Lucille✔️ (Kindle version)

Settling into married life

Lucille

We returned from our honeymoon, settling into married life. I moved into Grayson's apartment, which suited us. We'll find another place later.

I also learned to cook and cook a few meals since I got a cookbook as a wedding gift.

I tried recipes from it. I realized not every recipe was a home run as Gray gave me a sheepish look. Great. I'm sucking as a wife.

While cooking, I got distracted, dropping a spoon. The stove caught fire. Gray ran into the hallway, grabbing the fire extinguisher. He ran back inside and extinguished the fire.

Another time, I burned a roast. Gray ate it, so he didn't hurt my feelings.

I accidentally burned one, ruining it when I tried to iron his shirts. I made the mistake of washing a red sock with Gray's white clothes. He ended up with pink boxers and a pink shirt. I'm failing with the simplest household tasks.

Another time, I dusted the ceiling fan, making the mistake of spraying Pledge on it. Gray walked into the living room, wearing his socks and face planted on the floor. I stared at him as he lifted his head and looked at me with annoyance.

I'm surprised I didn't kill Gray during the first few months of our marriage.

*****

My birthday arrived, and I turned nineteen. We invited our families over to our place. Mom brought a cake. Grayson also asked her to teach me how to cook before he needed his stomach pumped.

I facepalmed myself when I found out. It isn't easy being a wife when you've never been one. Even Dad agreed. I swear my parents aren't on my side.

Mom showed me the basics. She said it would help, so I didn't kill my husband. I got the hang of cooking and cleaning.

It wasn't my fault when I stuck him with a needle. Sewing isn't my strong suit, but I passed home economics.

*****

I also found out Grayson had a temper when we had our first major fight. What was our fight about? Well, I'll tell you. I wanted to work, and he wanted me to stay home.

I won't be a nineteen-fifties homemaker. I had refused, and we fought. Gray picked up a vase and threw it against the wall, shattering it into pieces. He also put his fist through a door.

I left and drove to my parents. I refuse to endure his temper.

As I sat in the kitchen, talking to Mom about the fight, her phone rang. She answered it, handing me the receiver, and I answered it, then sighed. I hung up the phone and left.

I drove to a local bar, finding him drunk at the bar. I pressed my lips together as I clenched my jaw. On top of it, a hussy was hanging all over him. Grayson would learn how bat shit crazy I am.

I marched over, grabbed her by the hair, yanked her from him, and hit her. I beat her ass as Grayson sat in his seat, three sheets to the wind.

Once I got done with her, I grabbed him and dragged him off that freaking bar stool. He staggered as I shoved him to the door. He fell to the ground as I stood there. He laughed, and I walked over and let my temper rip. I smacked the shit out of him as he sobered up.

"Luci!"

"Fuck you, Grayson! You threw a tantrum, getting drunk while a floozy thinks she can take you! Make a choice!"

He stood up and looked at me as the rain fell.

"I didn't grow up with a drunk, and I refuse to live with one! You make a choice! It's me or the booze!"

He furrowed his brows at me as I glared at him.

"Luci."

"I'm leaving Grayson."

I walked to the car, got inside, and drove away. I would not stand in the rain while my husband acted like a tool.

I got home and took a shower, putting on dry clothes. I walked into the bedroom, crawled into bed, and lay there. Grayson's drinking and temper weren't what I signed up for when we married. What happened to the guy who cares about me? It was like he had vanished.

Marriage changes people. It made Grayson a king-size ass.

As I lay there, the door opened and closed. I stayed in bed as shoe soles thumped against the floor. I took a deep breath, getting out of bed. I opened the door, coming face to face with Grayson.

I looked at him as he dropped to his knees. He wrapped his arms around me and buried his head in my legs.

"I'm sorry, Luci. Please don't leave me."

He sobbed. I lifted my hand and placed it on his head as I ran my hand through his hair.

"I'm not leaving you, you dolt."

He gripped me. I kneeled in front of him as he had his head down.

"Gray, you want a marriage, then we need an understanding."

He lifted his head and gazed at me.

"I won't tolerate your temper, drinking, or horrible behavior. I deserve respect because I'm your wife. When I took my vows, I meant them and honored them. I expect you to reciprocate, or you'll have an endless road ahead of you."

He nodded as he leaned in, trying to kiss me, but I pushed him away. I stood up.

"You can sleep on the couch."

I walked over, picked up a pillow, and threw it, smacking him in his head. I also threw a blanket at him. There's no way I was rewarding his childish behavior. He's a grown-ass man.

*****

The next day, I woke up and got ready. I came out to find him asleep on the couch. I walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bucket, and filled it with icy water.

Once I filled it, I took it into the living room and dumped it on him. Yep, last night still pissed me off.

"Lucille!"

He awoke startled.

"Get up, you freaking drunk!"

I stood with the bucket in my hand. Gray stood up and wiped off his face.

"You're still mad."

"Mad? Oh, no. I'm pissed."

He stared at me.

"This is how our marriage will happen. You won't order me to be something I'm not. You won't use your temper against me. If I ever find you in a bar, letting a whore touch you, you'll get worse than what happened."

When I looked at him, he knew I wasn't kidding. Good, because I'm serious. I refuse to have someone treat me like nothing. Not when someone is my damn husband.

After that day, Grayson swore off the booze and bars. He got his shit together.

You never allow the other person to mistreat you in a relationship. They'll continue if you let them. No self-respecting person should accept disrespectful behavior from someone. Not if the person loves them.

If I ever have kids and they pulled the shit Grayson did, I would kick their asses. Let's hope they never did that shit. That's if we have kids. The way Grayson's going, it'll take a while. He'll spend more time on the couch than in our bed.