The Misogynist Ch. 09

"Why not you know what it is."

She saw the pain she was causing, but it was going to be her way, "I love you. I do love you. You know I love you. Just don't give me anything today."

He looked at the small box he held in his hand. He looked at her. His eyes were moist, "I."

She took her hands and cupped his face, "Not today." She kissed his eyes kissing his tears away, "A little while longer OK?" She added, "Oh and no present this week."

"OK." He kissed her back, got in his car, and drove away. It looked like another long week ahead.

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It was a kind of hellish week for both of them. Cheryl had to make several phone calls on her and Martin's behalf. Martin had to suffer through another week without that sense of permanence he believed a ring would bring.

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What did Cheryl have to do? First there was still the problem of Turner. She'd received a voice mail from him threatening a lawsuit for injuries he'd sustained. She contacted a lawyer, got a letter sent and that was the end of him. She reflected, once a coward always a coward.

Then there was the other matter of how to handle Martin. For help regarding that matter she called Martin's friend Fred.

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On Thursday she received a distressing call from Martin. He had to travel out of town for the weekend. He wouldn't be able to see her for another week. Cheryl assured him she'd be around when he came back, and she might even consider accepting another gift if the timing was right. Martin was shaken, but there was little he could do. He gave her his love, and assured her a wonderful weekend when he came back.

As it out turned out the big business crisis Martin feared was a mirage. Fred had called him on what turned out to be a fool's errand. By late Saturday evening everything had cleared up. He called Cheryl but got no answer. He decided to go home early Sunday morning, clean up, and find Cheryl in the afternoon. Maybe they could get in a few hours Sunday evening. Twice on the way home he called Cheryl's number but got no answer.

Tired, morose, and physically haggard he turned his car into his driveway. It had been a long tedious and fruitless weekend. Fred had made a serious blunder. Fortunately it was an internal mistake, no damage to their business.

Though bleary eyed up ahead he saw something he didn't expect. Parked on the drive in front of his house was a car. It looked like Cheryl's. In fact as he got closer he realized it was hers. What was she doing here? He sped up. Whisked his car in behind hers, and ran to the front door. It was open. Inside he heard singing. It was Cheryl! He burst through the front door. There she was!

Cheryl looked up from what she was doing, "Good morning lazy bones. I've been waiting for you."

Cheryl was in the kitchen. She was wearing one of his buttoned down shirts, and he caught a glimpse of boxer shorts underneath. He smelled coffee, sausage, bacon, and eggs, "What the?"

She put down the spatula and walked toward him, "We have bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, pancakes, and coffee. Everything a growing boy needs. Have you got anything for me?"

Martin had been carrying the ring in his pocket all week. He reached in, "Is this what you want?"

She wrapped her arms around him, "That will do for starters. What I really want, what I really need is a man, a man who'll love me, honor me, cherish me, and obey me when the need arises. Have you got any of those in your pocket?"

Martin's eyes were filling with tears, "You bet I do, and I promise you'll be loved, honored, cherished and even obeyed all the days that I'm alive. This I promise!"

Cheryl was crying now too, "Did you notice you started your sentence on a bet and ended it on a promise, a bet you've won, and a promise I know you'll keep."

He wrapped her in his arms and lifted her up, "I might be holding you in my arms, but yours are forever around my heart." They kissed and kissed again. He carried her into their bedroom, and from that moment on they lived happily ever after.

The end.