Previously on Contractually Bound:
"Wait!" Len exclaimed. "My lord! Please! I had forgotten. A new shipment of items just arrived yesterday morning. I have it in the back. I haven't had the chance to put any of it on display yet. Perhaps there is something in that shipment that might interest you."
Kal had turned back at the man's call. He nodded. After all, Len Shan had a reputation of being the finest jeweler in the city, and of carrying the most unique pieces on the planet. If he didn't have the right piece, what hope did Kal have of finding it elsewhere? Encouraged by Kal's nod, Len swept away to the back room. A moment later, he reappeared with a heavy box. One after another, he popped open the boxes held within and placed them on the countertop before Kal. Still, nothing seemed right to the prince. He sighed lightly, becoming discouraged. Finally, Len brought out the final piece. He opened the small box and placed it before Kal for his inspection. Kal's breath caught in his throat as he gazed upon the piece. He knew in an instant that this was what he'd been looking for all along.
Nestled within the black velvet box was a multi-rayed star of pure white diamond. The multitude of facets caught the bright store lights and reflected it back. It seemed to flash and glow with the white fire of an actual star, plucked from the heavens and cooled into an icy crystal. It was not a huge gem, but it was all the more beautiful for its simple, petite elegance. A slender chain of the finest silver supported the tiny star. Kal nodded, breathless.
"This is it," he finally managed to say. "It's stunning. I've never seen anything like it before. I'll take it."
"An excellent choice, my lord," Len said, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "This particular piece is the very last thing that the designer made before his death. Truly a one of a kind item."
Kal nodded again and paid the store owner, thanking him sincerely for his help and his time, as well as his patience. Then he slipped the box into the breast pocket of his jacket, close to his heart. He only hoped that his future bride would love the necklace as much as he did.
***
By This Contract, I Thee Wed
The days flew by too quickly for Kal's liking. But at last, the day of his wedding arrived, bright, sunny, and warm. It seemed that the last of the colder, rainier late spring weather had been chased away by the early summer. The bright, shining sun did little to improve Kal's mood. He'd never quite made his peace with being sold in marriage to Dr. Lyne's daughter. But the bitter disappointment had boiled down to a nervousness that would not relent. For several days now, the prince had been on edge. He could barely sleep. And when he did, his dreams were fitful and dark. It left him somehow more exhausted than when he'd initially laid down to sleep. He found himself able to eat even less than he was able to sleep. His stomach roiled and lurched each time he sat down to eat. It was as though a flock of millions of butterflies had taken up residence within his abdomen, and they were restless, fluttering about every second of the day. Kal counted himself lucky if he was able to eat more than a few bites of food at any given meal. He felt as though he was surviving on coffee alone.
But that seemed like nothing compared to the nervous energy that now gripped him. The day had arrived. No amount of brooding or complaining or self distraction had managed to postpone the inevitable. He stood now in his chambers, staring at his reflection in a full length mirror. For what felt like the thousandth time, he adjusted the ceremonial robes he was wearing. He frowned and shifted the material back the way it had been sitting, then shifted it again. He was painfully aware of his appearance. Every eye on the planet would be fixed on him and on his soon to be wife; if not in person, then on every video monitor in every public place and private home. And, more importantly, his wife would be seeing him for the first time as the man she would be bound to for life.
He took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself, but found that it did little to help. He picked up his comb and fixed his hair for the fifth time that hour, brushing back the small curl of ebony hair that lay draped on his brow. He frowned, liking the look of it pushed back even less. He shook his head in frustration, and the stubborn lock of hair fell forward again. He decided to leave it be. Why should he pretend to be something he wasn't? And slicking back his hair made him feel like a liar. Never before had he ever worn his hair like that. He combed out the look and styled it to his usual way.
"Let Lois see me as I am," he mumbled to himself. "She deserves better than to be lied to in any way on this day."
A knock sounded on his door. Kal took a deep breath.
"Enter," he said after a moment.
Jai and Ching entered a second later. Both were dressed in their finest clothing, from their crisply pressed shirts, ramrod straight ties, tailored jackets, and freshly purchased pants, all the way down to the proper shine on their shoes. They were in gray, the perfect medium that tied them to the groom in black and their father in the white robes that he would be wearing. Kal was mildly jealous that they got to wear a normal shirt and pants combination, instead of the robes that made Kal feel slightly ridiculous.
