AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It's only been a few weeks, but we’re now moving in. All my belongings are in the new house, and we've gone around and introduced ourselves to the neighbors. Everything seems perfect, except only if Sem could be around more. He's been incredibly busy with work, and I've not seen him in person as much as I would like. But as he says, this house is an extension of him and his commitment to me.
Now that we've officially moved in, I put up some of our symbolic wedding pictures from Greece. I've never shared the photos fully on any social media, but of course, I told Scarlett. She thought we were crazy having a private exchanging of vows, but she also admitted, after she got over the shock, that it was the most romantic she had ever heard of from someone she actually knew, even if the groom was 'a pagan foreigner,' as Scarlett likes to call Sem in a friendly but still suspicious kind of way.
I banish those thoughts from my head as I look at my small bed in the master bedroom with Sem. Today he's actually here, and I'm proud to show off some of the work I've already done in making this a home. "The new bed will be delivered next week. Until then, your feet are still going to hang off, sorry."
"I don't mind. As long as I'm with you in our house, I'm content."
Downstairs in the kitchen, I begin preparing a quick meal. Sem watches me.
"How was work this week?" he asks.
"The school board doesn't believe me. I was even accused of stirring up trouble. It's the principal and Tara's word against mine, and there are two of them. I mean," I look away from the vegetables I'm cutting and up at him. "Who walks around with their phone ready to record anything and share it?"
"A lot of people, apparently. I'm sorry they don't believe you. That must be so frustrating, but your other colleagues must know, right?"
"Of course they do. You know, when two people are sleeping together at work. Everyone knows. But no one is going to take my side because they didn't see it and I didn't record it." I go back to cutting vegetables.
"What are you going to do?"
"What can I do? I love teaching, and I love my students. I'm going to finish out the school year and hope that something changes over the summer. I don't want to switch schools over this…" I trail off, not wanting to even consider that possibility.
"If there's anything I can do, let me know."
I hand him some blueberries. "You can wash these."
He takes the blueberries. "You know what I mean."
"I do, and unfortunately, there's nothing you can do but listen to me complain about it."
"I'm happy to do that."
"And how's your work that you can never tell me about?" I nudge him playfully as he washes the blueberries.
"It's fine."
I don't push him further. I know that his security work is very stressful sometimes. Lately, it seems less so. He does have some surprisingly strong opinions about commercial space travel, though, which always makes me laugh. I don't think extra pollution is good, but what are little people like us going to do about it? Like I told him, I can vote, which I do, but it doesn't seem to do much good. I'm also proud that I recycle.
"Ivy?"
"Hm."
"This summer, on your vacation, I want to take you to my home."
"I'd love that."
"Good."
"Do we need to book tickets now?"
"No. It can be all done very last minute."
"Oh," this sounds strange to me. "But won't tickets be more expensive then?"
"I just want to be sure of the dates."
I want to believe Sem. There are so many things that are right with him that I have to trust that these small red flags are just a result of the inconsistencies in his work and nothing more. But this is very strange. I've researched going to Sweden before, and summer is the best time to go, so airline tickets should be booked well in advance.
Twenty-Seven
