No Good Neighbors (On-Going)

Chapter 7

Schlinnk

A dripping wet hand reached out of the shower curtains, blindly reaching for a towel but finding only air. Jeremiah turned the faucets closed, pushing his bangs back. Once the water drained, the heat seemed to dissipate instantly. Shivering, he put on his glasses, dotted with tiny drops of water. His towel hung on a hook on the back of the door across the bathroom, so much further away than what he was used to.

Gingerly walking across the cold bathroom tiles, Jeremiah dried himself off and donned a white t-shirt. Doing all this was not worth it just for a dinner with strangers. He looked at himself in the foggy mirror, his lanky figure looking even less impressive in the giant master bathroom. Thinking about making small talk made him sick. He slapped himself in both cheeks to try and snap out of it.

He peeked through a gap in the bathroom door. For some reason, Mia was angry. She sat in the corner that held all her stuff. He could tell she was still pissed off. It was probably best just to listen to her for now. But going to dinner with her when she was angry? That was a level of discomfort he couldn't take.

Jeremiah took a deep breath. How dumb he must have looked, spying on his own wife in his own house, his bottom half-naked. Mia shifted and he ducked out of sight. What was she angry at again? Yixin? It made no sense. They were good friends before. Thinking of his giantess research partner and her eye-catching hair, he dug through a cardboard box and pulled out some hair wax before returning to the bedroom. Warmth and bright light welcomed him. Mia was applying makeup in a vanity mirror lit by fifteen generous light bulbs. Seeing her in the mirror made him instinctually cover his genitals with his towel as he walked to the closet across the room.

"Are you going to do your hair," Mia asked without turning around.

He held up the hair wax in reply and dug through a cardboard box in front of the closet filled with his clothes.

"Just make sure you're downstairs in ten," she said, standing up to get closer to her own reflection, drawing on her eyes with expert ease.

A moment later, Jeremiah was fully clothed and only then did he stop to admire his wife. Her delicate figure was hidden under only a tank top and skin-tight leggings, but more enticing because of it. He felt lucky to see this side of her since she was always wearing many layers when she went out. Their eyes met through the mirror and she frowned.

She crossed her arms and said, "What are you staring at?"

"Perfection," Jeremiah said quietly.

Mia couldn't help but laugh, and then mimed throwing up. "You're gross. Now, go make yourself pretty so I don't look embarrassing."

Determined to cheer her up before dinner, Jeremiah brought his hair wax to her vanity and, nearly pressing his face against the surface, mimicked her eyebrow drawing motions.

"Stop it," She laughed, slapping his arm.

He didn't. Instead, he edged even closer to the mirror, monopolizing the real estate under the bright lights.

"Hey! Come on. I need to finish," she said, then dropping all frivolity, "Jerry. I'm serious."

As if been punched, Jeremiah stepped back. "Yea. Okay. See you downstairs." Then, he slowly walked back to the bathroom, unable to meet Mia's glaring eyes.

—

Nearly half an hour later, Jeremiah waited by the door, and Mia finally came down the stairs. She wore a loose-fitting white sweater with puffy sleeves and a long, grey, pleated skirt that wrapped tightly high up on her waist.

"You look nice," Jeremiah said.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." Mia exited the door first and waited as Jeremiah locked the door.