Unholy Matrimony

Chapter Five: Coffee

The table was set beautifully, our nice plates and silverware were out, the tablecloth was my favorite, and there were a few candles to set the mood.

The lighting was dimmed and the flickering of the flames gave a nice touch, and I couldn't help thinking that this looked exactly like a romantic dinner date.

Tobias entered, not seeming fazed by the suggestive mood and started eating right away, not even waiting for me to sit down.

I sat down opposite him and filled my own plate, making sure to seem as nonchalant as possible. I hoped he didn't think this was my idea.

When we were both finished with our food, Tobias stood up to leave, but hesitated at the door.

"Do you want dessert?" he asked.

Duh. "Um... yeah I was going to get some."

"I'll eat with you."

"No way!" I exclaimed.

He frowned at me. "Alright, calm down. I'll leave." He rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Wait, no. I didn't mean no to you eating with me. I'm just surprised that you were going to eat dessert."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you were one of those super healthy people that didn't eat carbs."

"And what gave you that impression?"

"At that dinner party you didn't eat your cake even though it was so, so delicious." I almost drooled just thinking about it.

He stared at me, trying to remember what I was talking about. "Oh. That. That was only because it was chocolate cake."

"What's wrong with chocolate cake?"

"I don't like chocolate."

I stared at him as if he just grew another nose on his forehead. "You don't like chocolate? Are you kidding me? Wow, I'm married to a lunatic."

"Maybe I'm the one married to a lunatic because you do like chocolate."

"Chocolate is one of the primary food groups. You can't not like chocolate."

"Well, I don't," he snapped.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Unbelievable."

The chef brought out a strawberry shortcake and served Tobias and me. "Have you ever tried chocolate?" I asked, still not able to comprehend that someone didn't like it.

"Obviously. How else would I know I didn't like it?"

I just shook my head again.

We finished our cakes in silence, and when Tobias was done he got up and left, going back to ignoring me.

At least we had had a verbal interaction today, which was odd. I had almost gotten used to being invisible.

I went up and finished packing my bags. I stopped when I got to the swimwear. The last swimsuit I had purchased was post-Jason, when I was extremely malnourished and skinny in an unhealthy way. None of them would ever fit me now.

I sighed when I realized I would have to go shopping tomorrow. Contrary to popular opinion, I hated shopping. It took too much time and too much effort.

I decided to go to sleep early today to start my shopping trip early and get it over with, so by 8 pm, I was sound asleep.

*

The next morning, I slipped into some black jeans and a plain white t-shirt, heading out before anyone was awake.

I grabbed one of the keys to one of Tobias's many cars, and I smiled when it turned out to be a matte black Mercedes convertible. Now we were talking.

My dark hair whipped around in the wind on the way to the shopping mall. I had always loved that feeling; I associated it with freedom and happiness.

I shopped around the stores that carry swimwear, finding quite a few that I liked, and I bought them all, thinking, why not?

As I was standing in line to buy myself a cup of coffee, I thought about how long it had been since I went out, just for the sake of it. If it wasn't for the publicity thing, I would have stopped attending anything or leaving the house in general. It had just become a habit after Jason died. I couldn't stand seeing all the happy, healthy couples without wanting to bawl.

He was the love of my life. I can say that with 100% certainty. We had been best friends since our early childhood, and even back then, everyone just knew that we would end up together, that we would be extremely happy, that we would have a perfect relationship.

There was nothing worse than an unexpected death. At least when someone is dying you get to say goodbye. You get to compose yourself, to ready yourself, to find closure. But when it happens out of the blue, you're left with loose ends and things that you could have said, that you should have said, that you wanted to say but will never get the chance to. We had so many plans, so many goals and dreams we thought we would achieve, but in one moment, it was all gone.

"Ma'am? Ma'am, what would you like to order?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and ordered my coffee. I took out my wallet to pay, but someone slapped a bill onto the counter before I could.

I looked back to see who it was, and was surprised to see that it was Tobias.

"Where did you come from?" I exclaimed, shocked at the sight of him there behind me in such a casual setting.

"I was meeting someone for coffee."

"So you decided to get more coffee?"

"Yes."

I didn't question him further, although something seemed a little fishy. Who was he meeting?

Outside the coffee shop, throngs of people were huddled around someone, screaming fans and paparazzi. I strained my neck to see who it was.

"Who is that? I love meeting celebrities."

"It doesn't matter," Tobias said. "Let's go."

"Julia! Julia, over here."

Julia? As in Julia Steinway?

I looked at Tobias who had a poker face. "Let's just go, Jul- Talia."

Did he almost just call me Julia?

I rolled my eyes and walked away quickly, but he kept up with me easily.

"Did you drive here?" he asked me.

"Yes."

He nodded, reaching to take my many shopping bags from me, a gentlemanly gesture I was not expecting.

"No!" I exclaimed, pulling the bags out of his reach, my cheeks flaming red. I had purchased some lingerie too, nothing I wanted him to see.

"That's what I get when I try to be polite."

"I think the first step of being polite comes when you don't mix up your girlfriend's name with your wife's name."

He pretended not to hear that and kept walking towards his own car.

I turned to go back to the car I came in.

"Where do you think you're going?" his voice stopped me.

"To my car?"

"We can't leave the same place in two different cars. What if someone sees us?"

"Well we came here in two different cars. What's the difference?"

"Stop making my life difficult. Get into my car."

"Well, I can't just leave this car here."

"I'll get Jim to pick it up."

"Who's Jim? And how is he going to get here and then drive a different car home? Wouldn't that just create a cycle of cars being left behind?"

Tobias got into the car and ignored me, waiting silently for me to get in.

I sighed and got in. That's fine, he could deal with picking the car up. And now I didn't even need to drive home. I could take a nice little nap.