Ever After

Kali smiled contentedly and snuggled closer to Josh under the blanket. She looked up at him and felt his scruff scratch her face lightly. Those cool oceans of blue were looking back at her and he grinned.

“I missed this,” Kali said softly as she stretched. “I missed watching movies in the middle of the day with you in our pyjamas just because.”

“I missed it too, babe,” Josh smiled, kissing her hair. “Remember how this was our Sunday ritual back in grade 6?”

“I do. Our parents kind of gave up on questioning us at that point, I think.”

“It was a smart move.”

Kali chuckled and put a hand on her protruding belly. She was a good 5 and half months in now. It blew her mind most days. She was currently remembering back to those days when her and Josh were just foolish little kids, having fun and not wanting to sleep at night. Now, her and Josh were going to have a kid of their own on their hands. Time moved fast, and it couldn’t be wasted. She was beginning to realize that now. She had to shake her head when she thought of their child being just like they were when they were young and free. They’d definitely have a lot on their hands if that was the case.

Josh kissed her cheek and got off the couch. “I have to head to the studio though, baby. I have lots to finish before the end of the month; deadlines and all.”

Kali frowned a little and propped herself up on the couch to look at him. “But, tonight’s the prenatal class…”

Josh shrugged. “Well I guess I’m just gonna have to miss it.”

“But you already missed last week’s and the week before that.” Kali’s brow furrowed a little.

“I’m sorry baby, but this is a little more important.” Josh had moved to the bedroom and was hastily pulling on pants and a shirt as he continued to talk to Kali.

“More important that learning how to manage a child?” Now she was starting to feel a little upset.

“That’s not what I mean,” Josh sighed. “I just have prior engagements, you know?”

“But Josh, it’s just one night; I don’t see why you can’t—”

Josh rushed to the table to grab his jacket and keys and walked over to Kali, cutting her off. “Sorry baby, I gotta go. Have fun tonight and take notes for me, okay?” He kissed her quickly, slipped his shoes on and was out the door before Kali could protest.

Kali fell back against the couch and ran frustrated fingers through her hair. She groaned into her palms. Josh had yet to attend one prenatal class so far. He kept blowing everything off so he could go be at the studio, and while Kali completely understood why he had to be there, she didn’t get why he couldn’t miss one single night out of the week to go to a class with her to prepare for the future that they would share. She didn’t know if it meant that when the baby arrived he just wouldn’t try to help out, or if he’d just be gone to the studio more often, but she wasn’t too impressed by it.

“Men,” she grumbled, picking up the remote to change channels.

***

Josh had been gone for seven hours. Kali had eaten supper alone, gone to prenatal class by herself again, treated herself to a bubble bath, and was now curled up on the couch watching TV once more. While it all sounded like a nice relaxing day, it had been tainted by Josh’s absence both at home and at the class. The other women in the prenatal class had to think Kali was a single mother who wore a wedding ring just because she was screwed up in the head.

Kali was just starting to fall asleep on the couch when the front door opened and she jerked awake. She could hear Josh putting his keys away and kicking off his shoes as she rubbed her eyes. That same upset feeling lifted its ugly head inside her. They had to talk about it sometime or it’d only cause serious problems down the line, she told herself.

“Hey, you,” Josh smirked softly, walking past the living rom.

Kali didn’t respond to him. She just watched as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed himself a glass of juice. She was formulating just what she wanted to say in her head. There was a lot she wanted to say, but whether she was going to get the chance to say it was entirely unknown.

Josh swallowed his long gulp of juice and asked, “How was class?”

“Fine.” Kali replied coolly.

“That’s great,” Josh nodded, walking into the living room. “So guess what?”

“What?” Kali muttered.

“I mixed ten tracks tonight!” Josh smiled. “I’m pretty proud of myself. I wasn’t expecting to get that much done but I practically nailed myself to the seat. I only have a few more to go, but I’ll do them tomorrow night.”

Kali swallowed. “Tomorrow’s my mom’s birthday…”

Josh’s smile disappeared and Kali could see the wheels spinning in his head. “Oh…well, Kali…”

That was it. “No, Josh. Don’t you dare say you have ‘prior engagements.’ My mom’s birthday is your prior engagement. You can set aside ‘mixing tracks’ for one bloody night.”

Josh looked shocked. “But, it’s kind of my job…”

“And she’s my mother, and your mother-in-law! You said you were going. You’ve ditched me consecutively for three weeks now, Josh. No more.” Kali shook her head and didn’t look away from him.

“I was working…” Josh stammered.

“I don’t care what you were doing. Do you have any idea how shitty it feels showing up to prenatal classes and being the only woman there without a husband each and every time?”

Josh swallowed and remained silence as he stared with mixed emotions at his wife. Clearly there were things he was dying to say as well, but Kali refused to let him say them.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” she grumbled. “You’re coming to my mother’s birthday tomorrow. So you can cancel your love session with the studio.” She stood up from the couch and gathered her blanket before heading towards the hallway in an effort to end the argument. However, Josh got up and followed her.

“Kali, the studio is how I make money so we can have this baby—” he fought.

“Stop making excuses for once in your life, Josh. You’re going. Don’t you dare ditch me again for that studio.” Kali’s eyes were on fire as she glared at him.

Kali’s words actually kind of hurt. Josh stepped back a little and looked at her. She knew he’d made excuses for his heroin addiction and his bulimia. He felt like she was using that against him a little, but it was working. He knew he couldn’t win that particular battle.

“But, I—” There wasn’t any shame in giving it one last try, though.

“Just stop,” Kali muttered grumpily, walking into the master bedroom. She turned back around to look at her husband coolly. “I’m going to bed. Please don’t join me until I’m dead asleep and not consciously thinking about how pissed I am at you right now. But wait! I’m pregnant, so that’s kind of not going to happen. Enjoy the couch.” With that, she shut the door in Josh’s face.

Josh stared at the closed door for a minute or two until the stunned feeling washed away. Then, he was just mad. He was mad at her of course for what she’d said and how she’d reacted. The studio was his job, did she not realize that? But he was also a little mad at himself, because a part of him knew she’d been right. He’d ditched her each week for those classes and he’d been making her eat dinner alone too much. The gentlemanly part of him wasn’t too impressed and felt quite a bit of remorse.

But Josh was Josh, and he stormed away from the door towards the linen closet to grab himself a pillow and some blankets. Not before he’d growled “Fuck. Fuck!” and punched the blankets first, though.

His good mood was gone, leaving behind nothing but a sharp anger behind. And he was getting very, very tired of being angry.