"How are you holding up?" Ching asked him, as Kal fidgeted with his robes again. He leaned against the wall with his left shoulder.
"About as well as can be expected," Kal replied, fixing his collar. His shoulders slumped for the briefest of moments. "It's really happening, isn't it?"
Ching nodded. "I'm afraid so."
"You'll do just fine," Jai said, giving his brother a reassuring smile. "And you look great."
"Thanks," Kal said, sounding more confident than he felt.
"It's not so bad," Ching said, trying to be helpful. "Trey will do almost all of the talking. You just have to stand there and let him perform the ceremony. The most you'll have to do is repeat the vows after him. Then we'll all just move onto the feast. Just try not to look so depressed. Everyone expects this to be a happy occasion."
"Right," Kal nodded. "This is the easy part. The hard part will come tonight when all is said and done, and Lois and I are left trying to figure out how to make this work."
"You'll do fine," Ching said, echoing Jai's words. "You're a great guy. I'm sure Lois will love you."
Kal looked dubious. "Easy for you to say. Zara's been in love with you since you two were both children."
There was another knock at the door. Jai opened it, admitting Jor-El into Kal's chambers. Their father was dressed in the crisp white robes of the Supreme Lord's office, the El family crest proudly emblazoned across the chest in a muted silver. It somehow seemed to compliment his strong features and salt and pepper hair, and gave him a commanding, but benevolent, look. He was a stark contrast to his son, dressed all in his black ceremonial robes. The three young princes greeted their father, though Kal's distraction was obvious. Jor-El glanced at Ching and Jai.
"Might I have a word with your brother in private?" he asked.
"Of course, Father," Ching said. He gave Kal a squeeze on one shoulder. "Good luck, bro."
Jai slapped Kal lightly on the back before he went. "Best of luck. See you at the feast. And don't forget to smile." He pointed his fingers to the corners of his mouth and moved them upwards as he demonstrated a huge smile for Kal.
Kal chuckled at his little brother's antics. "Oh, thank you so much," he said dryly. "It's a good thing I have you here to show me what a smile looks like. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Jai grinned impishly. "You're welcome!" he shot back with a laugh, swiftly closing the door behind him as he exited Kal's chambers.
"Kal," Jor-El said simply.
Kal didn't respond. For two weeks now, he'd barely spoken with his father. At first, he'd been too angry to speak to him. It had been a struggle for him to keep a cordial tone when he'd spoken to Jor-El whenever they were in the presence of the Elders. But as the anger with his father had subsided into an unhappy acceptance of his actions, it hadn't gotten any easier to talk to him. Kal found that he simply didn't know what to say. He found himself all but speechless. Now, he merely readjusted his robe's collar again. Jor-El stepped around him and shifted the robes until they sat perfectly on his son. Kal sighed and shut his eyes for a brief moment.
"I haven't had to fix your clothes for you since you were a little boy," the Supreme Lord said softly as he shifted the fabric.
Kal nodded. "Yeah. I remember that. I think the last time was when Mom died."
Jor-El smiled gently. "Between you and your brothers, you three always had a tie half coming undone, or a shirt twisted in some odd direction. I never could figure out how you'd manage to do that so quickly. I'd look at you and you'd be in perfect order. I'd turn away for a moment and when I'd look back, it was like you'd been through a hurricane." He shook his head in amusement.
Kal chuckled quietly. "I remember that too. It used to drive you and Mom nuts."
Jor-El laughed and shrugged. "You three were kids. It was to be expected."
"Dad..."
"There," Jor-El said, as he smoothed down a slight crinkle in the robes. "Perfect."
"Dad," Kal repeated, his eyes pleading with his father. "Must I go through with this? Is there no way, no loophole...?" He knew in his heart what the answer was, but he still couldn't resist one final attempt.
Jor-El shook his head. "I am sorry, my son. But you must marry the girl."
"What if...what if this marriage doesn't work? What if Lois hates being married to me?"
"I have faith in you, Kal. I know that you'll find a way to make it work."
