#2 - Just Before that Time of the Month

Just Before that Time of the Month
By lenniez

It was 10 o’clock on a Monday night. She opened the door to let him in. He had his bright smile on as usual. She smiled back and led him into her house. They sat on the couch to watch Sex and the City half way playing on the television as she continued folding her pile of fresh clean clothes. He got comfortable, slouching on her suede couch.

As the show ended, he turned to her and said, “baby, are you going to feed me? I’m hungry.”

“Its past 10 at night and you’ve not eaten?” she asked, feeling a dash surprised with a pinch of annoyance.

He gave her another smile, which somehow failed to project humour or his usual cuteness. She fought the urge to make a frown. He is innocent, she reminded herself.

Last night, she was an angel to him. She prepared dinner and packed him a lunchbox to take to work. She pleasured him during the night, and woke him up the next morning with another round of love making. She couldn’t blame him for the high expectations tonight. But at the same time, she couldn’t shake off the irritation.

She offered him instant noodles. It was all she could bare to prepare. She was feeling very tired and moody. He didn’t seem to understand. She rationalized with herself not to be too hard on him.

He had two packets of noodles with an egg on the side. She made it just as he liked, sunny side up with a half cooked yolk. She washed up while he ate. She was not happy. She felt like a maid. Yesterday, she spent the whole day teasing him about marriage. She almost convinced herself that she was ready for it, and that he was the one she wanted to settle with. Now, 24 hours later, that was the last thing on her mind. In fact, she felt silly for even having it on her mind in the first place.

She watched him eat from the corner of her eyes. She held back a heavy sigh. She was tired and getting moodier. He needed to play his cards right tonight.

When he was done, he came around to her side. She was still washing. She eyed the stack of wet dishes beside her. Drying the dishes would be the least he can do for making me cook and wash, she reasoned.

He wrapped his arms around her instead. He didn’t let go. He didn’t grab the blue towel to dry the dishes. She got frustrated.

Turning off the tap, she shrugged him off and grabbed the towel. He kept quiet. He couldn’t stay oblivious to her weirdness any longer. She marched around the kitchen, furiously drying the dishes and cutleries, dropping them loudly into the cupboard.

“Need a hand babe?” he asked, sounding unsure.

She was practically done in the kitchen, and he offered his services now? A tad bit of her felt his sincerity, while the rest of her wished she could just scream at him.

“It’s ok. Go take your shower.”

She took several deep breaths silently as he walked off. She felt like a mother and instantly hated the feeling. She never enjoyed having dependants. They tend to ick her out after a while. After she’s sick playing the role of the caretaker. That’s usually when she decides to walk out of the relationship.

She ignored him for the rest of the night. Ignored the puzzled look on his face. Ignored his puppy dog eyes burning question marks on her forehead. She needed time to think. She needed to know if this was a valid plea of temporary insanity due to the hormones, or whether she was really over all this.

End