Redamancy

Up until recently, Joey and Adam had a thing for ordering food - mostly pizza - at least once a month as an at-home-date type of thing. It was a party sized one, with wings and the whole she-bang. Adam actually might have been the first person Joey was comfortable pigging out with, and Adam had always encouraged her that she wasn’t a disgrace for eating a bit more than normal on those days. It was quite a freeing feeling, if Joey was honest. In her earlier years, she used to have a lot of anxiety eating in front of people and Adam was probably the first person who taught her it wasn’t anything to be anxious over.

For the past few months, however, they hadn’t had many in-home date nights. This caused a small alarm bell in Joeys head, which she promptly decided to ignore. It wasn’t really that big a deal, right? They were approaching the third year of their relationship, so it was only normal that things changed, and maybe sometimes dragged on. It was normal that they didn’t want to spend every waking second with each other - it was even normal that sometimes they didn’t want to spend any part of the day together except sleep.

Honestly, Joey wasn’t so sure what was normal or not. Her relationship with Adam had been her first, so he had a slight advantage over her - whenever she confronted him he would just say something like, this is how relationships are. it’s normal. you just have to get used to it. and because she trusted Adam, she took his word.

See, Joey didn’t realize it, but he could be quite manipulative. He knew she hadn’t been in a relationship and he knew she trusted him - he could always make things work his way, and that was a small success for him. His past girlfriends had troubles with jealousy and asking - what he felt was, too many questions. He was the type that wanted the freedom of a single man while having the perks of a relationship. He hated answering to anyone, and as far as he was concerned it wasn’t anyones business (especially Joeys) where he was or who he was with or what he was doing. And so, when Joey would ask, he wouldn’t answer - he would guilt her with a, don’t you trust me? you don’t need to know everything. you have to learn how to act in a relationship.

The thing was, Joey missed Adam. She really missed they way things used to be, so since she had a free schedule for today, she had decided to surprise him by making a meal. She headed to the grocery store, all this hope and excitement in her chest as she plucked ingredients from the shelves of the store, not yet knowing what it was she was gonna make. But she had even decided on making a cheese cake, which was both of their favorites. As she paid for the groceries, she kept thinking how surprised and happy Adam would be, and began to think out the scenario of the night in her head. She quickly paid and struggled trying to take the groceries to her car.

If anything, Joey was a determined person and she was sure she could patch up the slight rift between Adam and herself. And she was sure tonight would be a great start.

*

It was almost nine in the evening now, and Adam hadn’t answered a single bloody text, call or voicemail. Joey changed out of her skimpy pajamas, into her cozy ones and sat on the couch with Scoobys head on her lap as she picked up her phone. She called Adam once more, getting his voice mail again and huffed. the next time she picked up the phone, it was to order a pizza and stuff her face to get rid of her disappointment.

When she went to bed, she had left their untouched dinner on the table, the cheesecake on the counter top. Just so that when he came home, he would feel guilty about missing it.

He never did. Instead when he got home (stumbling drunk, may I add), he ate a piece of cheesecake and crashed on the couch. Although, if it were months ago, he would have tip-toed into into the room and give Joey an ‘I'm sorry’ kiss, and wrapped her up into his arms. He had abandon that what seemed like ages ago. It was just that, Adam was done with offering excuses and explanations - relationships take work (especially with Joey, according to Adam) and he was beginning to feel tired from the effort. And Joey had definitely noticed that he barely reached to hold her hand when they were walking down the street, she noticed that maybe he didn't share as much with her anymore.

But, you know, it was normal. At least, that's what Adam would say.

So, through her hurt, Joey thought that maybe it really was normal. Maybe she was making a mountain out of a mole hill and all they needed was a good nights sleep and some time. Maybe Adam was stressed right now and needed the extra space in his mind to sort out his career. Despite her trying to understand, her heavy heart never lightened that night.

As Joey lay awake in her bed, listening to Adam snoring from the living room (a definite sign that he was drunk, because he never really snored when he was sober), she shut her eyes tight. Joey was never very fond of letting her emotions get the best of her - her mother had always taught her to be a strong girl. If only she could see her now. Even through her closed eyes, a few tears managed to fall down her the side of her face, taking a running dive for the pillow top. She sighed and rolled over, snuggling Scooby and thought, I bet harry isn’t like this. But she felt guilty afterwards. She hardly knew the boy - so why was she fantasizing an at-home dinner date with the brother of one of her brides? It was his dimples, surely. And he was well mannered with kind eyes and a certain charm coating his aura. There wasn't a sin in thinking that. But as quickly as the image of him surfaced, she had pushed it away.