He brushes my hair back with a small smile and says, “Anything but a drinker. I have to keep a close eye on you in case you get drunk and someone else uses you.”
I think that Sam’s body is inhabited by another soul. He looks like someone else. Our roles change in our relationship. He is the one who clings more.
He picks me up after work instead of going to parties with his friends. He says he wants to eat dinner with me at home.
I tell him that I don’t have time or energy to make dinner for him because I’m studying for an exam.
He says he will do it. And he really does it.
He goes grocery shopping every day after work and then gets to work in the kitchen.
Since Sam has never stepped foot in the kitchen for me, I am sure he can’t cook.
It really surprises me that he can cook and do it well.
I know he could cook, but he didn’t cook for me.
I still remember that Eleanor put up a picture of him making congee.
Now, Sam wants to show me everything he can cook. Every day, there are different dishes.
He wouldn’t let me wash the dishes and plates after dinner, but he told me to study.
I can’t stop thinking about how thoughtful Sam is.
I don’t feel relaxed; I just feel more stressed because he would always knock on my door while I was studying and ask if I wanted water or fruit.
He is bothering me, and I’m very angry.
So I come up with an idea. I told him a lie that I have to work late these days and won’t get off work until 8 p.m.
The truth is that I study at work after work.
I can study and feel calm without him bothering me.
Today, since I’m not working, I take my things out of my bag and start studying at my desk like I always do.
The whole building goes dark half an hour later.
I ask the security guard, and he doesn’t know why either, but someone is checking the circuits right now.
I grab my things and head to the cafe across the street.
I order a latte and sit there for two hours to study.
After that, I ran back to my office.
I told Sam he didn’t have to come get me, but he insisted on coming every day at 8 p.m.
I can see his car coming when I walk to the front of the building.
Lately, he has been very talkative and bringing up all sorts of things.
He wants to know how my work is going, how my studies are going, and how well I get along with my coworkers.
He would keep being excited even if I rarely answered him.
But tonight, he isn’t saying anything. But I take advantage of his silence to get some sleep. I take off my shoes when I walk into the flat, and he finally speaks up.
“You didn’t have to work extra hours these days, did you?”
I stop for a moment and then say, “You’re right.”
“Every day, I drive to your company and wait for you in front of the building. I usually arrive at 6:30 pm and wait for an hour and a half. But when I got there today, the building went dark, and I saw you run to the cafe across the street so quickly that I couldn’t stop you. I followed you, and you studied there until eight o’clock.”
“Did you see me then? Why didn’t you call me?” I’m a little embarrassed. “So you’ve been studying at your office all these days, right? Why didn’t you study at home? Lillian, we’re not married yet, and you’re tired of our home? You’d rather stay in your office than come back to see me, right? What did I do wrong? You tell me, and I’ll fix it.”
I said, “Well, I do think we need to talk about our relationship.” “Lillian, I have a business trip in the neighbouring city,” Sam interrupts me. “I have to get up early tomorrow morning.” “Let’s talk about this when I get back.”
I don’t know if I’m wrong. I can see that he’s scared.
I sigh and say, “Okay.” Are you ready to go?”
