Happily Married [COMPLETE]

[11]

October 13th 2017

Audrey had just walked down the stairs when Calvin got home that night from work. He didn't miss the ways when his eyes lit up once they landed on hers. Clenching his jaw, he ignored the way she beamed up at him and merely grunted in response when she greeted him with a cheery 'hey'.

"I'll get started on dinner." She told him, gesturing towards the kitchen with her thumb as he hung up his coat on the coat rack and took of his shoes.

She made a show of moving towards him, reaching out to take off his tie for him. Audrey made sure that her movements were slow so that if he wanted to, he would be able to stop her.

He didn't.

She smiled at him once she had finished, but he didn't return it.

She tried not to think too much of it as he avoided looking at her and moved around her to head upstairs instead of actually saying anything to her.

But she didn't mind. Well, not too much at least.

It had been so long that she had taken off his tie for him after work, and even longer that he had come home from work without some ulterior motive.

It was nice. Even if Calvin didn't think so.

Calvin downstairs within ten minutes, not giving Audrey enough time to finish making dinner. But with one brief look over her shoulder, she knew that he was in no rush.

Behind her sat her husband dressed in plain grey t-shirt and baggy black sweatpants, his laptop opened in front of him as he wiped his glasses on the bottom of his top.

He looked tired.

She didn't say a word to him as she plugged one earphone into her left ear, leaving the other one to dangle down the front of her top just in case he said something.

He didn't, but neither did she.

Within half an hour, Audrey had finished plating the grilled chicken, potato mash and some carrots. Neither of them spoke as she placed a plate next to his laptop along with a bottle of orange from the fridge. Sitting down herself, she offered him a brief glance from under her eyelashes before she ate her food, not expecting anything but silence from him.

She had given up on conversation a long time ago.

-

The leaves had really piled up this year, he noted as he looked out of the window, making sure that the blinds were drawn so that he would be able to look out of the slits in between the panes without being seen himself.

It was the first rake of the yard this season.

Calvin had very firmly declined when she had asked him to help her rake the yard. He didn't miss the way her eyes had looked up at him expectantly when she asked, and then had saddened when he said no, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

He did pretty much anything to avoid having to spend time with his wife, so there wasn't much chance of him willingly spending time outside with her in the cold, making casual conversation as they made huge leaf piles together. The idea was very far-fetched.

Jane had called him multiple times since their phone call yesterday morning, but he didn't risk picking it up in fear that Audrey would somehow find out. The woman worked in the tech industry -and was damn good at her job too, even he had to admit- and he was sure that she would know that he had breached the contract. There was also the factor that she could go through his phone and find out that he had been speaking to her.

Calvin didn't want to risk it, there was just too much at risk.

Especially for one phone call with his lover.

Calvin could spend the rest of eternity talking to Jane as much as his heart desired, but he only had one chance at happiness. He had already messed up his first chance -with Audrey- and he was just glad that he was given a second.

Calvin's eyes lingered on his wife's as she raked vigorously at the leaves on their lawn with her scarf wrapped around her neck and a woollen hat on the top of her head. But neither of those things stopped her nose from turning a light shade of red at the below acceptable temperatures that took over New York that year -one could only imagine how much colder it could get as winter approached.

She had her earphones plugged in and was gently bobbing her head to whatever she was listening to as she raked at the leaves, already having formed one large pile of leaves on the far left of their yard. She would dispose of it all in garbage disposal bags once she was finished.

Calvin had found himself with a lot of free time since Jane had left to visit her family. He had spent nearly all of that time thinking since the contract had started.

He was sure that once it finished that he would get his divorce. One, because staying married to Audrey was the last thing that he wanted and two, Audrey wasn't a liar. She was a lot of things, but a liar wasn't one of them.

He had it all planned out. What he would do after the divorce, that is.

Technically, he had signed for the divorce already and one he acquired Audrey's, he would send for it to be filed. His lawyer had assured him that it would be done in under a week, leaving him plenty of time to get married to the woman that he woman that he did actually love and want to spend the rest of his life with, Jane.

They would be married before Christmas.

It would be a small wedding at the registry office with only the couple present a few people to act as witnesses as they signed the documents. By the time that they would get home, Audrey would be long gone. To where, he didn't care nor did he wish to know.

She could disappear off the face of the Earth for all he cared. As long as she was gone, that's what he cared about.

She would no longer be standing in his way, and he would be able to do as he wished.

Just two more months, and this would all be over.

He would finally be free.

Watching her work so peacefully, Calvin considered helping her out.

They had a big house which came with a lawn to match its size. There was a lot of grass and even more leaves to cover it.

Grabbing his own coat and scarf, Calvin wrapped up warm and then headed out the front door.

Neither of them spoke a word to each other as they spent the rest of the few daylight hours remaining raking the front yard. She had smiled at him gratefully when he told her to go get a shower as he finished bagging the last pile, but he scowled and turned away from her.

It was easier that way; ignoring her.

-

Layla Knight

30.06.17