Paper Bride ✔️ (Book 4 - DP Series - COMPLETE)

6. Tub Talk

I spend the entire next day in my workshop. I've got a quickly approaching deadline, and after slacking off a few days, I'm now scrambling to meet it. I end up skipping lunch just to see this project through, and by the time night falls, my entire body is aching.

I drag myself into the house and flop down on the couch. Seth has yet to come home and I'm not about to make dinner, so I do the next best thing. I order pizza... again. I've got just enough time to shower and dress before the delivery man rings the doorbell.

I'm nearly ready to start chewing off my arm, so the timing could not be better. I flick on the TV and plop down on the couch with one slice of pizza between my fingers and the box filled with its brothers and sisters sitting on my lap. I'm not sure if any of them will survive tonight. I'm that hungry.

I'm not surprised when I glance down an hour later to find that I've devoured six pieces of meat-lovers delight. I'm literally a bite away from exploding all over my beautiful living room. Pizza splattered walls would not be the best way to welcome Seth home though, so I place the almost empty box next to the couch and slouch back in a way that gives my stomach as much breathing room as possible. I'm absolutely miserable. Achingly full and dreading the last three pieces of pizza that I shoved into my pie-hole.

With a food coma well on its way, I settle on a horrible slasher flick and let my eyes droop shut. I'd get up and take a soothing bath, but I worry that if I bend my body even a little bit, I'll combust. So I remain sprawled like a starfish on my sofa. The seconds tick by and before the clock hits eight, I'm completely passed out.

I don't wake up until ten-thirty, and I'm not surprised at all to find the house is empty. A small part of me wonders if I'll find Seth in our bed, or crashing in the guest room, but a quick investigation reveals that he's not home. Big surprise there.

Annoyed, I huff my way to the bathroom to scrub the pizza scum from my teeth. By the time I've washed my face, I'm fully awake. Typical. Now I get to lay in my bed and let my mind wander over all the horrible things going on in my life.

Not willing to let Seth ruin my solo movie and pizza night, I grab my keys and wallet and hightail it to my car. I know I probably should have changed before leaving, but I couldn't be bothered. I'm accustomed to strange stares anyway, so it's not really a big deal.

I glance down at my flannel pajamas and shrug. They're really not that bad. Plus the words "Don't Judge" written in bold red font on the front should let people know exactly what I think about their conspicuous side glances.

I pull up in front of Yogurt Utopia and hop out. Swinging my keys around my finger, I trudge my way towards the window. I'm actually surprised to find several families milling around. At this time, I'd expect children to be snug in their beds, and yet there are several eyeing me from the safety of their momma's arms.

"Aw, shoot," the young girl behind the counter says as I approach. "You just missed the weekday special."

And that's the moment I realize it's Friday. No wonder this place is crawling with children. The only thing I can't figure out is why they didn't just wait another hour to end the special. At least then the weekday would actually be over.

"But it's still the weekday!" I want to scream, but instead, I just say, "It's fine," and wave her off with a smile. "I'll just take the Chocolate Fantasy please."

She jabs my order into the machine and I hand over the money. With dessert in hand, I make my way to a bench sitting beneath a small maple tree. I shouldn't be doing this. I already feel the guilt sweeping over me, but then the yogurty ice cream hits my tongue and I suddenly don't care about anything. I'm pretty sure ice cream was invented solely for me because no one could possibly be as happy as I am right now as the flavors soak into my taste buds like water in a sponge.