"Great. You and my brothers have more faith in this than I do." Kal's shoulders slumped again.
"Try to keep an open mind about this," his father said, placing both hands on the prince's shoulders. "It will be far easier to make the transition that way. Believe me."
"I'm trying to."
"Good. Now come. It's time."
Kal loosed a heavy sigh of regret. He dejectedly followed his father through the palace, down to the chambers where the Council of Elders held all of the important ceremonies. Each step forward felt like a step made towards some intangible prison. Kal felt his heart sink as the time slipped away and the distance between himself and his fate steadily closed. Reaching the doors to the chambers, Kal forced himself to take a deep breath. He held it for several heartbeats, then slowly released it. He squared his shoulders and forced the sadness from his features. He determinedly affixed a passable smile to his face. He knew that it didn't resemble his usual, genuine smile, but he hoped that the inconsistency would be chalked up to the nerves of a groom on his wedding day. Kal took another deep breath and pushed open the doors to the chamber.
All of the Elders were in attendance, as well as many of the noble families. Kal's eyes swept the room from one side to the other as he entered the room. He wasn't surprised by the turn out. No doubt they all saw this marriage as one of the happiest occasions for the royal family since Ching's marriage six years prior. Kal's heart sank as he recognized the irony of the situation. Today was the happiest day on the planet for everyone except for himself. And possibly for Lois. Still, he stepped into the room with his head held high, a fake sense of calm collectedness masking his true feelings. He nodded politely at the various lords and ladies, friends and Elders, even to the few servants who were in attendance. His stride was purposeful and confident, his bearing fit for a prince and reflecting the authority that he carried. Finally, he made his way to Trey, each step feeling heavier than the last, until his legs felt absolutely leaden. In a soft voice, Kal greeted the Chief Elder, then turned and waited for his bride to enter the room.
Several long minutes passed. Kal began to half hope, half fear that Samm Lyne had decided against the marriage for some reason. But all thoughts were banished in the next instant.
The door slowly opened. Samm and Elle Lyne entered the room, followed by a young woman, the bride's sister, Luci. The three swiftly made their way to their seats and sat. All eyes were riveted on the door as the figure of a second young woman came into view. A low murmur coursed through the room before silence took hold again. Kal wondered briefly if any of them had ever known of Samm's daughters. The woman advanced, dressed in crisp black robes, similar to Kal's. As she steadily drew nearer, Kal got a better view of the woman. He felt certain that his eyes were growing wider with his bride's every step closer. His father hadn't been lying to him when he'd said that Lois was a rare beauty. Kal didn't think that he'd ever seen a woman so beautiful before.
She was a slender, shapely woman with dark hair and soft brown eyes. Though she did not make eye contact with Kal as she walked, he felt his heart skip a beat. At least one of his fears was laid to rest. He'd worried that he'd never come to even be remotely attracted to his wife-to-be, let alone find a way to turn this forced wedding into a functional marriage. But he definitely felt an instant attraction to his bride. He only hoped now that her mind and personality were as alluring, as blindingly beautiful, as the outside. At last, she finally took that last, vital step and faced Kal. Her eyes locked onto his, and Kal felt his heart melt. But Lois' eyes were unreadable. Kal only hoped that she found his own looks to be pleasing. New worries seared through his mind. Were his robes sitting perfectly on his frame? Did his hair look all right? Should he have went with the neater, slicked back look?
"My lords and ladies, we are gathered here on this most joyous day to bear witness to the union of Prince Kal of the house of El, second son of the venerable Supreme Lord Jor-El, to this woman, Lois of the house of Lyne, firstborn daughter of the esteemed Dr. Samm Lyne."
Kal swallowed hard. This was it. The moment that he'd been dreading for two weeks. As Trey began the ancient ceremony, Kal's fate was sealed. He felt as though he were locked in some impregnable cage with the stunning stranger before him. Kal tried to force such thoughts from his mind. He tried to focus on what Trey was saying. And for the most part, he was successful. But even so, there were a few moments when the Elder's voice faded from Kal's mind as new fears, new questions occupied his thoughts. What was Lois like? Would she like him? Would he like her? What would it be like to share his living quarters with this woman? Could they make this marriage work?
