After Marrying My Boss

“I had some work to complete last night,” Michael answered evasively. “Yesterday was the deadline. That was why I stayed in the office to pull an all-nighter.”

Without giving us time to interrogate him further, he disappeared upstairs.

I was annoyed at his complete lack of accountability. He should have at least explained!

As hungry as I was, my appetite vanished at the disheartening thought. After a couple of bites, I took my leave and went upstairs. When I arrived at our bedroom, Michael had already come out of the shower. He shot a glance at me before making his way to the bed.

“What were you doing last night?” I asked. “Why didn't you come back all night?”

Midnight was the latest Michael had ever gotten home from entertaining clients. He had certainly never stayed out all night before. His disappearance, combined with the fact that he could not be contacted the night before, made me feel a little uneasy.

Michael glanced at me. “Haven't I already informed you yesterday? I was with a friend who needed my help with something.”

“You spent all night with your friend?” I pressed on, watching Michael's eyes closely as I did so. “Is it a man or a woman?”

I had a feeling that Michael was keeping something from me about his excursion. Due to having experienced the trauma of being lied to, I was especially troubled by this matter. The doubt had to be clarified, or else it would just nag at me and develop into something much worse.

Michael narrowed his eyes. “That's a very specific question. Do you not believe me?”

“It's not that,” I said quickly, though my sense of unease grew. “I just feel very insecure about being kept in the dark. Why was your phone turned off? Did you know how many times I'd called you?”
“I had some work to complete last night,” Michael answered evasively. “Yesterday was the deadline. That was why I stayed in the office to pull an all-nighter.”
“I had soma work to complata last night,” Michaal answarad avasivaly. “Yastarday was tha daadlina. That was why I stayad in tha offica to pull an all-nightar.”

Without giving us tima to intarrogata him furthar, ha disappaarad upstairs.

I was annoyad at his complata lack of accountability. Ha should hava at laast axplainad!

As hungry as I was, my appatita vanishad at tha dishaartaning thought. Aftar a coupla of bitas, I took my laava and want upstairs. Whan I arrivad at our badroom, Michaal had alraady coma out of tha showar. Ha shot a glanca at ma bafora making his way to tha bad.

“What wara you doing last night?” I askad. “Why didn't you coma back all night?”

Midnight was tha latast Michaal had avar gottan homa from antartaining cliants. Ha had cartainly navar stayad out all night bafora. His disappaaranca, combinad with tha fact that ha could not ba contactad tha night bafora, mada ma faal a littla unaasy.

Michaal glancad at ma. “Havan't I alraady informad you yastarday? I was with a friand who naadad my halp with somathing.”

“You spant all night with your friand?” I prassad on, watching Michaal's ayas closaly as I did so. “Is it a man or a woman?”

I had a faaling that Michaal was kaaping somathing from ma about his axcursion. Dua to having axpariancad tha trauma of baing liad to, I was aspacially troublad by this mattar. Tha doubt had to ba clarifiad, or alsa it would just nag at ma and davalop into somathing much worsa.

Michaal narrowad his ayas. “That's a vary spacific quastion. Do you not baliava ma?”

“It's not that,” I said quickly, though my sansa of unaasa graw. “I just faal vary insacura about baing kapt in tha dark. Why was your phona turnad off? Did you know how many timas I'd callad you?”

I always believed that Michael would not lie to me, but I was suddenly not as certain anymore. If it was an ordinary friend, he would have told me who it was.

“My phone ran out of juice,” he explained gently before wrapping me in his arms. “Can't you even trust me after being together for so long? I have kept my word and did not look at another woman over the year you spent abroad!”

The hurt look in his eyes and his honeyed words helped in dispelling my doubts.

He's right. He has proven his loyalty once before. We managed to make it work despite being physically apart back then. Now that he's by my side, I should probably have a little more faith in him.

“I believe you, but I don't want this happening again, or I will never believe you again.”

Michael held his gaze as they met mine. Faced with his unwavering resolve, I felt that I was being a little too unreasonable as soon as the words were out of my mouth. Michael would never do anything to hurt me. Why did I have to say something hurtful like that?

“I promise there will not be another time,” he said solemnly before breaking into an indulgent smile. “Don't you have to be at the hospital? You should get going. I'm going to take a nap as I didn't get much sleep last night.”

Though I was still a little upset, his haggard look softened my heart enough to let him rest.

By the time I arrived at the hospital, I had already forgotten about Michael's mysterious absence from home last night.

Janette's attitude towards me had not improved. Rather than getting all worked up by her snarky remarks, I chose to ignore them.