Just The Right Black

Chapter 45

Jace and Ariana fell into a new routine. She'd end up waking up at night and sleeping on the floor and she'd wake up in bed the next morning. For the first few days he lifted her onto the bed, she'd wake up but then go back to sleep when she saw it was him. But then after a while, she stopped waking up when he lifted her onto her bed. It was like her subconscious already knew it was him.

Ariana stepped out of the bathroom after doing her morning rituals and heard her phone beep. She walked to the bedside table and picked it up to see she had a message from Jace. A smile made its way to her face unknowingly as she opened it.

Hey Wife,

I hope you aren't missing me too much. I left the password to my Netflix account on the table in the T.V. room since you told me you weren't going to the gym today. I know you aren't the T.V. type but you might be surprised at what you might find.
Have breakfast first! Bridget will be there in the afternoon to pick you up, so be ready.

Hmm, xoxo.
Your husband.

Ariana scoffed a laugh after she read it. She figured he'd be expecting a reply so she dropped her phone on the bed and went to the walk-in closet and put on something casual so she wouldn't have to change again when Bridget arrived.

She grabbed her phone on her way out of the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen. As she took the last step down the stair, she headed into the kitchen thinking of what she was going to have for breakfast, she finally decided on some Rice Krispies. She took out the Rice Krispies from the upper shelf and as she went to the fridge to get some milk, she stopped short when she saw the sticky note on the handle. She picked it up and read.

No cereal today, Green.
I made pancakes. Just push the start button on the microwave to heat it up.
Enjoy.

He drew a face with one eye closed and she figured it was a wink that made her smile again. She returned the Rice Krispies and pushed the start button on the microwave. It was a minute before she took out the plate of pancakes and after pouring a reasonable amount of maple syrup over it, she dug in, a sigh of contentment left her after the first bite.

She took out her phone from her pocket and sent a quick text to him.

Thanks for the pancakes.

Oh, and what does xoxo mean?
Your 'bodyguard'.

She was about to take another bite when her phone beeped.

You're welcome, Green.
The X's are for kisses and the O's are for hugs.
Your husband.

P.S: You are my bodyguard turned Wife. Deal with it.

Ariana sent another reply with a smile on her face.

You should stick with only O's then.
Feilman.

P.S: There's nothing to deal with. The marriage was just officiated, there's no marriage license.

Another message came in.

Why only O's? Scared of X's?
Black.

P.S1: I was going to tell you later but your mum had Nurse Betty apply for a marriage license and it arrived this morning.

P.S2: You're now a Black. No longer a Feilman.

Ariana's heart skipped a beat as she read the second P.S. She didn't want that. She didn't want to lose her father's name - the family title. She placed her phone on the marble island and got back to finishing the pancakes that she was no longer interested in.

Her phone beeped when she was almost done with the pancakes. She reached for her phone and opened the message.

Everything alright, Green? I'd hate if you got mad at something I sent. So out with it.
Black.

She began typing.

All good. Just trying to savour the delicious pancakes you made. They're really good.
Feilm...

She deleted her surname and instead wrote her first name then sent the message. She finished the pancakes and stepped around the island to wash her plate. She heard another message come in and so she wiped her hands after she finished washing the plate and picked up her phone.

If you say so. Glad you enjoyed them.
Now I'm going to get back to work because you're doing an amazing job at distracting me without even being here.
Jace.

Ariana smiled but didn't send him another message even though she wanted to. She went to the T.V. room and as he said, the password was written on a sticky note which was stuck to the remote on the centre table.

She turned the T.V. on and scrolled to the Netflix icon, she entered the password and was directed to the Netflix home page. She searched for a good movie and ended up with some Marvel movie that seemed interesting.

Ariana didn't know when she dozed off halfway into the movie. She woke up later to the bell ringing, she got up and went to open it knowing it was Bridget. When she opened the door, Bridget stood there on the other side, smiling at her.

"Ready?"

"Let me just put on my shoes. Come on in."

Ariana went to the room and put on a pair of converse. She freshened up and bit and then grabbed a jacket to wear over her tank top, some money in her pocket and she was good to go. She went to the t.v. room to get her phone before she joined Bridget downstairs.

"Let's go."

Just as they both stepped out of the house, Ariana set the security alarm before they shut the door behind them and left with Marvis.

"I'm so excited," Bridget said unable to contain her excitement.

"You more than me," Ariana smiled, "Where to?"

"First..."

"First?" Ariana turned to her, "I thought I just needed something appropriate to wear."

She glanced at her with a smile.
"This is the first party the company has had since Jace started running things. Do you know how the media are buzzing about it? It's going to be the biggest party of the season. I don't know how Charlotte managed to pull off planning it in a week."

"So, what does this all mean?"

"It means hundreds of very important people are going to be there and you have to look your best. Afterall, you're his Wife."

Ariana sighed at that piece of information she now had to digest. She didn't sign up for any of it and now she had to look 'presentable' for the sake of the hundreds of people that are going to be in attendance. She knew at that moment as she thought about it that the party was going to be the perfect way for those scumbags to get Jace. She had to be there.

"Well then, let's do this."

Bridget grinned at her.