Alpha Xander: His Contracted Luna

***DERICK PLUMMER***

Married straight out of college. He lived in the Bronx with his Eritrean wife, Annie. His degree could only get him a job at the brewery. Annie inherited a candy store from her Aunt. The house was all they had. They weren’t paying rent, thanks to Late Miss Clever. She had built the house years before and willed it in Annie’s name

Annie’s aunt left her with quite a lot after her death. Though her Aunt wasn’t that wealthy, she endured the benefits she left behind. Annie was sort of the breadwinner of the Plummer Couple. Since Derick wasn’t bringing much from work.

It had only been a year since they moved in together and married. Derick would come home late at night with a pack of beer. Always yammering about how unfair it was at the brewery. Annie was often home a few hours earlier. She had time to make dinner in his stead.

He stomped his muddy boots on the doormat and pulled it off outside. He opened the door and the sweet smell of crispy fries filled his nostrils. The happiness was lightening up his face till the uniform on him reminded him of the shitty day he had.

“I can’t believe my bosses want me to pull extra shifts,” he slammed the door shut. “Those ingrates. They don’t realize the amount of work we put in.”

Annie sat at the mini quartet dining table in the kitchen. She heard his raggedy voice. “Welcome home to you too honey,” she sighed.

He walked in with the four-by-four beer can pack. He headed straight to the fridge without giving Annie a kiss on her cheek. She had already mounted her chin in her hand elevated on the table. Her cheek turned to the side pale and unkissed.

“Hey honey,” he opened the freezer. He brought out an iced pack and put in the warm pack he brought home. “I see we have got chicken and chips for dinner this night,” he closed the fridge. It made a less bang than the door.

“I can’t believe you right now,” she rubbed her eyes and rose to her feet. Her face was flushed with anger. “You came in here all whiny and brute… and you can’t even-see me okay? I am here.” She slammed her fist on the table.

Derick dropped the chilled beer pack on the counter. “Of course, I see you, baby,” he spread out his arms walking to her.

“No, you don’t. You talk about having a bad day, every freaking day. And it’s tiring. Well, guess what?” she clapped at his face. He dropped his arms to his side. “We all have bad days too. I have bad days,” her voice shook and she stepped back pointing at him.

“I am so stupid baby,” he hit his forehead with a palm. “So, so stupid. You are a goddess my dear.” He leaned in close with a smile.

She stood there silent with a grim. He put his arms around her and kissed her cheek to cheek, “You are all that matters to me. I won’t ever make you come second darling,” he kissed her forehead and rubbed the back of her head dearly.

She palmed his cheeks and looked into his eyes, “After dinner, I have to tell you something,” he nodded. She pushed her lips against his. He only returned the kiss lightly. Her lips mostly touched his upper lip and his scruffy mustache.

“Well…” he pulled back slowly, “…let me have a taste of your goodness.” She undid her dress and rested her body on him. “I mean the food baby… I am famished.” He rubbed her shoulders and turned away to the table.

She was disappointed. She watched him munch down on his food like he didn’t really mean all he said. All that mattered was what she did for him and not her. It never was her to begin with. “Enjoy,” her face was glum.

She strutted away with her balled fists. Derick was much concerned about the deep-fried wings he bit into. His mouth was full and he got up to tear through the pack of beer. He opened a can, he gulped the mushy meat down his throat. And then chugged down a bottle in a few seconds.

She leaned by the side of the door, “Derick.”

He was spooked. The empty beer can in my hand dropped and made a little clank on the kitchen tile, “Oh it’s… It’s just you baby.”

“Answer me this, and answer me honestly,” she walked to the dining table and pulled away a chair. She sat and clenched her palms on the armrest. “Two questions that will determine where our relationship goes from here.”

“Slow down baby,” he was perplexed. He left the kitchen counter and rushed to squat by her side. “What’s going on? You were just fine a moment ago.” His eyes widened at her stern face.

“Grab a seat Derick,” she breathed out.

