The first time they drove to their house, Cherry was fast asleep, but this time she focused painstakingly on her environment, counting how many houses they drove past. How many drivers they would meet on the road- heck, she was even willing to count the birds in the sky. But she counted nothing. Zero, nil!
Why would I decide to live in a no-man's place? Even if it was to protect the unborn child, it didn't make any sense to live this far away from her friends and family.
"Cherry." At her name being called, she turned her head away from the window only to feel her left cheek being poked by Brandon's index finger. "Boop." He said with a sly grin. "What is worrying your pretty head?"
They were now in the driveway of their house. The sun hidden behind clusters of clouds plunged their small abode in darkness, making Cherry shiver in her place at the ominous feeling. As if in an attempt to hide away, she buried her body further back in the soft cushion of her seat as she caressed her arms with her hands. "Do we have any neighbours?"
She watched as Brandon turned his head around, scanning the environment before moving his attention back to her, tilting his head to the side. His action asking her why she asked an obvious question.
"We are all alone in this forest, right?- I mean, are we still even in America?" She pivoted around, still confused by how there was such a lush forest located outside the city.
"Yes." Brandon answered simply.
"Did you say yes to the first or second question?"
"Both."
"So, we are really alone?" Cherry pressed.
"Yes." Brandon nodded his head enthusiastically, a curl forming at the corner of his lips like a child proud of his achievements, but upon seeing Cherry's appalled look his own went flaccid. "Why?" What did I say wrong? He wondered to himself, desperately trying to comprehend what he did wrong.
"Brandon." Cherry's voice floated through the small confined space of the car, reaching for him with a tender, soothing whisper. Her index finger and thumb pinching the cuff on his sleeves, imprisoning his will to her unknowingly. Brandon knew everything about Cherry, from her biggest secrets to her quirkiest habits. His shrewd wife would always do this whenever she wanted something. He didn't know if he should be happy that this habit remained after the accident, especially when the slight tremors from her hands got transmitted to him, foreshadowing an unpleasant request.
She bit her lower lip, hesitating before gingerly conveying her concerns. "Can we move back to the city?"
"What?" Her question made the root-like veins in his neck pop. His own body spasm from rage, and Cherry moved her eyes from the sheer material between her fingers that shook violently to her husband's eyes. She felt concerned at the sight of the storm brewing behind them.
"Bra-"
"Who was it?" Brandon's voice scratched with murderous intent as his face loomed closer to hers. The knuckles on one of his hands that still held the steering wheel turned pale as he clenched his hands. An avalanche of questions reigned his mind.
Why is she asking this? Did I do something wrong? Is she unsatisfied with something in the house? No. He mentally shook his head as the muscles in his jaw clenched. She started to act off after that dubious counseling session. Is she now doubting me because of what that woman told her?
"Which dirty mouth dared to blare nonsense to you?" Cherry flinched at the snarl edging his voice while involuntarily leaning away from him as he got closer.
"Brandon wai-"
His boisterous voice cut over her small, feeble one again. "Why aren't you saying anything? Was it that bi-?"
"Listen to me!"
Cherry used both her hands to clasp Brandon's cheeks firmly, stilling him in his prowl. Whether it was the alarming look in her eyes or the chilling touch of her ashen fingers on his cheeks, Brandon could feel his anger dissipating.
"How can I say something if you keep talking over me? Nobody told me anything at the hospital. You would know. You were right next to me," Cherry pointed out.
True. Brandon realizes how irrational his behaviour must seem now, but he wasn't able to listen in on Cherry's session after that moronic doctor bothered him. So he can't help but feel precarious about the whole situation until he knows what that counselor told Cherry.
"Then why?" He asked in a sullen tone, his words dripping with discontent.
"It's because I'm worried." Cherry explained. "What if we get robbed or attacked and there's no one to help us? I doubt that even the police can find us in this maze-like forest."
