David is confronted by Roxy’s ex.Based on a post by dark overlord 6, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Connected.The following week David was back at the plant, and discovering that his body was slowly acclimating itself to the earlier schedule since at least he hadn't fallen back to sleep in the car on the way. Roxy had them doing a file purge of all the old requisition forms that were more than three years in the past, and he was sitting cross-legged in front of a filing cabinet with piles of paper lying around him when she came to check on his progress. "How is it that you guys haven't digitized any of this crap?" he asked, waving at the stacks."I've been bitching about that for years, but the company has other priorities I guess. Thanks for raising the parenting bar for me by the way.""Huh?" David looked up with a clueless face."All week long it's been, 'I want stories about dragons and princes,' every time I want that toot to go to bed! You know how much bullshit I've had to make up, off the top of my head?""Maybe I could write down some stories for you," offered David with a laugh."I should make you do that, but we have bigger fish to fry. Just keep purging, Paper Boy!"She left him to his work, and Thomas was kind enough to bring him another box from the storage closet brimming with old forms."Thanks;" moaned David unhappily."Anytime! I like to see a guy earning his keep. Think of it a ‘job security.’" said Thomas, with a grin that David instantly wanted to smack off his face.An hour later, cramps in both his legs forced him to take a break. Getting up off the floor for the first time all morning. He was making his way to the security door to visit the bathroom when a booming sound, loud enough to make his ears ring, broke the relative silence of the building; and seconds later the walls rattled as if a God-like hand was shaking it."Holy Crap! It's a fucking meltdown," thought David, seeing his whole short life pass before his eyes and wishing instantly that he had enjoyed way more sex than he had. His brain locked and he couldn't remember a single thing from the safety video he had been shown in orientation. So he did the only thing he could think of, and dove under a nearby desk. As he sat there, shaking and contemplating just how painful death by radiation exposure must be, Roxy's head suddenly appeared from above."So it's loud noises; and spiders?" she asked."Didn't you hear that? Why aren't we evacuating?" asked David in a rush."We aren't evacuating because that wasn't the reactors, Bozo. They're purging excess steam off the turbines. Didn't you watch the orientation video?""I might have fallen asleep during it," admitted David sheepishly."Oh, for Heaven's sake; Just get out from under there before someone sees you cowering like a whipped dog. You keep this up, and they're going to quit calling you 'Spider-Man,' and start calling you, 'Duck and Cover,'""They call me Spider-Man?" ask David to Roxy's back."Don't worry. I wouldn't let them stencil it on your hard hat," she said over her shoulder.David felt a hand on his arm, and he turned to look at Thomas."Hey! 'Duck and Cover,' want me to bring you another box?""This day just keeps getting better;" muttered David as he shrugged off the hand and went in search of the restroom.Thankfully, the afternoon that followed was free of embarrassing moments, and the approach of the final whistle was a welcome relief. David had placed the last of the file boxes back in the closet, the contents much reduced in size from when he had started, when Roxy came walking up, looking slightly uncomfortable."David; I was wondering if I could ask you another favor?""Uh; Yeah, sure.""Feel free to say 'No,' it isn't a big deal," Roxy started to say, making David wonder what was going on since he had never seen Roxy Doyle beat around the bush ever."Okay," he said, looking suspicious at what was coming next."See; The thing is, Emily has called me three times today because she is doing this play at day camp, and; uh; she keeps asking if you'll come.""Oh," said David in surprise, not expecting this at all."As I said, don't feel obligated or anything I just had to ask;" Roxy said, expecting him to decline."No; I mean, it's fine I'd love to go." David said with casual resolve."Are you sure? We aren't talking a Broadway musical here.""I get it. It's fine. I wouldn't want to let Emily down.""You wouldn't be the first;" she said under her breath."Excuse me?" He inquired."Never mind. It's at 6:30; I'll text you the address."Emily's day camp was actually in an old Methodist church near the apartment complex where she and Roxy resided. David arrived a bit late, having gotten caught in traffic, but he found that Roxy had saved him a seat right alongside a rather rotund, older, gray-haired woman who turned out to be Emily's regular babysitter, Mrs. Foster."Emily speaks very highly of you," whispered Mrs. Foster as she shook his hand."Thanks," David replied taking a