Inside a Tear

6....

"Hey sweetie, wake up." I heard Charlie say and I groaned, pulling the blanket above my head.

"Now Juls. Don't make me pour water on you." He said and I immediately sat up.

"You're a meanie!" I said in a baby voice. But I knew that he wasn't joking, he had already done it once.

I looked over at the alarm clock and gasped. "It's six am Charlie. Why such cruelty?!"

He just laughed giving me a kiss on the forehead. He was fully dressed in dress pants and a button up shirt. The first buttons were undone, He looked yummy.

"You look hot, come get back in bed and warm me up?" I said playfully and he smiled.

"I'm blessed with a girl that can keep up with my stamina." He said laughing. "But unfortunately we can't right now. You've got to get ready, we're having guests for breakfast at eight."

"Who?"

"Just someone I'm wanting to woo business wise and his wife." He said pulling the sheets completely off me. "Now go shower. I've picked out a dress for you to wear, use matching lip colour."

I looked at were he pointed to see the red dress that Clarisse had bought.

"Why are you picking out what are I should wear? You don't trust my fashion sense?" I asked. I didn't want this to become a habit. He was my husband not my boss.

"I just like the dress. And I think you should wear it, today. Its appropriate." He answered sounding irritated.

"I could look appropriate in pants. Its kind of chilly and I don't feel like wearing a dre..."

"Just wear the damn dress Julia! I'm not asking." He said angrily taking me by surprise. "You've got an hour. Don't forget the lipstick."

He left the room without another word and I stood there staring at the door in utter shock.

What was the meaning of this? Was Charles bipolar? One minute he's kind and loving and the next he's a controlling prick?

I was going to let this one go for now, but right after the 'oh so important' breakfast we were going to have a nice long chat about it.

I don't like being bossed around.

******
I went downstairs at seven thirty am. I had decided to wash my hair so I took a little longer in the shower.

I had also decided to not wear the red lipstick. I felt that it was a little too dramatic for a simple breakfast. The dress was beautiful though, Felicity was spot on with her fashion advice. It hugged curves that I didn't even know I had.

I found Charles sitting at the dining room table which was filled with food, focused on his phone.

He looked up as I approached him. "What took you so long?"

"I washed my hair." I responded sitting down.

"Mmm I see. Be punctual next time. And what about the lipstick?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes with made him frown. "Charlie its so early in the morning. Why would I wear lipstick to have breakfast in my own house? What's your obsession with it anyway?"

"When I tell you to do something I expect you to do it, no qu...."

He was interrupted by the door bell.

"I'll get it." I said making a move to stand up.

"No you won't." He held my arm firmly. "We have a butler for that, you do not, ever, answer the door."

Before I could answer him, we heard footsteps and two people entered the dining room. A very tall man that looked to be in his mid forties and a lady who I was guessing was his wife. She had on a white dress that was just too much in my opinion and bright red lipstick.

Ohhh Charles. Is that what you wanted me to look like?

Charles immediately stood up and put on a bright smile. It was such a drastic change from the frown he had on a couple of seconds ago that I was almost stunned into immobility. But I soon followed suit, sporting a smile of my own.

"Mr and Mrs Murphy, welcome to our home." He said shaking both their hands. "This is my wife, Julia."

"Its a pleasure to meet you." I said shaking their hand. The man looked me up and down like I was a piece of meat and I quickly let go of his hand.

We all sat down and started eating. Charles creating small talk. Being the charmer that he was, they were both eating out of his hands in no time.

"You have such a lovely home." Mr Murphy commented looking at me.

"Thank you Mr Murphy." I answered shyly.

"Oh please, its Bill. Did you help in the interior Deco?" He asked giving me a flirtly smile. I stopped the urged to roll my eyes.

"I added a few of my own touches here and there."

"I think its a bit rustic." Mrs Murphy said with a disapproving look.

What's rustic is that twenty century old boob job.

"Everyone has different tastes. This is home for me and its perfect." Charles said taking my hands in his. I smiled.

This was the Charles I knew. Always sticking up for me, always my hero. One of the many reasons I loved him.

"I agree. Its beautiful." Bill said looking at me and licking his lips.

I squirmed and looked at Charles who seemed to have seen it too. There was such anger in his eyes but he hid it well.... But I knew him well.

"Mr Murphy the deal is off. I am no longer interested in working with you." He suddenly said taking the couple by surprise.

"What! Why? We were having such a pleasant time." The wife said looking so distraught it made me smile.

"Maybe if you kept your husband on a leash, it would have been pleasant." Charles retorted.

"Now there is no need to be disrespectful boy!" Bill said angrily standing up.

"You are disrespectful and I most certainly won't be referred to as 'boy' by you. Now get out of my house before I call security."

They both stood up and left muttering all the way out the door.

"Wow. That went well." I said turning to Charles who was fuming.

"No thanks to you." He answered angrily standing up and walking to the living room.

What?

"What do you mean?" I asked following him.

He walked towards the mini bar and he poured himself a glass of whisky. "You think I didn't notice? Your little seductive games? Using that little red dress of yours to your full advantage."

"Are you out of your mind! I didn't seduce anyone! You chose this damn dress for me! And isn't it a little early to be drinking?!" I shouted.

He threw the glass against the wall startling me and walked towards me, grabbing my mouth so hard in his hand that it hurt.

"You will not raise your voice to me, ever. Do you understand me. Have I ever raised my voice with you, have I?" He asked in a low voice.

I shook my head to indicate no. This was scary. He was scaring me.

"Good. I expect the same favour. Now, you're going to change out of this slutty red dress and burn it. I don't ever want to see it again, understood?"

"Charlie you're scaring me."

"Understood?" He asked again ignoring me. I nodded.

"Good." He said letting go of my mouth. "Off you go now"

I stepped back and started walking towards the stairs. He had lost his mind.

He had completely lost his goddamn mind!