Unhappily Married ✓

03. Moving in

"We both said, 'I do!' and we haven't agreed on a thing since." –So I Married an Axe Murderer

I slam on the breaks and look at Todd's house over the tops of my shades.

It's hard to believe that I'm here again after all that has happened between him and me. This is another twist of fate in my life and I've decided to live with it placidly because I don't want to endure more drama. I have already had enough.

Only one month to bear the pain.

I text Todd and put my phone back in my lap, and wait for him to come out.

While he comes out to help me pick my stuff up, I scroll through a few texts.

"Just useless promotional texts," I mutter.

A few seconds later someone knocks on the window and I turn my head to find Todd leaning forward.

I open the door, getting out of my car.

"Where's your stuff?" he asks.

A simple hello would've sufficed, but people have become too straightforward these days.

Instead of replying, I move past him and open the back door to take out one of the two cardboard boxes.

I turn around and Todd's staring at me, his arms folded across his chest.

"There's one more box," I say, tilting my head in my car's direction.

As soon he takes out the other box, I put my box down to lock the car. When I bend over to pick it up again, it slips through my hand, but somehow I save it from dropping on the ground.

I frown when I notice Todd walking ahead of me. He could've at least waited for me, but no he has to act immature all the freaking time. I have to jog to catch up with him. I don't know if I'm too slow or if he's trying to run away from me; whatever the reason may be, I couldn't care less.

Todd climbs a small set of stairs, but I stay back when my eyes land on the plants in our yard. They have all turned brownish yellow and look dry like a desert.

"Todd, when did you last water the plants?" I ask, gazing at those poor plants.

He raises his brows at me. "What plants?"

I take a deep breath, shaking my head slightly, "Nevermind."

As soon as we step up on the porch, I straighten up my back. Too bad for me, I have the heavier box.

"Todd! Stella!"

Todd and I snap our heads at the same time to locate the source of that squeaky voice.

Could this day get any better?

Mrs. Finney hurriedly opens the iron fence gate and speeds towards us with four of her kids running after her. All her kids are in the age group of five to ten.

I groan inwardly.

"How are you Mrs. Finney?" Todd asks, smiling for the first time I arrived here.

"I'm good, Todd, in fact great! I thought I was hallucinating when I saw Stella, but she's here! I can't tell how much I missed you," she says, her round face glistening in the sun.

Automatically, my eyes scan her body. Last time I was here, she had only a small baby bump, but now it has grown big.

"Thank you," I say.

I can't lie and say I missed you too, so I guess I responded in a better way.

"Looks like you're going to give us good news soon," I say, pressing my lips together.