"My lord, please repeat your vows after me," Trey said, pulling Kal from his thoughts, as he bound Kal's hand to Lois' with a length of exquisite silk. "I, Kal, of the house of El, hereby do solemnly pledge myself to thee, Lois, of the house of Lyne. From this moment, henceforth, until my dying day, I commit myself to you as your husband. I promise to always honor you and protect you, in sickness and in health, in times of happiness and times of turmoil, in times of bounty and times of wanting. There shall be no others that shall take your place in my life and in my heart."
Kal solemnly repeated the words, knowing in his heart that he meant what he was saying. Not only because he found his bride beautiful, but because the union of marriage was a sacred oath to him, regardless of the path that had led him to it. He noted, however, that the wording of the vows was not quite fair. Nothing was said about giving his fidelity to the woman standing before him, though he knew that Lois' vows would require her to make that oath.
"My lady, please repeat your vows after me," Trey said, shifting his gaze from Kal to Lois. "I, Lois, of the house of Lyne, hereby do solemnly pledge myself to thee, Kal, of the house of El. From this moment, henceforth, until my dying day, I commit myself to you as your wife. I promise to always honor you and support you, in sickness and in health, in times of happiness and times of turmoil, in times of bounty and times of wanting. I pledge my eternal fidelity to you and promise to bear your children; sons to carry on your name and daughters to brighten your days. There shall be no others that shall take your place in my life and in my heart."
Lois spoke the ancient words, and Kal was captivated by her voice. It brought an ache of joy to his uncertain heart to hear such a beautiful sound. He wondered what was going on in her mind, behind those incredible eyes of hers. Did she feel as he felt? Did the vows mean as much to her as they did to him? Or was she already plotting some way to try and get out of this marriage? For the first time since he'd learned of the contract that bound them, he hoped that Lois would give this marriage a real chance. If she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, he could imagine himself falling for her.
"My lords and ladies, honored guests, it is my deep pleasure to pronounce this union complete. I now present to you your newest royal couple, Prince Kal and Princess Lois. May their marriage be long, happy, and blessed with many children."
The room exploded into thunderous applause as Trey made his announcement. Kal and Lois were untied from one another, and they turned to face the gathered nobles who'd witnessed their union. Together, they endured the applause for a long moment. Then, as soon as it was socially acceptable, they strode from the room, Lois trailing Kal by the customary two steps. Kal stubbornly kept the fake smile plastered to his face, though inwardly, he was disgusted by the archaic tradition that forced his new wife to walk behind him.
Behind the newlyweds, the rest of the guests began to file out of the Council's chambers, as soon as Lois had cleared the door. Kal led the way through the palace to the grand ballroom where the elaborate wedding feast would be served. He could scarcely wait to get to his destination. At least then, he might be able to have a word with Lois. Plus, it would afford him a chance to slip a little out of the spotlight as the guests mingled with one another. So it was with a sigh of relief that he entered the ballroom.
Kal led Lois to the dais that had been set up for them, then turned to his wife. He gave her a shy smile but before he could speak a word, his brothers converged on them. Kal sighed inwardly. Normally he'd be happy to be rescued from a moment like this, but now, it felt more like an intrusion.
"Kal! Congrats, bro!" Jai said, reaching him first. He drew Kal into a back-slapping hug.
"Uh, thanks."
"Congratulations, little brother," Ching said, approaching with Zara.
"Congratulations," Zara echoed.
"Thanks," Kal said. He leaned in and hugged Zara, and placed a kiss on her cheek. "You look great, Zara."
Zara blushed and smiled. "Thanks."
"Lois," Kal said, turning to his bride. "I'd like you to meet my older brother, Ching, his wife, Zara, and my younger brother, Jai. You'll be seeing a lot of them, now that we're...family." He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, his face going scarlet as he lost the battle to suppress an embarrassed blush.
"A pleasure to meet you all," Lois said, looking uncomfortable.
"Welcome to the family," Ching said, smiling brightly.
"It's so good to have another woman around," Zara said with a grin. "Trust me, these guys are all very sweet, but it will be nice to have another woman to talk with and hang out with. I look forward to getting to know you."
"I'm sure that you two will become great friends," Ching said, smiling at Zara. He gave her a quick kiss on the head. "Kal, Dad's coming."
