I love how y'all were more into what happened to that sandwich.

Okay, so apparently this idea came from Winter in The Lunar Chronicles series but after seeing what the idea was, I genuinely have no clue where in the book it came from. You'll understand by the end of the chapter if you know the book.

I actually bothered to publish this at 9:46 PM because I am dedicated to this story.


Photo #103: It's 9:46 Somewhere

Eadlyn and her brothers have been raised on a simple, humble philosophy: don't call for maid or maintenance service unless you desperately need help. It was so they wouldn't grow up as brats who took advantage of the castle staff. They were more than blessed to have them at their fingertips but they were never allowed to be dependant on them because that would make them incredibly lazy. Besides, it would be easier to take five minutes to clean up a spill rather than take ten minutes to call for a maid, wait for them to arrive, and have them clean it up.

Maybe this photo is an example of that, maybe it's not. Either way, the photo triggered that moral to come up to the surface.

It has her mother's wrist as the main focus, showcasing the watch she's wearing. In the background of the photo, her father is sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. On his lap is a clock. Eadlyn is confused as to why this strange photo brought up that memory and what connection it has to this photo. Also, she wonders why this photo even exists.

But after looking at it closer, she notices that the time on her mother's watch and the time on the clock are the same.

Still, nothing's clicking (or should she say ticking?)

-o-

America walks through the hallway, noticing her husband from a distance. The closer she gets to approaching him, the more she notices that he's just standing in the same spot, staring at something intensely. In fact, Maxon didn't even notice her presence until she was right beside him and had to fake a cough to get his attention. It was like he was in some sort of trance. And when America turned to see what hypnotized him so intensely, she was unamused to see a clock sitting on a side table.

"What is so attractive in this clock that is probably older than me?" America asks.

"This clock has been at the same time for so long," Maxon says, focusing back on it. "I think it's broken."

"How long has it been?"

"Not sure. I can't keep track of time on a broken clock."

America nods her head, seeing his point. Maxon takes the clock in his hand and turns it around. He opens a hatch in the back and grunts a little when he sees that it's not a battery-operated clock but a small grandfather clock. That means that the problem isn't in the power source because there isn't one. The issue is in the clock's actual mechanic parts.

"I'll take a look at this," Maxon says.

"Maxon, it's just a decorative clock," she says to save him the struggle. "There's no need to fix it - or for you to fix it."

"Clocks are vital," he argues. "They tell time."

She can't argue against that. America opens an arm, gesturing for him to take some space should he need it. He takes a seat on the floor, putting the clock on his lap. He rolls up his sleeves up to his elbow before figuring out how and where he was going to pry into the clock. America has to stop herself from finding this attractive because it will only look sexy up to here since Maxon knows absolutely nothing on fixing anything let alone clocks.

"Maybe we should call for help," America suggests.

"I have this under control," Maxon replies as he starts poking around at all the gears.

America remains standing in front of Maxon, seeing the best he could do. After a few pokes, there is no solution. America doesn't want to say that she told him so because that would be too mean. It'd be nicer to say that the clock isn't the only one not ticking around here. But still, America keeps her clock jokes to herself for another time of day. (She saves that one as well).

"This is going to be intense," America says, pretending she's into this. "I'll bring some wine."

"No!" Maxon yells at her. "I need to be sober to do this."

"You clearly can't do this while sober."

Maxon mocks her before returning to try and fix the clock. America laughs to herself as she leaves. She comes back later with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. She even brought Maxon's camera which hangs around his neck. Maxon doesn't look up at her since he is too focused on fixing this clock but if anyone were to ask America, she saw no progress from when she was last here. She pours them both glasses of wine but since he was too busy with his clock, she cheers both their glasses for him.

She never thought that her toughest competition for Maxon's undying attention would be a clock.

"You know," America starts, "grandfather clocks have a life expectancy of about 10-15 years before developing a major internal mechanical problem which will make it fail to run or simply run well."

Maxon looks up at her with a perplexed expression as if she should be the one fixing the clock. "How on Earth did you know that?"

"I asked the castle's mechanic when I went to get the wine."

Maxon rolls his eyes to himself as America laughs. Maxon drinks his entire glass of wine in one sip and America pours him some more once he put his glass down.

"I am not perfect for you, but I'm still trying," Maxon says.

"And kind of failing," America responds.

Maxon's face suddenly becomes deadpanned, expecting a more sentimental response. "Thanks, dear."

"You're not even fixing the clock, you're breaking it even more."

Maxon's face doesn't budge. It becomes as frozen as the time on the clock. America doesn't say anything more but takes another sip from her wine glass. He downs his entire wine glass again but stops America from refilling it.

"Maybe, we should just trash this clock," Maxon suggests.

"A broken clock is right twice a day," America says optimistically.

"And is it 9:46 right now?" Maxon asks sarcastically.

America glances at her watch and grins. "Actually, yes."

Maxon rolls his eyes in pure coincidence. "Well, it's 9:46 somewhere."

"Yes. Here."

Maxon narrows his eyes are her for not getting his sarcasm (she did that on purpose). America holds up her arm in front of Maxon with her wrist facing her so that the watch's face can be seen. She snaps a picture of it, making sure that the broken clock and Maxon's face can be seen. It was little rare moments like this that make married life a blast.


Stay Tuned - (I have no clue but I want to say that it's going to be Christmas. Either way, there is definitely going to be a Christmas chapter)