EVERGLOW

XX. Where memory lane takes her 2

Home, Honeymoon *and a smirk hand-drawn by Dylan*

She tensed as she heard the front door click shut and buried herself deeper under the comforter. He was back from dinner and basketball with his friends.

"Baobei! I'm home."

She could tell the exact moment he found her curled up on the black leather couch. The lights were off but the light on the porch illuminated just enough for his shadow to fall over her. His bare feet made a squeak on the white porcelain floor.

"Hey, are you sick?" She felt his warm hand on her cheek and fought the urge to slap it away.

"No." She knew he wouldn't believe it when she croaked like that.

"Here, I'll take you to bed."

"Don't." She kept her eyes closed and wished he'd leave her alone.

He sank on the floor and she felt his arms around her. He smelled of sweat and sun, and awful husband.

"You're tired. Did you start unpacking? I said wait for me, Yue," he chided, rubbing her back slowly.

"We're going back to Beijing tomorrow. I'll get nothing done if I wait for you."

He must have recognized the bite in her voice and realized that she was throwing one of her rare but gigantic tantrums. He would need much more than the usual sweet talk to coax her out of these things. He dropped a kiss on her temple and laughed when she tried to shake him off.

He must have gone to shower and change. She hoped he'd take a while. Enough for her to fall asleep because she did not want to talk about it. The few times that she didn't want to talk were also the times when he felt especially chatty.

She had almost drifted off to sleep when his dismayed voice boomed through the quiet house.

"Aiyo! Yue!"

He saw she'd found them then.

Of course, it wouldn't take a genius when she'd left them scattered on the floor by the closet.

She glared at him over the sheets as he came striding back into the living room to stand over her. His hair was still dripping from his shower, the water dampening his white shirt. His legs were still damp below his shorts. He was going to get sick this way.

He held the wooden box gingerly as if it burned him.

"These are nothing," he said solemnly, meeting her eyes.

"Obviously, not true. They're in a box tucked in a corner in the wardrobe. And you brought them with you after you got married."

She had practiced that argument in her head while waiting for him, in case she needed it. And now she was sorely disappointed at the lack of venom in her delivery. And annoyed at the quiver she felt on her lips. And the tears that started to roll down her cheeks again.

Damn. Her first day back from her honeymoon and she would show up for work with puffy eyes.

"I forgot about these! Mama must have found them buried somewhere back home and just sent it along with the rest of my stuff. Yue, I swear!"

Lame! She scoffed disbelievingly. And rolled her eyes for good measure.

"Okay, look. I'm making sure we'll never see these again. Damn these stupid letters anyway." He stalked off. Minutes later the scent of burning paper filled the house.