Jor-El quickly crossed the room to where his sons and daughters-in-law stood, talking in a loose circle. A few times, he stopped to briefly greet a nobleman or noblewoman, including Lux Uthor, the third wealthiest nobleman on Krypton. But, still, Jor-El steadily drew nearer to his sons. When he finally closed the distance, he greeted Lois with gentle familiarity. His smile was soft and genuine as he spoke with his new daughter-in-law.
"Lois, my dear. You look stunning," he said.
"Oh, uh, thank you, my lord," she said. It was clear that she was growing more uncomfortable by the moment.
Kal couldn't really blame her. He was uncomfortable enough; he could only imagine how Lois felt in such a new and overwhelming setting.
Jor-El smiled warmly. "No more of this 'my lord' business. We are family now. Jor is fine. Kal, may I have a word with you, in private?"
Kal nodded. "I'll be right back," he promised Lois.
He turned and followed his father off to a secluded corner of the room, until they were standing before a series of floor to ceiling windows that commanded a view of the immense river that ran past the palace to the west. It was nearing sunset, and the sky was painted in bold reds and gold, with puffy pinkish clouds. The red sun hung low in the sky, a suspended ball of fire that turned the peaceful river into molten gold. Night was coming.
Specifically, Kal thought with a mental shudder, his wedding night.
He both looked forward to it, if only to put this day behind him, and dreaded it, for he'd be alone with Lois. He knew in his heart that he'd never be able to follow through with his expected marital duties. He just couldn't bring himself to lay with a complete stranger. But what would Lois think? Would it be a relief to her as well? Or did he risk insulting her? He ran his hand through his hair. It was a habit that he'd had since he was a child. Whenever he was ill at ease, or even embarrassed or deep in thought, his hand forever found itself raking though his hair. He'd tried to break the habit several times before, but it was so deeply ingrained in him, that he'd never been successful. Jor-El finally faced his son.
"Kal," he said, looking his son in the eye, "I know that this has been a rough day on you. But I am proud of the way that you have handled yourself thus far. And I am grateful for your cooperation. I had feared that you might do something rash to try and get out of this marriage."
"I wanted to," Kal admitted, casting his eyes down at the floor, "but I knew that there was nothing I could do. Anything that I might have done would have only brought shame and would have eroded your reputation of being a man of your word. I couldn't do that to you, even if it meant my unhappiness."
"And are you unhappy now?" Jor-El asked gently.
Kal shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've barely gotten to say two words to Lois. I have no idea what she's like."
"Is she not attractive though?" his father asked knowingly.
Kal chuckled. "Very."
Jor-El's chuckle matched Kal's. "I thought that you might agree. Now go. Enjoy your feast."
Kal wanted to argue. It wasn't his feast. It was his father's feast. Kal just happened to be the one that everyone was celebrating. If the prince had had his way, there would have been no wedding and no feast this day. But he couldn't say it. He couldn't start the same argument with his father all over again. It was too late anyway. So, instead, he just nodded.
"All right."
And yet, he still wanted to say more, to express his fears to his father. But now was not the time. So Kal squared his shoulders again and waded back into the thick of the feast. He wanted desperately to have a moment alone with Lois. But fate, it seemed, had other plans. For the rest of the evening, he found himself pulled into one conversation after another. Every single guest wanted their moment with him to express their congratulations to him, and their wishes for a long and happy marriage. Several of the nobles monopolized his time, and Kal found it hard to break away from them to move on to speak with others. Much of the conversation Kal barely heard. His mind was elsewhere. He tried to keep an eye on Lois, looking for an opening to speak with her. But she was in the same predicament as he was. She was never alone for a moment. Kal was grateful to see that someone was always with her, to introduce her to the vast array of lords, ladies, Elders, and other honored guests. At least she wasn't being thrown to the wolves all on her own. He only wished that he could be the one at her side.
Hours passed. The brilliant sunset faded into the bruised purple-black of twilight, then into the deep black of night. Countless stars flared into life in the sky above and the twin moons rose, full and bright. Kal counted himself lucky when each new course was brought out, and the guests left him alone for a short time so that they all could eat. But even then, he was never alone with his wife. Servants constantly bustled about, driving Kal nearly crazy. Only once did he get a moment to speak with her briefly, just before the dessert course was served.
