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Chapter 11
“I think it would be for the best if we never spoke again or made eye contact for that matter,” Trevor said, pointedly looking away from her and out the large floor to ceiling glass window of the small airport terminal.
“For how long exactly?” she had to ask as she forced herself to bite back a smile that would probably prolong this little pout fest, which she had to admit was entertaining her.
“For eternity,” he said, folding his large arms over his chest as he pointedly glared at one of the large airplanes that was taxiing down the runway and was that a blush creeping up his neck?
Yes, yes it was, she realized, forced to bite back yet another smile as she suddenly found the small snack store to the right extremely interesting. He was just so damn cute, but she knew him well enough to know that he probably wouldn’t appreciate the compliment right now. The man was embarrassed, which was kind of silly considering that they’d been trapped in that bathroom for eight hours before someone finally found them and another hour before maintenance was able to get them out of there.
She’d managed to bite back most of the morning sickness with hot showers, a few hot baths and slowly sipping cold water from the tap, but not Trevor. Every little noise and movement seemed to set off his seasickness and once it started, it wouldn’t stop. He’d spent the majority hugging the toilet, groaning miserably and begging her to kill him and put him out of his misery.
When she’d refused, he’d glared at her, in between dry heaving of course. Even as sick as she’d felt, she’d felt bad for him. He’d looked so miserable sitting there on the floor, hugging the toilet and begging her to close her eyes and block her ears so that he could “maintain what was left of his dignity as he died like a man.”
His words.
Not hers.
Apparently it was okay for him to kneel by her side, hold her hair out of the way and press a cold cloth to her forehead and the back of her neck when she was sick and didn’t want him to see that, but it was completely a different story when the big baby wasn’t feeling good. When she tried to remind him of the vows they’d taken, through sickness and health he’d simply cut her off by demanding that she close her eyes, hum and go to her happy place while he did what needed to be done. The only time he’d allowed her to touch him was when they sat in the shower or when he kneeled by the tub and hung his head so that she could run her fingers through his hair as he gently caressed her stomach. Other than that she was forbidden to acknowledge his presence in any way and it hadn’t gotten any better since they were rescued.
He refused to look at her, barely said two words to her and hadn’t stopped pouting or glaring since he’d grudgingly given in and accepted the cruise ship’s generous offer to refund their money and arrange for a flight home. They had another hour before their flight took off and honestly, she wasn’t really sure that she could take another minute of him acting like this. She was exhausted, hungry and getting crankier by the moment and the last thing she had patience for was a grown man pouting.
Realizing that she was seconds from taking her souring mood out on him or doing something stupid like crying, she stood up, grabbed her purse and headed for the snack shop. She was relieved when he didn’t follow her, because she honestly needed a break from his bad attitude. She’d waited her whole life to go on a real vacation, somewhere to relax and enjoy herself, get pampered and take a break from a real world and he was ruining it for her.
She wasn’t mad that they had to call an end to their trip early, especially after the bathroom incident, but his bad attitude was killing any remaining joy that she had left for this trip. It had been her first vacation and even though it hadn’t been perfect, she’d enjoyed herself. She’d enjoyed walking along the deck, staring out at the ocean, visiting that beautiful tropical island even though all she got to do was hang out in waiting rooms and sit in taxis, it had been a wonderful experience for her. For a first real trip, she had no real complaints because she knew there would be more trips in the future with Trevor and then one day, with their children, so she wasn’t going to allow herself to get hung up because one trip that hadn’t ended well. They had a lifetime together and the big jerk was hell bent on pouting over something that was over and done with.
“You’re mad,” he whispered as she felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her close.
“I’m fine,” she lied, focusing all of her attention on the selection of candy bars and snacks in front of her as she struggled not to cry.
He chuckled softly as he kissed her cheek. “No, you’re not.”
“I am,” she said, hating the way that her voice broke.
“I’m sorry,” he said, giving her another kiss before he released her and grabbed a few candy bars before he stepped away from her and walked over to the coolers.
Needing something to do, she grabbed a king sized Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup bar and headed towards the small line waiting at the cash register. A few seconds later he joined her, but he didn’t say anything as they waited to pay for their stuff. Five minutes later she was sitting in her chair, staring down at the unopened candy bar in her hand as she struggled not to cry.
The funny thing was, she had absolutely no idea why she felt like crying. She also felt like stealing his orange juice so she did that, not even bothering to look his way as she did it, because she knew that if he bitched about it that she would probably start crying hysterically while she kicked the shit out of his ankles.
She also wanted a nap…a nap and a soak in a hot bathtub followed by another nap and that Milky Way candy bar that he was holding so she simply reached over and took it. She silently dared for him to argue and bitch about taking his food, but he smartly kept his mouth shut. When she finished the drink and candy bar that she’d helped herself to, she couldn’t help but notice the bag of chips that he was now holding. Deciding that a salty treat sounded good, she reached over and snatched the bag out of his hands and then the bottle of water he started to open.
Still he said nothing.
He didn’t say anything as she finished off the chips and the water or when she suddenly placed a hand over her mouth and one over her stomach, jumped to her feet and ran towards the ladies room. He still didn’t say anything when he followed her into the stall, closed the door behind them and locked it or when he knelt down by her side and brushed her hair out of the way so that he could rub her back.
“I’m fine,” she gasped, panting a bit a few minutes after everything that she’d consumed had made a reappearance.
“You need to take your medicine,” he said softly as he continued to rub her back.
“I’m planning on taking them when we board the plane,” she explained even as she squeezed her eyes shut, praying that she wasn’t about to have a repeat of the last five minutes.
“Sir? I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This is the wome
n’s bathroom,” a woman with a raspy voice said firmly.
“My wife’s sick,” Trevor said, continuing to rub her back and letting her know that he had absolutely no intention of leaving her while she was like this.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I’m going to have to insist that you leave this bathroom now,” the woman said more firmly and Zoe didn’t need to take a peek outside the stall to know that the woman probably had her walkie-talkie in hand, ready to call for backup if Trevor didn’t comply immediately.
“I’m fine,” Zoe said, licking her lips as she shook her head, trying to will the nausea away. “Just go,” she said, in no mood to beg airport security to release her husband. It just wasn’t the way that she wanted to end their honeymoon. Granted, she also didn’t want to end her honeymoon the way that it was already heading, but at least she had a choice in how she spent the next few days. She could either spend them pouting at home or working on getting him bailed out of jail and trying to arrange another way home.
“Fine, but I’ll be right outside waiting for you if you need anything,” he said, not sounding particularly happy about leaving her, but he didn’t have a choice and he knew it.
Without another word, he left. As soon as he was gone she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, willed her stomach to stop putting her through hell and stood up. She wasn’t exactly surprised to find the female security officer standing by the door when she finally left the stall, guarding the door to make sure that Trevor didn’t return. The officer didn’t say anything, but the expression on her face told Zoe that she wasn’t exactly what she’d expected to find.
It was a look that she was going to have to get used to, she
