Middle Class Love #Wattys2015

Reconciliation: The Hard Way

One week passed. It hurt to not talk to Nikki. I wanted to tell her about the Pulitzer nomination and ask her how the final meeting with her client went. There was always sadness behind the coldness in her eyes. She was proving her point. I was slowly realizing how I was taking her for granted.

At one point of time, she compiled all those numbers into a virtual photo frame and made it the desktop wallpaper. Everyday, I would open the door to our bedroom and watch her sleep on a rug she had spread out on the floor. Why sleep on 'our' bed when 'we' didn't exist?

But it had to come to an end. I would make the first move.

When she came home, I followed her to the bedroom and stopped the door from closing. "What do you want?" she asked with exaggerated patience. "Rephrase that question to 'whom do you want?' and you'll get an answer.". She closed her eyes for a while and looked at me with an expression of fierceness "You're not going to get me that easily". I led her to the hall and forced her to sit. She never relented. She remained, her arms crossed over her chest in determination.

"Nikki, I am sorry" I said

"Apology not accepted"

"I should have taken you seriously but I didn't"

"So what now, apologize and make-out?"

I went down on my knees. This time she smiled "Marry You AGAIN?"

I was relieved.

She pulled me up, grasping the neckline of my shirt.

"Mr Alexander, tell me which M&B novel you were reading. So you though you could kneel down and propose a second time? You poor fool!"

"What will make you happy now?" I asked her.

I will never forget the next ten seconds.

Ten slaps landed across both my cheeks. A shower of expletives accompanied each of them.

At the end of the slapping spree , I rubbed my reddening cheeks in pain. She stood on her toes and pushed my hands of my cheeks. I frowned. I thought she's kiss me but she didn't. "Did that hurt?" she asked innocently.