𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍

𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒅𝒆 2: "𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒌 𝒂𝒎𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒆"

୨୧
France, Paris
Carter home
B.G.C.
──── ୨୧ ────

The first week of school had barely come to a close, and I already felt the exhaustion settling deep into my bones. Teaching the senior year, or the "matrics" as we called them here, was always a rollercoaster. There’s this pressure in the air, thick and palpable, with tests, essays, and exams bearing down on both the students and the teachers. I’d spent the whole week creating tests, grading assignments, and prepping them for the intense academic year ahead.

And then there was Blue. My daughter, my pride and joy, was in her matric year too, and I could see the weight of it on her. Every evening after school, I made her sit at the dining table and go through her study schedule. No shortcuts, no distractions. Not this year. She had too much potential, and I refused to let her waste it. The matric ball was coming up at the end of the year, and she was already talking about dresses, dates, and all the excitement that came with it. But I needed her to focus.

But now? It was Friday night. The long week was behind me, and for the first time in days, I could finally breathe. This was my time. The house was quiet. The tests could wait until Monday. I had a glass of red wine in hand, my favorite blanket draped over my lap, and How to Get Away with Murder queued up on the TV. It was my little escape, my guilty pleasure. There was something about watching Annalise Keating tear apart a courtroom that helped me unwind.

I sipped my wine, savoring the richness of it. It was velvety smooth, the kind of red that warmed you from the inside out. The living room was dimly lit, just the glow from the TV casting shadows on the walls. I sank deeper into the couch, letting the tension of the week melt away.

Just as the show was getting good, I heard the bedroom door open. Shawn, my husband, emerged from the shower, a towel slung low around his waist. His skin glistened with moisture, droplets of water still clinging to his chest. He moved with an easy grace, the years together only making him more attractive to me in ways that felt both familiar and comforting.

“Babe,” he said, running a hand over his head as he walked over to the closet, pulling out some boxers and a t-shirt.

I smiled softly, not taking my eyes off the TV. “Hey.”

He started getting dressed, pulling on his clothes with casual ease, and I couldn’t help but admire how time had only made him more… him. Strong, confident, with that easy charm that had hooked me in all those years ago. He glanced over at me as he tugged on his t-shirt, his eyes warm and playful.

“Blue’s already talking about the matric ball,” he said, rubbing lotion into his arms. “She’s been asking me if I’ll let her borrow the car for the night. I told her we’d think about it.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “She’s not getting the car. Not with those wild friends of hers. I’ll be lucky if she comes home in one piece.”

Shawn laughed, walking over and sitting down next to me on the couch. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But she’s excited. You remember your matric ball?”

I smiled, thinking back to that night. The anticipation, the nerves, the way the world felt so big and wide open. “Of course. But it’s different now. They’re so grown up, and we… we’re just watching it all happen.”

He leaned back, his body pressed against mine, his hand resting casually on my thigh. I shifted slightly, trying to focus on the show. But then I felt his lips press softly against my neck, his breath warm and familiar.