Irene's POV:
A week passed in the blink of an eye. Considering, me and Callum were never actually considerate about each other, there wasn't much difference in my life.
I didn't even realize when 7 days were up and it was time to wait for my husband's return.
I sat in our backyard, opposite to the pool, working on a presentation for next week when the doorbell rang.
I was hesitant at first to leave my comfy position to get the door, but when it ringed for the third time, I had no choice. I groaned and got up.
As I was about to open the door, a slap sort of sound echoed from outside. Huh?
I opened the door to find Sandra and Callum standing there. I took a moment to scan them both.
Sandra looked the same – dusty old woman with a look of pride on her face for some reason.
But Callum...... Callum was different. So quiet, so....scared? Why did he look scared?
"Hello Irene" Sandra greeted me with a big smile. I returned my gaze to her and forced myself to smile.
"Hello mother, come in please" I reluctantly said. I didn't want anyone in my house right now.
"Oh its okay, I actually have to be somewhere, I just came to return him" she pointed at Callum.
I looked at Callum once again. He didn't speak a word. He just stood there like a robot, his gaze fixed on the floor.
"Oh, that's unfortunate. I wish you could've stayed." I said looking back at Sandra.
"It's okay, I'll visit some other time. But for now, I have to go. I hope he'll be better now. Won't you?" she directed the question to her son.
"I will" Callum nodded. His voice was hoarse. As if he had been screaming for a long time.
It was usually how my subs sounded after our sessions. But I knew that this, was not the kind of result from sexual activities.
I don't know how, but I just knew.
Sandra soon left and it was just me and Callum. "You wanna stay out for the night or come in?" I asked sarcastically when he didn't move.
"As you wish" he said quietly. I was taken aback by such a response. Callum was never like this. At least not to me.
He may have been submissive to Nova, but never in my life had Callum talked to me with so much obedience.
I decided to check if he was just playing with me. "So if I ask you to stay out for the night, you will?" I asked. He nodded.
"Alright then, come in, have dinner, then go to sleep in the backyard" I said sarcastically. He nodded yet again and came in.
Without a word, Callum headed to the kitchen and started cooking. That wasn't new for me as he had told me once that he liked to cook.
I went back to work as Callum quietly continued in the kitchen. It was so quiet, I didn't even feel like he was home.
An hour later, he came and stood in front of me. "Yes?" I questioned. He pointed to the kitchen.
"What about it?" I asked. He sighed. "Dinner's ready" he said. Why was he hesitating to talk to me?
I closed my laptop and headed to the dining table. As expected, Callum's delicious cooking filled my smell.
This man is gifted in the art of cooking, and I mean every word of it. I sat down and Callum started serving me.
"What are you doing?" I asked in shock. He stopped at once and looked at me. "You don't want it?" he asked. He looked genuinely hurt.
Now I was feeling bad. That wasn't what I meant.
"I was just saying, why are you serving me?" This was so out of the blue. We never did anything like this.
Callum behaving like this was so weird for me. "I just thought I'd....be useful." He muttered the last part so quietly, I barely caught it.
What did he mean by 'be useful'? He literally cooked the entire thing!
"Umm, it's okay. I can do it myself" I said and he nodded. I filled my plate and looked back at Callum.
He wasn't even looking at me. His gaze was constantly on the floor. "Are you not going to sit?" I asked.
He pulled a chair opposite to me and sat down. I started eating and god was the food delicious!
I had almost finished half my plate when I noticed Callum wasn't eating. "Are you not going to eat?" I asked. "Am I allowed?" he asked me back.
"Allowed?" I asked in shock. He nodded. I was doubtful of his answers but decided not to ask right now. Callum didn't seem to be in his right mind.
"Umm...yeah sure" I replied. Callum filled his plate and started eating with me.
There was an awkward silence in the air. We had done this before too. Eating in silence I mean. But this time, it was different.
Soon, I finished eating and stood up. Callum, whose plate was still half full, stood up with me.
"I'll wash them" he said, referring to my dishes. "Okay?" I said skeptically. He took our plates and headed to the kitchen.
"Do you not want to eat the rest of it?" I asked. "But you are done" he replied. "And you're not. So why leave the food?" I cross questioned.
"Do you want me to finish it?" he asked. "Yes" I replied bluntly. Callum nodded and sat back at the table.
I watched as he ate and then took the dishes to wash. Something was wrong. I could sense it in the air.
Callum wasn't acting like himself. It was like he's a completely different person.
Once the dishes were done, Callum headed upstairs and I thought he went to sleep.
I situated myself in the living room and watched TV for about an hour.
Later, when I went back to sleep, I noticed that the door to the guest room was open. Weird. Callum never sleeps with the door open.
I decided to sneak a little and looked in. But all I saw, was emptiness. There was no sight of Callum and the bad lacked a pillow and blanket.
That's when it clicked to me. Oh shit!
I rushed to the backyard only to find Callum sleeping – well trying to sleep – on the grass.
"Callum!" I called out. He immediately stood up, almost losing his balance in between. "Y-yes?" his voice quivered.
Callum was literally shivering. His body was covered in the wetness of the grass and the November wind didn't help at all.
"What do you think you're doing?" I raised my voice a little. "I was just f-following orders. You told me to s-sleep outside so I–"
"And you followed?" I cut him off. He nodded while looking down. "Oh for God's sake can you look at me!" I shouted.
Callum flinched and took a step back. What the fuck?
"Callum" I said, my voice a lot softer now. "S-sorry, I'll l-look at you if you w-want" he raised his gaze.
My eyes met directly with his green ones and for the first time ever, I was mesmerized.
His eyes were pure, too pure for this world. They radiated a need for love. The exact love I craved for.
There was a hint of pain in them that I knew he was trying to hide. But most of all, his eyes were filled with fear.
Fear? Was he scared of me?
"Irene" his voice broke me out of my thoughts. I blinked my eyes and brought my mind back to reality.
I looked at his shivering form and immediately grabbed his hand. Dragging him into the house, I made him sit in front of the fireplace.
"You need something warm to drink?" I asked. "Your wish" he shrugged. I was annoyed with his answers, but just left to go get him a coffee.
With our coffee machine, it took me no longer than 5 minutes. On my way back, I grabbed a blanket for him.
When I returned, I saw that he was much more warmer. "Here" I handed him the 2 things.
He muttered a small 'thank you' and took them. Wrapping the blanket around him, Callum took a sip of the coffee.
He closed his eyes and sighed in relief. I took a seat beside him. None of use said anything for a while as he drank his coffee.
Once finished, Callum stood up. But I pulled him back down. "Give that to me" I said, taking the cup from him.
I looked at him and he was STILL looking down. I grabbed his chin and made him look at me.
"Are you okay?" I asked with genuine concern. He nodded. I sighed. "Don't lie to me Callum" I said.
Callum's jaw clenched and his toes curled. "I'm fine" he said, getting out of my grip. "Callum–"
"I said I'm fine!" he raised his voice at me. Then, his eyes widened and the fear in them doubled than before.
"S-sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I just- I was- I mean- oh god" he put his head in his hands.
"Are you really okay?" I asked as I rubbed his back with the palm of my hand. He sighed. "Can I go to sleep?" he asked as he looked at me.
He was tired, I could tell. What I couldn't tell, was why he was asking me for everything.
"Sure, but you have to sleep in your room" I said. He nodded and left for the guest room.
I justsat there, dumbfounded at everything that just happened.