A Simply Unlikable Mate

Exhaustion

For a whole week Adriel had flown to different cities spreading the word on the newest danger shifters were facing.

He was exhausted. He longed for home.

Ethel was sending him pictures of Kai everyday so at least he knew everything was okay with them.

Adriel resisted the urge to ask her to send pictures of herself as well.

When he was alone and felt a longing for home, he would take out a few pictures the wedding photographer had sent him.

Every time he looked at them he was filled with wonder over her beauty.

Adriel did something he had not done in a long while, he howled in sadness.

Back at home, Ethel was running herself rugged with all the appointments she was keeping.

Starting a new hospital meant saying yes to every client because they needed positive reviews and shining finances.

She usually came in at 8 and left at 6.

Because she did not want to be away from Kai she had one of the rooms turned into a play room/nursery.

When Ethel was busy June played with Kai.

Ethel had been counting down the days to Adriel's return.

She would subconsciously check the calendar and let out little sighs.

June found her behaviour ridiculously funny.

"Just pick your phone and call him." She told Ethel

"I called him the last time, he should call me first now."

"Is this how the two of you plan to run your marriage because I will be first in line to tell you it doesn't work that way."

Ethel continued to play with Kai acting like she didn't hear what June had just said.

June persisted. " I am serious Ethel, the two of you are responsible for raising that little boy right now. You should be in constant communication. "

Ethel looked at June and raised her hands in a surrendering motion.

"Fine, I hear you. I will call him again when I get home ."

"Make it a video call," June advised."Kai should see what daddy's face."

Ethel avoided having any personal conversation with June for the rest of the day.

She run out of the hospital like her heels were on fire at six p.m.

Ethel struggled with the idea of calling Adriel when she got home.

She would pick up her phone and put it down again.

She would start the call and cut it off before it went through.

After doing this for a while, Ethel decided not to call.

She took her bath, played with Kai and prepared to put him to bed.

While putting him to bed Ethel realised she was not being a good mother. Whatever issues existed between her and Adriel did not extend to Kai.

June was right, Kai should be in constant communication with Adriel.

Taking a deep breath, Ethel picked her phone and initiated a video call.

To her surprise, Adriel picked up almost immediately.

They both stared and said nothing for a little while.

"Hey," Adriel broke the silence. " This is a surprise. "

" Is it a good one or bad one?" Ethel asked

" Definitely good." Adriel smiled

"You look tired." She said

Adriel's face was usually clean shaven but now it wasn't.

There was a look of exhaustion on his face. Like he had not been sleeping well.

"I am tired, but I have finished the business I was doing. "

"Does this mean you are coming home soon?" Ethel asked.

"Sooner that you think. "

"Oh." She said

" Is that a happy Oh?" he asked

" Maybe." She laughed.

" Kai wants to say goodnight, that's why I called. " Ethel placed the phone in front of Kai's face.

"You realise he is already sleeping. "

" I know. You can just look at him."

"Or I can come upstairs and look at him in person. " Adriel said

"What do you mean?" Ethel asked

"Come downstairs " Adriel said.

Ethel tiptoed out of Kai's bedroom, switched off the lights and went down the stairs.

She was shocked and almost screamed. Adriel was standing in the living room.

She had not even heard the door open.

Ethel did something she did not expect herself to ever do.

She run and hugged him.

To say that Adriel was surprised by the hug is an understatement.

He wasn't one to look the gift horse in the mouth so he carried her and squeezed her tight.

In the height of emotion, Adriel leaned back, and kissed her.

Ethel was too excited, it took a small moment for her to realise Adriel was kissing her.

He forced her mouth open and sucked on her tongue. Arms wrapped his neck, Ethel kissed him back.

When they finally pulled apart Ethel was feeling embarrassed.

"We shouldn't have done that." she said.

Adriel chuckled. He was definitely expecting her to say something along those lines.

"You are my wife, he said.

A man should be welcomed home like that by his wife everyday."

"We are not a typical husband and wife." Ethel replied.

" Our contract did not forbid a physical relationship. Whatever happens between us stats between us." Adriel explained while running his thumb over Ethel's lower lip.

Ethel pushed his hand away from her face.

"Are you hungry?" She asked

"I could eat." he said rubbing his right hand over his stomach.

Ethel walked to the kitchen, warmed up the left over food from dinner and served it up to him.

While he ate, she tried to make small talk by asking about he was up to when he away.

Adriel vaguely replied " Just some urgent business. " and changed the topic.

Ethel knew he was avoiding the subject. She chose to ignore it anyway.

"How often will you be going away on trips like this?" She asked.

"I can't say for certain but I always travel for business atleast once every two to three months. "

"How do you like the house?" he asked.

"I am not a fun of the woods." Ethel replied and made a shivering like gesture with her arms.

"The woods are peaceful. " Adriel laughed and said.

"Nope," Ethel said with her pointing finger making the no gesture. "The woods are filled with bugs and dangerous animals. I swear to God I have heard wolves howling every night ."

"Don't you like wolves?" Adriel asked while finishing up his dinner.

"I don't like anything that could kill me." She replied.

Adriel washed his plate and carried his bags upstairs. Ethel followed closely right behind him.

Adriel noticed that the bedroom had been changed in some places. There were additional paintings of flowers on the wall.

The pillows were pink and so were the bedsheets.

A soft fluffy carpet had been laid down on the floor. Scented candles had been placed on a tiny table near the window.

"What have you done to my sanctuary?" Adriel turned to Ethel and asked with a horrified look on his face.

"It's our sanctuary now. I just made it more homey." She shrugged and walked to the bed.

"No, you made it girly." Adriel said the word like spiders were crawling all over his skin.

"You can always move to another room." Ethel replied.

"You would like that, me admitting defeat in some way." he said.

"I am not moving. " he moved to the bathroom door and started to undress.

"Why are you taking off your clothes?" Ethel jumped and shouted.

" So that I can take a bath." he smirked

"Then undress in the bathroom. " Ethel said

"Nope." he replied and took off his shirt.

"Fine, then I will look." She threatened.

Adriel unbuttoned his trousers and said " go right ahead."

All that was left was his underpants. Ethel had seen Adriel's c**k but she had not seen him completely naked.

At the last moment, she turned and looked away.

Adriel laughed and walked into the bathroom.

" He really has no shame." Ethel whispered.

After his bath, Adriel walked straight to the bed and laid next to Ethel.

"You are not wearing any pyjamas." she said

"I sleep naked."

"Not anymore you don't. " She said.

"Put on some bottoms at least. "

Adriel was exhausted. He needed to sleep and arguing with Ethel over his choice of sleeping attire was not helping.

He left the bed and put on long silk pyjama bottoms.

"There." he said. " Now let's sleep."

Ethel was tense. She half expected Adriel to jump on her but no such thing happened.

She thought he would try and kiss her but he didn't.

She waited for him to try and cuddle but he didn't.

She reached over and checked on him. He really was sleeping.

" He must have been so exhausted. " She said in a hushed tone.

It took over an hour for Ethel to sleep that night.