Chapter 2

Bryson slowly arose as water droplets dropped from his face. He couldn't believe that his wife who was just loving and sweet a while ago was the one who poured water at him.

He looked at her and wondered what got into her that made her do what she just did. He saw gee fuming and breathing fast and he knew she was greatly upset.

"You took the job of an ordinary delivery man? Are you crazy?" Ainslie asked in astonishment. "I can't believe you would be so foolish to take such a low job."

"I'm sorry, Ainslie but I had no other option. I sincerely hope that you still believe in me and that you are not disappointed in me."

"Disappointed in you? Hell yes! I'm greatly disappointed in you, Bryson. How could you do this? You know what I've done for you? The sacrifices I have made for you? And what I've left for you? I went against my family and decided to marry you. We got married last month and now this? You took the job of a delivery man? Are you mad?"

"I'm sorry, my love. Please don't get upset with me. I had no idea that I was going to be given the job of a delivery man. I was called in for an interview the other day. I told you. I was surprised to go there and learnt from the manager that it was an interview for the position of a delivery man I was called in for."

"Manager? The factory already has a manager?" Ainslie asked. Bryson nodded, feeling devastated.``Gosh, wasn't it a new factory? I thought your friend told you that you can apply there and get the position of a manager?"

"Yes, but…that guy wasn't my friend. I only met him at the bar and when he asked, I told him about my situation of not being able to find a good job then he told me all about the factory. He said that it's a new factory which was going to be open soon and that I should apply for the manager position after the factory was opened. I did as he said…"

"Then what went wrong? Why didn't you get a better job there than the job or a delivery man?"

"I think I was misinformed by that guy at the bar."

"What? Why didn't you check your facts well before telling me about the job?"

"I did. I got to know that the factory was going to be opened soon but I had no idea that the manager position would already be taken by someone. Believe me, please."

"To heck with believe! You got my hopes high and you really don't know how broken I am now because of you, Bryson."

"It was only my intention to make you feel this way, I'm sorry."

"Shut up! You're sorry won't end my misery! You know I am highly disappointed in you now, Bryson. I'm filled with regret. You know, I already told Julie and Dora that you were going to get a job as a manager at a factory. Dora was demeaning you but I boldly said you were not worthless but now I'm taking back my words. You're incapable of doing anything right. You graduated from the University with good results and I was thinking that would be a big blessing for us. No one ever considered you on campus then. No girl ever thought of having a relationship with a guy like you who's a low class but it was the opposite for me. I fell in love with you and I stupidly kept believing everything you said. You gave me useless hopes all the time. That's why I didn't want us to get married to you soon after we graduated from the university. My family, especially my Father, disapproved of you the moment he saw you because he didn't need to be told that you were a pauper. Now look at what has happened? I feel like I'm doomed," Anslie said and sat on one of the seats. Bryson attempted to assure her that there was still up but she stopped him from doing so with a yell.

After a while of watching her staring at the table with gloom, he felt his stomach grumble and he knew it was the cry of hunger.

"Ainslie, c…can I have the food?" Bryson asked. She lifted up her head and glared at him.

"You're so shameless! You want to eat? I prepared this food with my money and you want to eat what I made?"

"Ainslie, you made the food for me, right?"

"That's a stupid question. This food, you don't deserve it again!" Ainslie arose and took the food back to the kitchen.

Bryson clasped his hands and pondered on what was going on. He never expected his wife to react in such a way. He was dumbstruck by her actions. As his stomach kept grumbling, he recalled the insults his wife had thrown at him. 

Later in the evening, he was still at the dining table and was lost in thoughts when Ainslie walked up to him, frowning.

Hey!' she banged the table, jolting him off his thoughts. Bryson looked up to see her dressed up.

"Love, are you still upset with me?"

"Get the dirty plates washed before I returned," she said, ignoring his questions and when she spun to leave, he grabbed her hand.

"Don't you dare touch me with your filthy hands!" She barked, jerking her hand off his grasp. She hissed and left and Bryson knew she was still greatly upset with him. He thought of what he could do to appease her but no idea came into his head for he was feeling disheartened. He went to wash the dirty plates as she had instructed.

It was fifteen minutes to ten when Ainslie returned home and collapsed on the couch in the living room. 

"Are you okay, Ainslie? You don't seem fine. What's wrong? Where were you?"

"Shut up! Don't ask me any question you lousy fool. Take off my shoes." 

Bryson knelt down in front of her and when he took off her shoes, he perceived a stench from her when she yawned. He realized that she had probably gone to the bar and got herself wasted.

"Gosh, I think I drank a lot. I'm so hungry," she grumbled. "Get me food, Bryson, you idiot!" 

Bryson hurried to the kitchen like a squirrel and returned with a plate of covered food.

He placed it on the table and attempted to sit her up but she flinched.

"Eat now, Ainslie."

"What's that?" She asked, staring at the food when he uncovered it.

"Um, it's the food I was supposed to have for lunch but you took it away and I decided to save it up for you. Eat up, I already heated it."

Ainslie stared at him, mouth agape. "You want me to eat the leftover food?"

"There's nothing at home so I couldn't make anything, Ainslie."

"You're mad!" She insulted and arose. "You know who I am! You know my family! How do you expect me to eat leftovers?"

"It's alright. I'll have them. I'll rush down to the store in the neighborhood and get you some cooked- packed noodles. I think I've about five bucks with me. I'll use them to buy the noodles."

"What? You want to get me noodles from that ugly looking store! You want to get me food worth five bucks?! Do I look like a beggar to you?!"

"I'm sorry, that's all I have. If you can give me a few bucks, I'll add it to mine and get a hamburger for you…"

"Quiet! You're a complete fool!" She took the plate of food and went to the kitchen. Bryson was dumbfounded and when she returned with the plate, she dropped it on the table.

"Where's the food, Ainslie?"

"I did a good thing. I emptied the food in the trash bag."

"No, why did you? I could have eaten it. I kept it for you because I thought you'll be hungry when you return…"

"Shut up! You've really made me frustrated, Bryson. You can go eat the food from the trash bag and I'll know you're a real dirty dog!"

"Ainslie?"

"Or, you could have the morsels on the plate. I was a bit merciful not to have completely wasted the food. I hope the morsels tend to the growling worms in your stomach. Honestly, I don't give a damn about you."

She let out a loud hiss and left for their room. Bryson stood in the spot she had left him, staring at the plate on the table with a gloom.