  Becky wished she had that.

“Just leave and don’t look back.  He won’t find you.  He’s not that smart.  You deserve so much more.  Go find it.”

I can’t leave, Becky thought to herself as she watched Cindi walk away.  Their marriage wan’t the greatest these last couple of months, but she thought they were just going through a rough spot and it would work itself out.

She loved Tommy and wanted to make it work.  She wasn’t giving up on her marriage even if it meant not taking a promotion she really wanted.

It would work eventually.  Wouldn’t it?

 

I’m not entirely happy with it.  It’s only my 2nd rewrite and I know I’ll probably have 500 more before I get to the end of the novel.  I feel that something is missing.

Please leave a comment.  Good, bad or otherwise.  My skin is tough.  I can take it.  If it sucks, it sucks.  I’ll try again.

Thanks for reading my blog and my prologue.  I appreciate it and you.