Looking at his serious face sparked an erratic rage within her. In her younger years, she'd been taught never to fight back. Her father- Jim- had spent years changing that mindset. He had built up her confidence and taught her free will. Since then, she had been working on being strong enough to speak her mind.
Now, it was time she did. "Who do you think you are?" she asked Nick with a finger pointed accusingly towards him. He took a step back in surprise. Annabelle watched as his eyes widened so much that his sunglasses slipped down the slope of his nose. If she weren't so angry, Annabelle would have marveled at finally being able to see his eyes. She ignored the urge and his jilted expression and rather powered on through. "Let's get something straight here," she said walking towards him. Her hands shook in fear. She'd never been this brave before. "I am not some well-behaved Stepford wife whose only purpose in life is to serve you. You got that? I am my own person, with my own job and dreams. I am not here to do your bidding. If you want this marriage to last your five years, you better learn very quickly that I will not succumb to gender stereotypes."
Nick gulped and gave her a rushed nod of his head. Annabelle tried to revel in the delight of seeing Nick struck speechless but, her anxiety overwhelmed her. She wasn't this person. She'd never been one to fearlessly demand her rights. It was exhilarating. It was a feeling she could grow addicted to. Nick's reaction had been gentle, but Annabelle knew it could have taken a different route.
She breathed out a large sigh of relief and turned to her new husband. She smiled at him; a gentle stretch of her lips. She tilted her head a bit to the side and said sweetly, "So, what do you want for dinner?"
He blinked. "I thought you said you won't cook."
"I didn't say that. I just said I won't stand for you assuming I'll always do it because it's my job. I'll cook when I feel like it and only because it's something I want to do."
Nick rubbed his forehead and moved to sit on one of the stools by the kitchen counter. "This is confusing."
She laughed. "Think of it this way. When I do something, it won't be because it's my duty, but because it's my choice. That's all I'm asking for; the choice and not the obligation."
"I can understand that," he answered softly.
"Thank you." Annabelle looked around the kitchen with a crease in her brows. "Do you object to me making dinner?"
His head shook quickly. "The space is yours to use. I'm happy with the salad but, feel free to make your own dinner." She frowned. She wasn't completely convinced Nick's salad would be substantial enough. Annabelle moved carefully around the kitchen as she thought about what to cook.
"I have some fresh ingredients in the fridge," said Nick from behind her. She watched him stand up and move to open his tall steel refrigerator. It's size alone was beyond anything Annabelle had ever seen in a house. She fully expected it to be stocked full with fruits and vegetables but, it wasn't. One shelf had a large bowl on it with a third of it filled with Nick's salad. The second shelf had a good-looking head of broccoli and two fresh tomatoes next to it. In the door, there was half a carton of milk.
Annabelle wasn't sure how to respond. Nick's fridge looked as bad as hers only, he had the money to do better. "Um," she looked at the fridge with large eyes. "I can use the broccoli."
Nick was pleased by her answer and passed her a full smile. She was finally able to stare back at him, to look into the eyes she'd been curious about all day. It surprised her how handsome he was. She knew Dina described him as a hunk, but rarely did they share the same type. This time, Annabelle agreed with Dina. Her new husband was a hunk.
Nick reached forward and passed the vegetables to her before he grabbed his bowl of salad and moved back towards the kitchen counter. Annabelle awkwardly held the broccoli in her hands as she moved around the kitchen thinking of a meal to cook. She hesitantly opened the nearest cupboard and when Nick didn't comment, she continued. Eventually she found a packet of whole wheat pasta and some spicing. The more she looked through the cupboards, the more ingredients she found. Eventually she was able to start cooking, all with a small smile on her face and her eyes focused. She had to remember not to ogle her husband.
~~***~~
Nick watched Annabelle cook her pasta. She moved around the room with a relaxation Nick envied. She was a natural, moving gently in her element as she chopped her vegetable into small pieces before putting it in a pot to boil. It was interesting watching her cook. She moved fluidly and yet, there was a small stiffness in her neck that made him want to chuckle. He noticed how her eyes kept wanting to focus on him and how much effort it took her to pretend he wasn't there. He thought about leaving but, he couldn't get himself to stand. He liked having her attention, even if he wasn't yet ready to understand why.
"What are you making?" He asked her.
Her shoulders moved in a small shrug. "A simple vegetable pasta. I'm making it up as I go." She grinned at him and he smiled in return. He was surprised by her calming nature. He had noticed it first at the diner. Annabelle had a natural ease about her that transcended into how she spoke and interacted with others. He found it alluring. She seemed un-bothered by everything... well, he had thought so. Her small outburst had shocked him. He had known the second her features changed that he'd said the wrong thing. He still didn't fully understand her issue with his wording. He hadn't meant disrespect but, it seemed he still hadn't mastered understanding women.
Nick looked towards his bowl of salad in front of him and thought best to eat his dinner before it got too late. He retrieved his own bowl and fork before finding his place again. He dished up a small portion of the salad, leaving half if Annabelle still felt she wanted it.
"You know." Nick looked up at Annabelle as she spoke. "There's enough here for two if you'd like something more," she paused, "substantial to eat." He mentally snorted at her word choice.
"This is enough for me," he answered.
