Chapter Thirteen

 

Ahmalee

 

A Month Later

 

 

Our marriage is going strong. I’m in love – so deep in it that it smothers me and I’m completely fine with that. I love being smothered, manhandled and dominated. I wake up to Cain. I make incredible love with Cain. We spend time together. I have dinner with him. We go to bed and the cycle repeats.

I’m not used to it yet and that’s a good thing. I don’t want to get used to it. I don’t want us to be in the ordinary, daily routine phase of our relationship. I still enjoy it when he meets me in the driveway, sends dozens of flowers to the boutique and shower me with thoughtful gifts. A few weeks ago, he bought me a gold necklace with a diamond-studded, key-shaped pendant. Said it was the key to his heart. Around the same time, he asked me what my dream car was. Last week, I received a delivery of tiles. When I unpacked the box, I saw that they were photo tiles of us – black and white images that, together, made one huge picture. It’s a photo he had someone take of us the day we got married. The day we danced. My heart flutters every time I look at the picture on my – our – bedroom wall.

Our relationship is great, but something’s off. I can’t quite put my finger on it but there’s something. All of a sudden, Cain now has to go to the office two days a week – Thursday and Friday. Thursday morning, he drives to Charlotte and stays Thursday night and all day Friday. He drives back home early Saturday morning. It makes me anxious and crazy because I don’t know if Knightdale is really home for him. If I’m keeping it real, I feel like his home is in Charlotte. The bigger city has so much more to offer than little Knightdale. I wouldn’t mind moving to Charlotte, but every time I bring it up, Cain plays it off like our current situation is fine with him. How could it be fine when I’m here and he’s there? How can he be okay with leaving me for two whole days a week? Don’t get it twisted – I’m not one of those wives who have to be up under my husband all the time, but I would like for our lives to be somewhat normal. Him being away two days a week is anything but. Something’s got to give on that front.