Auggie knew it was going to be a bad day. He hadn't slept well, and couldn't find the shirt he wanted to wear.
"Annie" he called to his wife. She walked softly into his closet, barefoot, he heard. She stopped behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his left shoulder.
"Yes dear" she whispered into his ear. He smelled her perfume, the light scent of grapefruit teasing his senses.
"Could you find my white 'Joseph A. Banks' shirt? It's thicker than most of the others and has shiny white pinstripes." He heard the rustle as she flipped through the shirts.
Soon she placed a shirt in his hands and led his right hand towards the braille tag in the collar. "Is this the one?"
He ran his finger over the tag, "Yes," he found her hand and followed it up her arm and to her cheek and stroked it, "Thank you."
She kissed him tenderly, then put her forehead against his for a moment before pulling away, "I have to finish getting ready."
He heard her pad out of his closet. Auggie put on the elusive shirt and finished his morning routine. As he walked down the main hall in the house, Auggie was suddenly sprawled out on the ground, having tripped over something lying in the hall. Annie heard his fall and came running.
"August?! Are you alright?" She helped him up, "I am so sorry! I should have made sure the hallway was clear. It's my fault."
"I don't need your watching over me constantly. Believe it or not I can function without your assistance." Auggie said sarcastically with a bite in his tone.
"I'm sorry; I just don't want you to get hurt." Annie defended herself.
"I don't want your protection, Annie! I am a grown man who can take care of himself." Auggie jerked his arm out of Annie's grasp and walked to the door, "I'll take the bus to work."
As he slammed the door shut Annie slowly, methodically bent down and picked up the kitten heel her husband had tripped over. She looked at it for a moment as the tears welled up in her eyes. For a moment Annie feared that Auggie would not return home, that he had finally had enough of her. Then she regained control of her emotion, wiping the tears from her eyes and dropping the shoe. She understood the ridiculousness of her thoughts; of course he loved her and would come back. She then walked out of the apartment, got into the car, and drove to work.