Annabelle appraised him dubiously. "Are you sure? Salad is very light, and you aren't eating much of it. I have no problem sharing my portion."
"I'm fine," he said sharply. Annabelle's body stiffened. She turned back to her food and continued to cook in silence. He hadn't meant to upset her. He knew she meant well but, no meant no. Nick bit down on a lettuce leaf aggressively. Marriage was harder than he thought it'd be.
Silence fell upon them and Annabelle's tiny stiff tick spread to her entire body. He bit his lip. He didn't want to upset her so early into the marriage. He also wanted to see her try and avoid staring. He liked having that effect on people. "I'm sorry." He said after minutes of tense silence had passed. "Thank you for your offer but, I don't like to eat pasta so late at night."
"Can I ask why?"
He shrugged curtly. "Personal choice." He didn't owe her any explanations or choices of his past. Her being his wife didn't mean she suddenly had a key to his thoughts.
Annabelle nodded once before turning back to her food. Nick silently munched on his lettuce.
~~***~~
Annabelle moved to place all her used dishes into the sink when her meal was ready. She moved to sit beside Nick. He really should get a dining set, she thought. Nick sat stiff beside her. His bowl was empty, but the salad bowl wasn't. She frowned. His dinner was probably only four bites. A grown man shouldn't be eating that little. Annabelle was no stranger to tiny portions and limited rations but, she had a good reason. What reason could a man of Nick's wealth have for not enjoying a wide variety of food at any substantial portion?
"Are you going to eat your food?" asked Nick. Annabelle blushed as she realized she'd been staring at him. His words reignited her hunger and suddenly, she was shoveling her food down. She felt ravenous. She knew she'd probably get indigestion, but she was beyond caring. Nick continued to sit beside her, playing on his phone. At one point, Annabelle was sure he'd frozen in place. She hadn't seen him move in a while. She ate slowly as she peeped at him from the corner of her eye. She watched him critically. She noticed his hand clench around his cell phone and his jaw twitch. She wondered if she'd gone and annoyed him with her fast eating.
"Are you okay?" she asked him. He looked up and then down to her bowl. His eyes held such longing in them that it genuinely surprised her. His lips parted and his tongue swept across them. If he were a dog, she was sure he'd be salivating. Annabelle suppressed a grin and wordlessly pushed her bowl towards Nick.
His reaction was instant. He jerked away from the food like it was contagious. He turned from her sharply and said, "I'm fine."
She pushed her bowl closer. "You can have some. There's plenty to go around." She was trying to be nice. She wanted to show her husband she meant no harm. Nick continued to pull away. His shoulders tensed, his fingers clenched, and his jaw jutted out. Suddenly, he pushed away from the counter so violently that his chair banged like a shot into the silence.
Annabelle jumped in shock. She stared, gaping towards her husband. "When I say no, I mean no." His words were low but sharp enough to cut through the counter. He looked murderous. Instinctively, Annabelle lifted her hands above her head and folded her body in-wards. "I'm sorry." She said quickly. She could hear Nick breathing hard but, the ringing in her own ears soon deafened outside noises. All she could hear was the erratic beating of her own heart. Her blood pumped furiously.
She stayed crouched in her position for a few minutes. Nothing had happened. With great care, she peeped through her arms. Nick no longer stood in front of her. She slowly lowered her arms and glanced around the room. He was gone. She stood up from her seat and peeped around the corner. She couldn't see him anywhere.
She sighed. Her heart began to slow. Silently she resumed her eating and made sure to face the entrance of the kitchen in case of Nick's return. She couldn't understand his reaction or need for it. She was sure her actions were harmless. The more she replayed it in her mind, the more she was sure she hadn't been in the wrong.
Still, Nick had appeared angry, and it baffled her.
When Annabelle was done eating, she stood up and placed the leftover of her pasta and the dreaded salad back into the fridge. She then proceeded to clean the mess she'd made. Her new husband was already mad at her, she wasn't looking to give him ammunition for another outburst. Nick's kitchen had a dishwasher in the corner, but Annabelle ignored it. She'd never owned one and she wasn't prepared to break anything on her first night.
As she moved haphazardly around the unfamiliar room, her eyes continued to glance at the kitchen entrance. Over an hour later and the clock reaching midnight, her eyes continued the search.
He wasn't coming back.
Nick had said he'd give her a tour of the place. He'd said he would show her, her new room and give her clothes to sleep in. He'd done none of that. Despite how he'd reacted, Annabelle still worried about him. It was engraved in her nature to want to help. Nick had looked like a deeply troubled man. If only his walls weren't built so high, perhaps then their first night as a married couple would have been less troubling.
When midnight arrived but Nick hadn't, Annabelle knew she had to do something about her sleeping arrangement. She knew she could wander around the apartment and search for the room herself but, it didn't feel right to do. She felt like a guest intruding on someone else's space. If she went anywhere without Nick's approval, she'd feel like she was invading. She didn't know how Nick would react either.
Her shoulders dropped tiredly as she moved to the living room. A small, thin blanket lay over the couch. Annabelle knew it was only there for decoration, but she had no other option. She removed her shoes and laid down. She left the lights on in the living room, and, laid facing the entrance of the hallway.
Still hopeful.