My first Lyric Wheel story ever. Some minor changes have been made from it's first posting. Thanks to Dargie for her helpful comments.

Goodson Truman lay in the bed of his fianc, a sorrow filling him as he knew he wouldn't be calling her that much longer. It was just as well, he knew. The tension between them had grown to the point that any passion they had left in this relationship was evident only in their arguments and sex. And he could no longer even enjoy the sex, as good as it was, since he had become more and more caught up in the teachings and philosophies of the Muslim faith.

Marilyn walked into the room, fresh from the shower, and hurriedly began dressing. "So, are you seeing your family today?" The tone of her voice, almost accusing, made Goodson instantly defensive. "You know I have dinner with them every Wednesday. Should I miss today?"

Marilyn turned to him, eyes cold. "I just thought that after your sister called me...let's see, what was it? 'The visible corruption of my brother's heritage' you might want to put a little distance between the two of you - my mistake."

Goodson sat up, successfully pushing down the anger he felt rising. He did not want to start a fight over this, especially when he knew what he had to say next would almost guarantee one. "Marilyn, please come sit down here. I need to talk to you."

The young lawyer continued moving around the room, slipping on her shoes and packing her briefcase. "Goodson, I'm due in court in forty-five minutes. Can this wait?

"No, it can't. Please."

With an exaggerated sigh, she sat on the edge of the bed. He moved to sit next to her and reached for her hand. "What is it Goodson?" She looked at him a bit apprehensively. He could understand her reaction; simple, tender moments had become few and far between.

He took a deep breath and began. "I'm going to see my family today to tell them my plans, but I wanted to tell you first." He stood and began pacing, needing some space between them. "The Muslims I've been studying with....they're going on a long trip, a spiritual journey." He stopped at the dresser and looked in the large mirror above it, watching Marilyn's profile as he continued. "I'm going with them." He waited, watching.

Marilyn sat still for several moments, then calmly walked to his side. She looked at him in the mirror, her face a study of control and poise. 'Her lawyer face,' the young man thought. "So Goodson, when does this little trip take place? And where will you be traveling? And should I expect to hear from you when you return?"

He turned, unable to look at her face. "We'll be leaving in a couple of weeks. The itinerary isn't really important, is it?"

"And my last question? I guess I don't really need you to answer that, do I?"

They both turned to face each other. "Marilyn, you know it was inevitable that this day would come. We don't see eye to eye on anything and the fighting has become constant. Our views on politics, religion, reform, we are at odds all the time! Aren't you tired of continuously beating each other up?"

He could see a flash of anger in her eye as she replied heatedly, "Things weren't always like that! Not until you started hanging around with those Muslims and blaming the white race for everything from unemployment to high insurance rates!!"

Goodson closed his eyes a moment and breathed deeply, determined not to let the situation deteriorate into another full-blown fight. "Marilyn, that's not fair. My need to do this is undeniable. There's something wrong with the world today...." He stopped at the look of incredulity on her face. "Goodson, there has been something wrong with the world since Eve took a bite of that damn apple. Is it your intent here to save it?"

He put his hands gently on her arms. "Isn't that why you became a lawyer? To change the injustices you see around you? Please try and understand that I am doing what my heart tells me I must. I cannot stand by and watch my people suffer any longer."

She backed out of his hands. "Why does it have to be your people? Why can't we all just be one people?"

Goodson simply shook his head. They had had this argument more times than he could count and it always ended in one of two ways - with one of them slamming out the door, or in bed; neither was an option this time. They stared at each other a moment, until Marilyn turned her back on him. He stood still, waiting. When she turned back, her eyes full of tears, he clenched his jaw tightly and swallowed down the lump in his throat, warding off the tears he felt pushing at the back of his own eyes. "Marilyn," he said softly, moving towards her.

She shook her head and held up one hand to stop his advance. "I will be gone until very late tonight. That should be plenty of time for you to gather your things." She went to the closet to get her coat and then picked up her briefcase.

"Marilyn, I'll come back tomorrow for my things. We can talk more then."

"I don't want to talk to you anymore. You're right, we have talked and argued, all for nothing. Let's just say good-bye right now. That should make things easier for you, right? I don't know how you have gotten away with it this long, explaining to your brothers what you are doing consorting with a member of the enemy race."

"Why are you making this so hard? Can't we part amicably?"

She crossed the room to stand in front of him. As they looked at each other, he could see all trace of tears were gone, leaving her eyes empty. "I am not making this anything. You have made your choice, I'm just trying to move things along."

Goodson surprised them both by reaching out and taking a lock of her long dark hair in his hand. A sudden wave of remorse washed over him as he thought of how those silken curls had felt tickling across his bare skin.
The remorse was soon replaced with a strong resolve as he pushed those thoughts, which he now knew to be sinful and weak, away from him. He dropped her hair and smiled a small, sad smile at his former love. "All right Marilyn, we'll do it your way. Perhaps that would be best. I'll have everything gone by tonight." He could see by her reaction that she hadn't expected him to agree so easily. But there was no point in dragging this out.

"Well, fine then," she said, and walked to the door. She opened it and stepped out, then turned one last time to him. "Good-bye Goodson. I hope whatever you find on your journey will be worth what you are losing."

"Oh Marilyn," he said as kindly as he could, "I know it will be. Perhaps we'll see each other again one day."

"I don't think that's likely. We've never moved in the same circles, and I really don't see any reason for our paths to cross in the future. But you never know." And then she walked away.

He stood staring at the space she had occupied just moments before. "You never know," he whispered.

Livin' on the Edge
(Tyler, Perry, Hudson)
recorded by Aerosmith, 1992

There's somethin' wrong with the world today I don't know what it is
Something's wrong with our eyes

We're seeing things in a different way And God knows it ain't His
It sure ain't no surprise

We're livin' on the edge

There's sometin' wrong with the world today The lightbulb's gettin' dim
There's meltdown in the sky

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister you're a better man than I

(Chorus)
We're livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't stop yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge

Tell me what you think about your situation Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin' Even if it wasn't would you still come crawling Back again
I bet you would my friend
Again & Again & Again & Again & Again

Tell me what you think about your situation Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin' Even if it wasn't would you still come crawling Back again
I bet you would my friend
Again & Again & Again & Again

There's something right with the world today And everybody knows it's wrong
But we can tell 'em no
Or we could let it go
But I would rather be a hanging on

Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge
Livin' on the edge

(Chorus)
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't stop yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
You can't help yourself
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edgethe beginning