He hurriedly sat by a chair next to him and dragged it closer to her, “I am listening baby.”

“Do you love me?”

He raised a brow and tried to hold her palm, “Baby… who else would I love if not you?”

She pulled her hands away and dropped them on her thighs, “You are never straightforward and that sickens me,” she inhaled sharply. “I will ask one more time before I go into details Derick,” she cracked her knuckles, “Do you-

“-I love you. I love YOU.” He dragged his chair closer to her till his knees butted hers. He felt desperate. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. His palms were shaky holding on to the seat of the chair.

“You can say that all you want Derick but we both know…” she lowered her head and palms her face whimpering softly, “…It is a lie, Derick. A big fat lie. You never loved me.” She raised her head and pushed her palms on his chest. “You just love the idea… the idea that I give you all you need. Yes have a job that is not satisfying but I don’t even know anymore… the guy that loved me in college and this dude a year later, they are different,” she pushed him again. His chair fell back. He met the ground first and rolled away before the wooden heavy chair landed on him.

He knelt on the ground, “I don’t understand you come on… I loved and supported you. Okay, it is not my fault I have it bad and you have it good, but I never once took it-

“What time do you close from work?” she hovered him.

“What?” he opened his hands sideways in confusion.

She grabbed his plate from the table and threw it at him. He got low to the ground, and the ceramic dish smashed to pieces on the lower drawers by the counter. “The hell Annie?” he checked himself for bruises.

“What time do you close from work?!”

“Seven freaking PM okay.”

She scoffed and turned her back at him, “And then you come home at 9 PM with the breath of someone else.” She turned back to him with a scowl.

“What that the hell?” he helped himself to his feet. “You don’t know how long it takes to get on the train at night,” he pointed.

She confronted and pushed him against the counter, “10 minutes. 10 freaking minutes is what it takes Derick. 10!”

“So what? I could get held back by casualties,” he crossed his arms around him. He looked away from her. She took him by the jaw, “Look at me you cheating bastard.” She stared into his despondence, “I know what you do with other men.”

She jerked away and hissed, “That’s a baseless accusation come on.”

“That’s all you have to say for being a cheater?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I-I didn’t cheat. Never.”

“Then look at me and say it.”

He turned to look at her, “I-don’t-like-men,” he ran his fingers over his head. “There, I said it, you happy now?”

“You are miserable. So miserable and I won’t be around to see it any longer,” she turned to the counter and picked a knife from the rack.

“Hey, hey Annie what are you trying to do?” he cautioned and stepped back slowly. “Baby please let’s talk this through.”

“You could have just told me.”

“Told you what, Annie?”

“That you were gay,” she dropped the knife on the counter. “Right from the jump, I get it’s hard for you…” her forehead creased. “But you could have just said something… anything. I would have listened. And what’s that mark on your arm?”

“It’s nothing,” he clasped his hand behind his back.

She sighed. “Really? Lying, again?”

“Okay, okay… some guy got weird while we were making out. At first, I thought it was fun but it started to hurt. I have been feeling weird ever since.”

“When Derick?”

“It was just last night.” He palmed his neck.

“I was at the store all night, last night. Don’t tell me… please don’t tell me you brought a guy into our home?” she groaned.

He prodded, “I did.”

“Derick, the hell? On my bed?”

“You know what… I will leave this night.”

A car honked outside. They both ran to the door. She pushed Eric to the wall opened the door and saw a tall husky man with brown skin and green eyes. He was in a grey round-neck and black tight pants with ankle-high boots.

“Hi, I am Jackson.”

“Annie.”

“I am here for Eric… is he-Gosh my manners,” Jackson clasped his hands behind him. “Good evening Miss… uh, Annie. Is Eric around?”

“Eric?” Annie was surprised. She shook her head, “No, there’s no Eric here.”

“I can see his hand tugging at your nightgown,” Jackson tittered.

Annie was tired of all Derick’s lies. She opened the door wide for him, “Just leave Derick. Go your own way.”

Derick stepped out and turned to glance at her. She shut the door in his face.