Crybaby | Michael Langdon

36 - The Ten Commandments- 36

Michael had never seen a scowl as deep as the one plastered on Marie's lips as she glared at her reflection in the mirror. Her discontentment caused by the pair of glasses sitting on her face.

And finally, after a few seconds of suspense she gave her verdict.

"I hate them."

Michael sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose, a feeble attempt to reign in his frustration. Meanwhile the optician smiled politely even though she shared his frustration, Marie had tried at least twenty pairs and she hated them all. "Maybe we could try something with a thinner frame? I have a pair of Guccis with a rose gold metal rim."

Marie kept glaring at her reflection in silence, eyes narrowed. "Good idea, we'll try them on." Michael spoke on her behalf.

As soon as the optician disappeared in the back Marie removed the glasses and tossed them on a nearby display stand. "I don't need those stupid things."

Michael quirked a brow in amusement. "Do I have to remind you that you almost ran over someone while driving yesterday?"

Marie scoffed. "It was on purpose, that guy's ugly cargo shorts begged me to end their miserable existence."

She fell silent when he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and his thumb stroked the skin under her eye as he fought off a guilty frown. "Come on, love, maybe you won't need them forever. Just pick a pair of glasses you like and we'll be done."

His touch seemed to soothe her frustration, and she closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch.

She wanted to voice the fact that neither him nor Cordelia could heal her completely, but she decided to keep her mouth shut and, when the woman came back with the glasses, she put them on without a complaint and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Michael studied her quietly from the side as he pretended to check the glasses. Ever since they had been abducted he had noticed something had changed within her. She was acting the same, yet her smiles were a little dimmer, her eyes less warm.

She had never killed before, and that day it was as if a demon had been unleashed. She had murdered mercilessly, blinded by her rage and pain. Afterwards she had felt no remorse, she only took a shower, curled up by his side in bed and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. He would've believed she had stopped feeling anything if not for the hand that had trapped his arm in a tight grip while she slept, muscles trembling

"So, what do you think?" The optician asked, silently praying Marie would finally decide on a design.

It tore him out of his daze, and his eyes locked with Marie's. Her little pout and her expectant gaze made him understood that she was waiting for his input, and he pressed a kiss against her temple. "You look beautiful, pick whichever you like best, don't mind the price."

She worried her lower lip as she stared at her face, and she caved in with a sigh. "I guess I hate them a little less than the others."

Michael and the woman grinned victoriously, and he fished in his pocket for his credit card, which he gave her. She strutted away to make the payment as Marie avoided his gaze. "You didn't have to pay, I've got my own money."

He chuckled before he leaned in to whisper. "Technically, I'm not the one paying. Ms Mead is."

Marie chuckled as she pushed up her glasses, and his eyes softened like every time one of her smiles tugged at her lips and lit up her face like a ray of sunlight.

"So does that mean you're buying me dinner tonight?" She asked teasingly, and he pretended to act annoyed as he rolled his eyes.

"You just told me you have your own money." He retorted with a smirk before walking towards the counter, and she gasped dramatically as a smile fought its way on her lips.