To the Love of My Life

Upon hearing Mrs. Taylor’s voice, Ruby, in a daze, rose from where she was sitting on the carpet. She glanced at Mrs. Taylor and gave a slight nod, but then shook her head. Her voice a touch gloomy, she admitted, “I don’t know what’s come over him either.”

Mrs. Taylor knitted her brows as she took in Ruby’s appearance. Her clothing was a mess, and there were bite marks of varying depths on her neck and chest, her lips red and swollen with a faint wet shine to them. It took one look to understand what had transpired between the two of them just moments before.

Hesitating a little, Mrs. Taylor queried, “Ms. Gregory, have you offended Mr. Steve, you know, in ‘that’ aspect of things?”

Besides this, Mrs. Taylor couldn’t figure out any other reason. Just a short while ago before she entered the room, the couple were enjoying a movie and laughing joyously.

Ruby blinked once, before understanding that Mrs. Taylor was referring to her intimate moments with Steve. A blush immediately rode up her cheeks and she shook her head hastily, denying Mrs. Taylor’s theory with indignation, “Mrs. Taylor, that’s absurd! I didn’t do anything… ”

Ruby spoke with such conviction that she stopped herself from finishing the sentence with, “…that could have upset him.” She suddenly froze as if she’d just recalled something.

No wonder she’d been feeling as though something had been missing between her and Steve lately, yet she couldn’t figure out why. Only now, with Mrs. Taylor’s suggestion, did she realize that ever since the night when Steve insisted on having his way with her regardless of her not taking her painkillers, he had not touched her in days.

Initially, Steve’s cold and physical discomfort were plausible excuses, but he had been getting better and better every day. Still, he had not touched her. What’s more, there were times when she had fallen asleep in the main bedroom after playing too long, only to awaken later in the night to find him gone. She’d sought him out once and found him working in the study room.

She remembered a time when all she wanted was for him to seize her at any place or time, be it the bedroom, living room, bathroom, outside, or even in the car, whenever the mood struck him.

Recently, Steve had so much free time and he had spent so much of it alone with her. How could he possibly not touch her?

Before, she had desired nothing more than to live peacefully with Steve, for them to show each other respect without needing to engage in any intimate acts. But now that her wish had seemingly come true, she realized she felt somewhat anxious.

Swallowing hard, Ruby turned to look at Mrs. Taylor who was sitting next to her, “Mrs. Taylor, may I ask you a question?”

“Ms. Gregory, ask away.”

Ruby fiddled with her skirt, slightly embarrassed. Despite them being the only people in the room, she edged closer to Mrs. Taylor’s ear and, in a voice that only they could hear, whispered her question, “What does it mean when a man doesn’t touch a woman?”

Mrs. Taylor answered without hesitation, “The only reason would be that the man doesn’t like the woman.”

PS: We’ve gone live today, offering monthly subscriptions! I wonder if any of you have a monthly pass for me I just woke up and I’m feeling bit foggy-headed. Let me update a chapter first, have lunch, and then continue to update at two o’clock. There’ll be 10-12 updates today