seat.The skit was short and sweet, based on a parable that David remembered well from school about a lion with a thorn in its paw. Emily played the part of the girl that removed the thorn and did it with quite a bit of talent as far as David was concerned. He clapped along with the other parents while the kids took their bows like real professionals.Afterward, the adults filed outside to await the release of their children."I think you have a future Academy Award winner on your hands," said David."I should be so lucky. If she makes it big, maybe she will buy me a house, and I can retire," said Roxy.The smile that adorned her face fell a second later, though; when something over David's shoulder drew her gaze."Shit;" she grumbled, moving to the parking lot."What?" asked David, but she was already passed him with a head of steam up."Todd," said Mrs. Foster from where she stood nearby."Her ex-husband? Todd?""The same. Roxy told him about this, and he said he would come, but he is late as usual. At least he showed up at all."David took a few steps closer, not wanting to look like he was trying to eavesdrop, but dying of curiosity at the same time. He got close enough he could make out their conversation."I said 6:30, Todd. Did they not have a clock in the bar?""Hey! I just got stuck at work, that's all. Totally not my fault.""B******t! I can smell the beer on you from here.""Okay, so I stopped for one lousy beer to take the edge off a long day. It's not the end of the world, so don't make a Federal case out of it.""One beer, Todd! I think it was a lot more than one, and anyway, you missed the whole damn thing.""What? Huh? I guess it took longer than I thought, but at most, it was two beers okay? Where is Emily? I want to see her.""Not when you've been drinking. I've told you that before!""Give me a break! You don't have to be a bitch every day of your life, you know!"David felt a bolt of anger shoot through him, and before he even realized he was going to do it, he was by Roxy's side facing her ex-husband. Todd was shorter than him by a good four inches, but broader across the chest with tattoos adorning both arms and reeking of cheap malt liquor."Is there a problem?" he asked, glaring at the shorter man."It's fine, David," said Roxy in a tight voice."Who the Hell is this, Roxy?""This is David. We work together."Todd looked him up and down then turned his head to spit a gob of phlegm onto the pavement, "Jesus, Roxy, you dating grade school kids now?"David started to snap a comeback, but Roxy beat him to it."Let me tell you something! This kid is already more of a man than you'll ever be, Todd. At least he was here for your daughter, which is more than I can say for you!""Whatever; Take some advice, Kid. Enjoy the t**s and then run. She'll make your life Hell if you stick around too long."It ended up being David that had to hold Roxy back as she tried to kick Todd who beat a hasty retreat, jumping on his motorcycle and roaring off in a cloud of exhaust."Easy there, Tyson. I think your opponent has left the ring," said David as he let her go."Mother Fucker!"She turned a complete circle in place, finally shaking her shoulders and groaning in defeat."Man! I don't know what I ever saw in that prick!""Couldn't have been his winning personality," deadpanned David.Roxy looked at him, still huffing and puffing in anger, then let out a laugh shaking her head."Come on! Let's get some ice cream! I need a sugar fix!"It had been a while since the last time David had been in a booth at Farley's Ice Cream Parlor, and this was nothing like the crowd he usually had with him. On one side of the table sat a seven-year-old girl with more ice cream on her face than in her mouth, while next to her was a large older woman making a massacre of her dessert. Next to him, Roxy was pressed almost uncomfortably close in the tiny booth, close enough he could feel the heat coming off her skin, and it made him more than a little nervous."Something wrong with your ice cream?" asked Roxy noticing that David had only taken a few bites."It's good. I'm just watching my weight. Got to protect this girlish figure," he said which sent Emily into a fit of giggles.Mrs. Foster and Roxy joined in, and soon, the whole table was filled with the sounds of their mirth.David looked around the restaurant, happy that it appeared they had arrived on a night when Heather wasn't working. He wasn't ready to deal with seeing her again at this point. The mall was reasonably quiet for a weeknight. They had the ice cream parlor mostly to themselves, although the food court across from them seemed to still be doing a brisk business. There were quite a few teenagers and college-age kids roaming around the multiple available food options; either standing around talking or sitting at the many open tables, sharing French fries and gossip in equal measure. As David looked on, the crowd parted near the sandwich shop, and his spoon stopped in mid-air."What's wrong," asked Roxy