The Marvelous Elijah’s Return

Ungodly Hour

The sound of the tick and tock from the clock had Elijah’s feet bouncing on the tiles of the dining room floors as he stared at his watch, a sense of nervousness creeping into his chest.

It was Ten-thirty, and he had been staring at this same watch for hours now, still no sign of his wife.

Even though it was like her to come home late, He didn’t expect her to do so on their birthday since she knew how important today was to him.

Looking away from his watch, Elijah sighed and glanced up, the clock showing Eleven pm. Then his gaze directed to the phone, lying on the table, in front of him.

“Will she not pick up again?” Elijah asked out loud, his voice low and soft.

There was a brief pause before he reached for the phone, his fingers fumbling with it as he tried to dial Melina’s number.

“The number you have called  is currently unavailable…” A robotic female voice said on the other side of the line, causing Elijah to drop his head backward on the chair, a frown plastered on his face.

“Is she not going to answer me anymore?” He muttered in slight disappointment.

“Eleven Fifteen,” The clock on the wall read, and Elijah continued to be patient, hitting his foot repeatedly against the tiles.

Eleven twenty-two and still no sight of his wife. It has been the whole day since she left this morning that he had not seen her, and it was starting to worry him.

Elijah’s eyes wandered back towards his phone, then up to the clock again, watching the minutes tick by one by one until eleven-thirty.

That’s when Elijah finally had enough and woke from the chair, abandoning the table filled with food that he had made for Melina, and left the dining room.

The feeling of love is a heavy burden that weighed on Elijah’s heart for years since he married Melina and started living with her as a stay-at-the-home husband.

Respect was not something she would give to him often because of his low status in life, being a man who had no job and just lived off her.

anything else. She was the most important person

set up back in his dining room was not only to celebrate both of them thirty years old birthdays, but

building, and the

the time on his watch, which was twelve on the dot now, and

his cab fare, he pushed the cab door open and stepped out, and walked slowly towards the doors, not knowing if anyone was in, even though the building was bright with

reached the entrance, the security stopped him, flashing his flashlight in Elijah’s face, and then furrowed his

name, and people usually looked down on him for taking her

about what they think or say, even though most of them said he was doing so

in such petty arguments with people he did not want to associate

are you doing here at this ungodly hour?” The security questioned in an irritated tone, eyeing the watch on

Elijah answered plainly, making sure that the guard

him down, his cold demeanor hardening, as well

on your wrist not working?!” The security exclaimed, glaring at him as if Elijah was some criminal. “Don’t you know how to tell time or something? If you weren’t Mrs. Hayes’ husband, I would have kicked you out of here

Melina, his worth in the eyes of others had changed drastically because he was a stay-at-home husband, and people saw that as him being a useless man

to get work done, so can you please take me to her office?” Elijah asked politely,

visibly annoyed by his attitude, as if he had said something offensive, and then he lashed out at Elijah, “Look, Mr. Hayes! You don’t have the right to barge

and anger boiled inside his chest, making him clench his fists tightly, and he

strode in front of him, pushing his

ass kicked out of here!” The security shouted at Elijah, who

the guard in the face, who looked like he was ready

time, except security and Janitors. How dare  you try to enter the building without permission!?”

trouser pockets to stop himself from grabbing the security by his shirt and knocking the shit

in the security eyes was unsettling as he pointed an accusing finger at Elijah and asked, “Mr. Hayes, what are you up to here actually? Huh?! You

wandered into his thoughts for a moment and then asked, “Did you say only the

off and dismissing him made the guard madder. His fist clenched into a tight ball as he took a few steps forward and replied, “You’re not getting