11. LATE

"Edythe?" I started awake as the sun hit my eyes and flopped over in bed, reaching my hand out to the right side of it but found the space empty instead. Another uneventful night for the seventh time in a row but I tried my best not to complain. Sitting up, I stretched my arms up over my head and yawned before bringing them down to my sides again. I scratched my back as I got to my feet and started towards the kitchen with still-sleepy steps trying their best - which wasn't very good at all if I'm being honest - to coordinate themselves and I almost walked right into the wall, missing the doorway entirely. When I finally managed to get to the kitchen unscathed, I found a note next to a plate of cold French toast in Edythe's fancy writing as if she were addressing our wedding invitations all over again:

"Beau,

Out hunting. Be back before you wake up.

All my love, Edythe."

My lips pulled themselves down into a small frown that said something along the lines of "it couldn't be helped" – you know, anticipated disappointment -and I put the note aside. "Again?" I groaned dejectedly. "Well, you're late." I said to no one but myself on my honeymoon. Taking the soggy plastic wrap off the once-steaming plate of French toast, I threw the entire dish in the microwave for a minute and took them out, the hot steam carrying hints of blueberry from the fruity cinnamon swirls up to my nose. Sitting alone at the suddenly very large dining room table, I decided there was nothing else to do but dig in and started cutting up the slices into smaller bites, pouring myself a small bowl of syrup on the side to dunk them in. They were good, of course – would've tasted even better though if she were sitting right beside me. Just as I was about to dunk my last bite of French toast, the door opened.

"I'm home." I'd know that musical voice anywhere. Quickly, I zoomed over to her like some over-eager puppy and wrapped my arms tight around her.

"Miss me much?" she asked and laughed, kissing my cheek before kicking off her black lace-up boots.

"Hardly." I said, suddenly pulling away. I felt my face heating up again.

"Right." She nodded sarcastically, plucking a green leaf from her bronze hair.

"You were, um, thirsty again?"

"A little, I guess."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I tried, but she shook her head.

"Trust me, Beau – it's not what you think." Well, what did she think I was thinking? Did she really want to be with me? Did she regret marrying me? Am I just deluding myself?

"Don't you usually only need to go hunting like, twice a month? Something like that?" I asked, confused. I noticed that the dark circles under her eyes were still there – vague maybe, but definitely still there. I came up to her and brushed my fingers over them.

"What's up with you?" I asked, my voice rising a little bit in concern. Gently, she pushed past me to get to the full-body mirror in the bedroom and touched at her face with both hands.

"Should we call your mom?" I offered, grabbing my phone. She stopped me and lowered my wrist.

"No, I don't want her to worry. It's probably nothing. Just stress." I couldn't tell if she was trying to reassure me - or herself.

"Do you need to go out again?" I asked and put my phone away at her urging, not wanting to betray the disappointment in my voice at the aspect of her leaving again but wanting to make sure she'll be alright with me so close to her in the house.

"I'm fine. Trust me." She touched my arm. "So - what do you want to do today?" she asked and I opened my mouth to speak knowing exactly what I wanted to do but, as always, she might as well have been able to read my mind. Or, maybe I was just that desperate. I think she found it sort of amusing. "Besides that." She said, rolling her eyes and pulling her jacket even tighter over her very shapely chest giving me one of her signature smirks which saw her dimples pop out like sunshine through the clouds on a rainy day. Naturally, I instantly lost the will to fight her, folding like origami. Dang, she was good. I put a finger on my chin, trying to think.

"How about cliff-diving then?" I started, my face brightening. Her mouth fell agape.

"You serious?" she asked before letting out another laugh.

"Dead serious." I responded and straightened up my back. "Right off of a waterfall."

She was quiet for a second before crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay, who are you and what have you done to my husband?" she came up to me, a playful smile tugging up at the corners of her lips. I put my chin on my hand and looked up into her eyes, grinning from ear-to-ear. She shifted her jaw, trying to read me. Then her lips pulled back into a tight smile.

"Oh wait, now I get it - you just want to see me in a bathing suit, don't you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, I'm definitely not opposed to the idea." I admitted, leaning back on the bed with a big dumb smile on my face.

"You're disgusting." She put her hand up to my face and turned around again. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed her from behind, tackling her with kisses until we were lost in fits of laughter. "You know, you could have just asked us to go swimming or whatever like a normal person." She smirked, giving me a look from beneath her pale lavender eyelids and thick eyelashes that made my heart beat a little faster.

"You're right, I could have done that – but then you wouldn't have been able to see what a spontaneous person I am." I answered with a congenial smile, putting decided emphasis on the word "spontaneous".

"Just so you know, the fact you even use the word "spontaneous" already tells me that you're not. It's a dead giveaway." She replied, biting back a grin. She sighed loudly before throwing her hands in the air. "Fine. I know a place." She finally said, showing me a radiant smile. God, she was so beautiful.

"You get ready here, I'll get ready in there." She got to her feet and motioned towards the bathroom, rummaging through our bags again. She tossed me a pair of swim trunks, thwacking me over the head with them (on purpose, of course) and then pulled out her own swimsuit, not letting me get even a peek at the design.

"That's unfair." I protested. Her eyes crinkled.

"It's a surprise." She reasoned with a smile and waved me off with two fingers, disappearing behind the bathroom door.