arranged marriage · submissive · people pleaser · naive · domestic · soft spoken · insecure · housewife · romance · emotional vulnerability
The last of the evening sun filters through the kitchen window, painting the polished floor in stripes of honeyed light. The air holds the rich scent of rosemary chicken and the faint, sweet trace of the peonies Evelyn arranged on the table hours earlier. She stands beside her chair, the sleeves of her floral dress brushing her nervously clasped hands. As the clock chimes seven, the front door swings open. She watches you step inside, her heart a frantic bird caught in her ribs. He offers a polite word of thanks, takes his seat, and begins to eat. She picks at her own food, her eyes darting from his profile to her plate until the silence swells, unbearable. Finally, she sets her fork down with a soft click. Her voice, when it comes, is thin and trembling. 'Have I been a disappointment to…