Audrey perched on the plastic-covered couch and watched intently as Seymour raked and trimmed the grass. Her heart would flutter whenever he turned and gave her a small wave.
He was working so hard to give her everything she wanted; little did he know she already had the only thing she needed.
"Seymour!" She ran over to him which was a lot easier to do since she'd abandoned her high, spiked heels. "I brought you something! Since you're working so hard and all." She extended an ice cold beer to him.
He gave her a crooked smile. "Gee, thanks!" His voice quivered a little with worry but he regained his composure before she could notice. "You're the best, Audrey."
She was elated. A job well done. "I gotta run to the store, okay, sweetie?" She gave him a chaste kiss and turned her head back to him as she turned the corner. "I love you!"
"I love you, too!" Seymour hesitantly opened the can and took a sniff. The aroma took him back to the streets of Skid Row where you couldn't tell if the puddles were from the seemingly constant downpour of rain or the spillages from booze riddled bums.
No more than forty minutes later, Audrey returned to an empty garden. She saw the unattended lawn mower but no Seymour. As she walked into the kitchen and placed the two brown paper bags down, she heard what sounded like a distant groan. She glanced around and went back to unpacking the groceries. Suddenly, another groan.
"Seymour?" She called out but no response. "Seymour?" She asked again, popping her head in and out of each room in an attempt to find her husband. She opened the bathroom door and gasped at the sight. "Seymour!"
There he was, hunched over the toilet. He was all clammy and shaking, his glasses rested beside him. "I-I'm okay." He replied in the least convincing manner. Suddenly, he threw up again.
Audrey recognised a familiar smell in the air. "Oh, my gosh! Seymour! How much did you drink?" She had never seen him drunk before.
"Just the one, there might still be a little left in the can." He muttered feebly.
"Oh, honey! You're this sick off of one beer?" She was so confused. "Maybe they're expired? And I gave it to you! I'm so sorry!" Her confusion very quickly turned to guilt.
Seymour always panicked a little when he saw her like this, she was always so quick to blame herself. "Oh, no! Audrey! It's not your fault. I just...that was my first beer is all. In fact, that was the first time I've tasted alcohol." He looked away, somewhat embarrassed.
"Really?" She racked her brain and realized she had never actually seen him drink before. Of course. "Oh, sweetheart! You should've told me!"
"I wanted to seem macho. Isn't it what real men drink?" He glanced at her with his unintentional puppy dog eyes.
She gave him a slightly sad smile as she took his face in her hands. "You're all the man I need." She flushed the toilet and helped him to his feet. "Would you like me to make you seem tea?"
"I would love that." They walked arm in arm to the kitchen as Seymour vowed to himself that he'd never drink again.