The M Word by Beverly Farr Read Free Book Online Page B

he brought his pans into
the kitchen. “Where would you like me to put these?” he asked.
    “Wherever,” she said. “With the remodeling,
any system of organization I had is long gone now.”
    He noticed that there were several packages
on the table.
    “Wedding presents,” she explained. “I’m
trying to get a head start on the thank you notes.”
    “What have we received so far?”
    “Towels. A clock.” She motioned to the last
package, a padded yellow envelope. “You can open that one, if you’d
like.”
    He sat across from her and ripped open one
end. “It is not wrapped,” he said, pulling out a wisp of black
lingerie. He held up a pair of thong underwear. “For you,” he said,
handing her the item.
    “Probably,” Brenda agreed wryly, taking the
package from him. “I don’t think it would fit you.”
    Marius flashed a brief smile.
    She pulled out a matching cropped camisole
top. “It’s probably from Andrea,” she said, checking the return
address - blank. “Oh, here’s a card.” She reached into the padded
envelope. “Now, watch it be from my Grandma Vicky,” she joked, then
felt her face freeze as she recognized the handwriting on the
card.
    Thinking of you.
    Brenda dropped the card as if it burned her
fingers, then hastily wadded up the panties, the top, and the
packaging. Without a word, she carried the items out to the garage
and dumped them in her trash can.
    She came back to the kitchen, washed her
hands and sat back down at the table.
    “From Steven?” Marius asked gently.
    “I don’t want to talk about it,” she snapped.
She had thank you notes to write, and she was not going to let
Steven distract her.
    Marius watched her for a few minutes, in
silence, then left the room.
    Brenda was glad he didn’t pry. For the next
hour, she heard him unpacking his belongings and getting settled.
She wrote her thank you notes, paid bills and straightened up the
kitchen. Marius came into the kitchen just as she was at the sink.
“Good night,” he said pleasantly.
    “Good night,” she said automatically, not
even looking at him. She had poured herself a big glass of water
and was searching searched through the cupboards for a medicine
bottle. She shook four capsules into her palm and was about to put
them in her mouth, when she saw him watching her. “Acetaminophen --
do you mind? I have a raging headache.”
    “That's not the solution,” he said gently. “I
can give you a neck and head massage. It's very good for relieving
stress.”
    If she thought it would do any good, she
might have been tempted. But she didn't want anyone touching her.
Not now and not for a long time to come. Brenda swallowed the
capsules. “Keep your hands and your good advice to yourself,” she
said fiercely, and walked past him, down to her bedroom. She shut
and locked the door.

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Brenda woke to Marius singing scales. She rolled over and looked at
her alarm clock. Five-twenty. She had ten minutes to lie in bed and
enjoy the serenade.
    As she listened to him sing a capella ,
she thought, he really is good . Then his voice cracked on
one of the higher notes.
    No one's perfect. He was silent for a moment.
When he started again, he was back at the beginning of the
scale.
    She considered lying in bed a few minutes
longer. Then maybe he'd leave before she came into the kitchen. Coward . She needed to apologize for being such a shrew the
night before. They were going to be man and wife, and at the bare
minimum, that required civility.
    She took a shower, then dressed in a black
suit and a royal blue blouse. As she stood in her small bathroom,
applying her make-up, she smiled wryly at her reflection. At least
there was one good thing about her short fuzzy hair -- it was very
easy to take care of. But she’d be glad when it grew out enough so
she wouldn’t need the wig.
    When she came to the kitchen, she saw Marius
at the stove, cooking what smelled like scrambled eggs. He wore
blue plaid pajama