anything and everything

Writing Prompt 1

I love my perfect husband.

That might be the most obvious statement in the world. Every morning I wake up fifteen minutes before him so I can make breakfast for us both.

I gazed at him from across the table. He didn't notice me. He was reading the paper as he slowly sipped his coffee. His curly brown hair was naturally messy and fell over his pale green eyes in the most alluring ways. I could never guess the mysteries they shielded from me.

Too soon the clock chimed 8:00. My husband was an engineering manager for a small company called Tectonic. He was the breadwinner of the family and I was the dutiful housewife.

I liked to paint. My husband insisted that I was very talented. I made my own paints and would sell my paintings. We didn't need the extra income but it felt wonderful to know that someone liked my creations. I had a few other hobbies but none were as important as keeping a beautiful house and a happy husband. A perfect life.

Soft music played from the kitchen speakers as I prepared dinner. My husband would be home any minute. Tonight we were having honey glazed chicken and homemade biscuits. It was his favorite dinner. 5:30 on the dot, I heard the handle click and the door swing open as my husband entered the house.

There was a soft thump when he set down his leather briefcase but I pretended not to notice. Every night my husband would come greet me in the kitchen. He would wrap his arms around my waist and rest his chin on my head. The scent of his cologne would engulf me in a calming wave and the sizzling of meat on the stove would be miniscule in comparison to the sound of his hearing heart and the deep rumble in his chest as he muttered "how was your day?"

His footsteps entered the kitchen, barely audible over my music. However, my husband did not step behind me. His warm arms didn't rest loosely around my slender waist.  I faintly heard the fridge open then close followed by the click and fizz of a can opening.  I glanced over my shoulder to see my husband raise the can of beer to his lips.

My husband didnt drink. The only alcohol I kept around was for cooking or my occasional glass of wine.

I placed a glass lid over my pan and changed the heat to low so my sauce could simmer and thicken.

"My love?" I wiped my hands off on my apron though there was nothing on them. I would never make a mess when cooking. "What's wrong, dear?"

I swiftly moved over the tile floor to him and reached up to place my arms over his shoulders, intending to gift him a kiss on the cheek. He shrugged me off before I made contact.

"Honey?" I asked again. I noticed there were slight bags under his eyes. Has those been there this morning? I couldn't recall. I was a light sleeper yet I hadn't noticed him losing any sleep of his own.

"It's nothing. Work is just a little stressful." My husband said. "I just need some time to relax. Some space to clear my head."

"Dinner will be ready any minute." I said. "Why don't you take a seat at the table? I'll give you a nice massage after dinner and everything will melt away."

"Just put mine in the fridge please. I'm not hungry right now." He kissed my forehead, having to lean down a bit as his 5'11 frame was much taller than my own 5'4.

"Oh, okay. I'll bring you a glass of water. You go watch some TV and I'll give you space." I told my husband with a smile. I only wanted him to feel better. My husband wasn't perfect when he was stressed and I was not a perfect wife if I allowed him to be stressed.

I turned off the stove and set the pan off the heat. The chicken would have to cool before I could seal it and put it in the fridge.  I then poured a glass of ice water and stopped at the medicine cabinet in the hall. I was not drugging my husband, I just wanted to help him sleep. I crushed the small sleeping pill into a powder and stirred it into the water. I'm glad I went with the flavorless ones when I picked these up at the store.