044:

When he got back, Ryan expected Melia to be sitting in the kitchen or living room, staring vacantly, worried and bewildered. His plan had worked perfectly; did he know his girl or what? Five days of this and she was putty in his hands. He had known she'd marry him, she wasn't strong enough to resist, everyone told her it was the right thing to do, and Melia was obsessed with doing the right thing now that she'd done the wrong thing and needed to absolve herself of her sins. He'd seen it right from the start and over the first few months had asked her all the right questions ascertained the truth about her.

But she wasn't in the kitchen. He called out for her, listened to the silence in the house and went down the short hall to her bedroom. Her bed was made, her room spotless. He had learned that she did clean her own house. She was in fact quite meticulous. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number.

She answered on the first ring. "Yeah?" Her voice was clipped and busy, back to the Melia before he'd married her.

Now that wasn't exactly anticipated. He'd expected her to be confused longer than just five days. He had really wanted to relish her fear and doubt a little longer.

"Are you down at your mom's?" He asked politely, not letting his ire show that this aspect of his plan hadn't gone according to his wishes. He'd definitely expected her to be more subservient at this point, willing to talk it out, as was her usual way. She hadn't been a girl of quick action, and she didn't like putting herself out there without talking it through first. He wanted to tell her to her face how he envisioned their marriage. But not yet.

"Tonight is the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. My dad is up for several nominations, we are all supposed to be there. It's been on the calendar. I made sure it was on your phone. I figured you'd see it there faster than you would by talking to me." There was a sarcastic undertone to her voice.

"So, are you down at your mom's?"

"No, Ryan," She said patiently. "I'm in Los Angeles getting my hair done and buying my dress."

"You're in LA?" He was more than surprised, he had to admit. He didn't anticipate her going anywhere by herself; it wasn't the image Melia would want to project. She saw herself as married now, and she would behave like it.

"I'm not afraid to buy my own dress, Ryan." She said exasperated. "I'm not afraid to go places on my own."

His next thought was shocked and he was glad it didn't come out of his mouth, But you used to be... Instead he said tightly, "What time do we have to be there?"

"I'm staying in the Bonaventure Hotel downtown. Our room is 343, just a room. I don't plan on staying the night. I got you a room next door.... So the baby won't bother you. You can stay the night, or you can use it to get ready like I am. The limo will be here to pick us up at 7:30."

I—I—I—he heard the I's and realized she had snapped out if it a lot sooner than he'd expected. He would have to move a little quicker if his plan was to succeed. She may have already filed for an annulment.

"Are you okay?" He asked her instead of asking if they were still married which was on the tip of his tongue.

"Sure, Rye, I'm fine. Just moving ahead with my life. It looked to me like you had.... You know, moved on with your own interests." She said and her voice was sweet.

"I told you, it's hard for me to think of us together when you still have Jared inside you..." He reiterated the most informative piece of the puzzle he'd given her a few days ago. It had been about the only thing he'd said to her of any value in the five days they'd been living together.

"Jared isn't inside me, a baby is." She snapped, and then her voice changed again. "But that's okay. I would probably be uncomfortable with sex right now anyway, so close to being due. It wasn't just the sex though. You have virtually ignored me the entire five days we've been... married. I realized that this was your idea of marriage so I decided to get on with my life."

"Have you changed your mind?" He did feel a little worried that she had already filed...

"No. I believe you when you said you would be a better husband when the baby comes, etc." She gave a little laugh at the end of her statement. "I thought you meant for the whole time, you know, the rest of the pregnancy and then throughout time. I kind of thought that meant we had a chance at eternity too. But its hard now for you to talk to me in person, this is easier... more familiar, we're on the phone; I can be like any of your other friends. You're always on the phone with Alison, or whoever. Or gone with the guys..."

"Are you mad because I left you to go with the guys?" He tried to infuse it with a little anger, he might have overdone it a bit with that. He had left her virtually alone for five days. Even before that he hadn't left her alone that long.

"Mad?" she repeated. "Hm... possibly. I would say... yes. Hurt, is more like it. I had different expectations. I'm a little confused. It was our wedding night, it was our wedding week, some people might have considered that a honeymoon. But... hm... mad? I guess you took your honeymoon with your friends. Whatever. I have to get back to work now." She clicked off and Ryan felt the laugh threaten to burst out of him in an angry snarl. Her whatever had been priceless, whatever...

Still confused Princess? Still wondering what's up? How long will we give it? How long till you feel the pain of what you did to me?

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