Silence reigned between them. When Brandon still didn't say anything Cherry wondered if she said anything wrong until she could feel her husband quake under her touch and his laugh permeating the stifling air. It happened without warning, but Cherry welcomed it with both arms.
With a quirked brow, Cherry gave him a pointed look, but observed with a soft smile the crinkles at the corner of her husband's eyes. "Are you laughing at me?" she grumped as she jutted out her lips petulantly.
"There are different reasons why people laugh at each other, but I'll only laugh at you because of love and adoration and right now you're threateningly-adorable." He chuckles with squinted eyes. Feeling the stitches in his sides and the burning stare from his wife, silently asking him if he was ever going to stop laughing. Taking a long breath, he released his agitation as he placed his hands over hers, swallowing them in this comforting warmth and pulling them down on his lap.
"Nobody will ever find this place, my love, and I'll have to die first before anyone can harm even a strand on your head." That sentence alone should have evoked many alarm bells in Cherry's mind, but his cool demeanor effortlessly silenced them, leaving Cherry enraptured as she stared at him. If anything, her heart went wild and pounded against her ribs, desperate to break free so that it could be closer to the man in front of her.
"Will you go on a date with me?" Those words blurred past her lips before she was able to break free from her trance.
"What?" The hold around her hands fumbled together with Brandon's taut stance as his half-hooded eyes blinked rapidly. "Can you repeat that?" Red dusted across Cherry's cheeks and she immediately wanted to fling herself out of the car.
Would it be too much to ask to not embarrass me for once mouth? She chastises herself. It was never her plan to ask him out this way, but the man was too compelling for her own good!
Not a sound escaped the frantic gorgeous woman in front of him, causing Brandon to grip his hands tighter. He leaned closer to Cherry, their breaths intertwining in a delicate dance. "Please?" He pressed, not withholding the excitement goading his voice.
She witnessed how the browns in his eyes exploded and faded to the green of springs. She couldn't help but resign to it.
"Will you go… on a… date with me?" She whispered meekly, feeling her face heating up. She scrunched her shoulders as she shut her eyes, hoping to conceal her face from Brandon. "Doctor Giles, told me to ask you out as an assignment so that we can get to know each other better and I agree with her somewhat. You know everything about me, but I barely know anything about you. I know that it must come over as strange that a married couple should go on a date- wait, no- isn't it normal to go on dates even after marriage?" Cherry rambled to no end.
"Also-"
SLAM
Slam? Cherry's incoherent talk came to a halt at the loud noise reverberating through the small space. Her eyes that were closed flew open in startlement as they scanned the empty surroundings, before landing on the empty seat where her husband should have been.
"Kya!" Cherry opened her eyes widely at he sound of her own scream. Did I said 'kya'? I said 'kya'. Please kill me.
Before she could even utter Brandon's name, she felt two arms wrap themselves around her waist, nabbing her from the car. Her tresses whipped through the air as Brandon twirled her around. There was a bounce in his spin, causing Cherry to jostle around. Her hands wounded on his shoulders, clenching for dear life as Brandon's grin grew wider and wider.
After a few more spins and screeches from Cherry, Brandon finally lowered her down on his arms, his grip tight and unwilling to release her. "It would be my honor to take you out on a date, princess."
Cherry's brown locks cascaded down, brushing against Brandon's face, as he looked at her with pure delight. She felt dizzy from all the turning and embarrassment from having screamed out 'kya', but all of those got overruled by her own share of glee.
"It's a date." She grinned.
"Yeah damn it is." His throat rumbled in contentment before placing a firm kiss on her cheek, squeezing until no breeze could pass through them, eliciting a flurry of giggles from Cherry.
"Hahaha! Okay, okay! Please put me down now."
Brandon ceased his long-winded kiss and gave Cherry a thoughtful look. "No." He retorted defiantly and then decided to march to their house with her still cradled in his arms.
"Is this how it feels like to fight against air?"
"More like fighting against fate," Brandon chortles. "Just give up and let me spoil you, princess."