BorderZ

30.

I had been staring at the letter for the past thirty minutes and I still don't know what to make of it. Is there really anything I can do about it? My phone rings and I throw the note in my bag. I look at the screen and smile.

"Hey." I greet my brother.

"hey sis, how are you?"

"I'm doing alright, just not very enthusiastic about being back. How are you?" I look around my office and my mind goes back to the note, how did they come in here? I usually lock my office because of the confidential files inside.

"I'm alright how was the honeymoon. How is Zayn doing?" I roll my eyes at that. They have become best friends since they've met, and I sometimes think my brother calls just so he can speak with Zayn. Zayn does it too.

"I don't know how Zayn is doing. We had an argument last night when we came back from the honeymoon." I groan, remembering the stupid fight.

"Well that was quick." He drags out. "what did you fight about?

"We were talking about making our honeymoon an annual thing. Like we'd go on vacation every year to celebrate out anniversary. I had said that I'd plan and pay for the next one since he literally did everything for our wedding. He paid for everything, he bought us a house and I just wanted to contribute to something."

"Okay where is the problem?" I hear him chew and roll my eyes as I start feeling hungry.

"I don't know. He freaked out saying I shouldn't pay for anything and that it's his job to provide and all that patriarchal crap." He chuckles and I struggle to find the humor in my statement. "He's being very unnecessary and irritating. I can afford these things and we're married, we're supposed to do things together."

"Melony it's not about that. He is a man. His very nature is dominant and protective. Him paying for every little thing is just him keeping his ego intact. He wants to be the ideal husband. In his mind he is protecting you, financially of course. He is showing you that he deserves you and that he can take care of you, like he should. He is not looking down on you. He just wants to be a man. You, paying for trips and expensive hotels will definitely diminish the whole persona of being a provider, especially when word gets out to his family, friends or the media." I huff and think about it. He is speaking the truth.

"I still don't get it. Why should it matter? We are married I'm bound to pay for certain things." I roll my eyes and feel myself getting irritated.

"Sis, you wouldn't get it. It's all just about the male ego." I can practically feel him shrug through the phone. "I'm sure he doesn't care if you pay for small things or dinner now and then. The big things would bother me too. He wants you to be comfortable and he wants to provide everything for you. A man who has so much doesn't have boundaries on how much he can spend on you. You telling him otherwise, would be a slap in the face." He explains.

"I understand all that Mike. but he should understand that I don't feel comfortable with that. I don't want him frivolously spending money on me."

"Sis the best you can do is talk to him. Tell him how you feel and let him tell you how he feels. Are you really going to ruin your honeymoon's memories with a fight about money?"

"I know and I understand why he would act like that. It was just that he shut me down then got mad about it." I sigh once again. "Thank you for listening Mike."

"Look at me, providing therapy to a therapist." He boasts. I can't help but laugh.

"I must say, you're not too bad." I say with a smile on my face. "Listen I have to go, greet mom and dad, and I'll talk to you soon."