"I'm sorry about all of this," he said to her, his voice barely loud enough for her to hear over the low roar of the feasting nobles. "It wasn't my idea for this huge...production."
"Oh...it's okay," Lois said, groping for words.
"After dessert, I think we'll be able to slip out of here, if you'd like to."
"I, uh..."
But Lois wasn't permitted to finish her statement. Servants came and placed their desserts before them, then Jor-El stood to toast the new couple. Kal sighed in frustration. It just wasn't fair. He had been trying all night to break the awkward ice between Lois and himself, but each time, his efforts had been thwarted.
At last, the toasts and the dessert course was finished. Guests began to leave and Kal finally saw his opportunity to slip out of the feast unnoticed. He nodded at Lois and she nodded back. A look of worry was on her face, mixed with relief that it was finally time to leave the feast. Inwardly, Kal's feelings reflected the same warring emotions. He led her out of the ballroom, deftly avoiding the pockets of guests who were still celebrating. Lois followed behind him, dutifully keeping the traditional two steps behind him. As soon as they were in the hall and alone, Kal stopped and turned to Lois.
"Lois?"
"Yes?"
"I, uh...would you mind walking beside me?"
"That...wouldn't be proper. Tradition clearly states..."
"Hang tradition," Kal said, smiling gently. "You are my wife now. I will not have you treated as if you are beneath me."
"As you wish," Lois replied.
"Thank you," Kal said.
With Lois by his side, Kal took them through the palace. He supposed that he should point out the various rooms and wings that they were passing. But he felt drained of all energy. He could take her on a tour in the morning. So he took the quickest route back to his own chambers.
"Here we are," he said, upon reaching the doors to his own rooms. "Home sweet home."
He pushed open the door and allowed Lois to enter first. Kal's cat, an orange tabby, came rushing to the door to greet them. The cat cheerfully meowed at them. He wound himself around Lois' legs, rubbing and purring.
"Looks like Fasa likes you," Kal said, for lack of anything else to say. Now that he was totally alone with Lois, he found himself shy and uncertain once more.
"Fasa?" Lois asked. "Like the hunter-turned-hero of the old myths?"
Kal nodded and closed the door behind them. "It's always been one of my favorite stories. Well, here we are. These are our living quarters. Everything I have is now yours. I hope you'll be comfortable here."
Lois nodded but said nothing. Kal searched for words, but found none. To busy himself, he went to his dresser and pulled out a sleep shirt and pants. He ducked into the bathroom to change. Once behind the closed door, he let out a quivering sigh. This was turning out to be more awkward than he'd anticipated. What should he do now?
"Break the ice," he whispered to himself. "But how?"
Still pondering his situation, Kal finished changing and reentered the bedroom. Lois was stripping out of her robes. She paused and swallowed hard, facing Kal, and let the material pool around her ankles.
"Wh...what are you doing?" Kal asked. He tried not to stare and averted his eyes. He toed the carpet of the room self-consciously.
"I...thought...you'd want to take what is rightfully yours."
Kal shook his head. "No. Please, get dressed."
"Am I not pleasing to you, my lord?"
Kal shook his head again. "It's not that. You're beautiful. In fact, I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you."
"Then I'm afraid I don't understand." Still, Lois bent and pulled the robes around her body once more.
"Look, Lois, you don't...belong...to me, or to anyone. It wouldn't be right for me to just...take...what you're offering. I'd like it if we got to know each other though. Here...I have something that I'd like to give you."
Kal crossed the room and went to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and rummaged for a moment. Finally, he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the small, black velvet box and handed it to Lois. She took it after a moment's hesitation. She opened the lid and sucked in a breath when she saw the multi-rayed star necklace that lay within.
"What? Why?"
Kal shrugged. "I thought that you might like it. I wanted this marriage to start off on a good foot. I hoped that it might help..."
Lois cut him off, her brown eyes flashing with anger. "You thought what? That you'd buy my affections? That you'd make one gesture and I'd fall into your arms? Well, you've got another thing coming. The only reason I am here is that I had no other choice."
"Lois, neither one of us had a choice in this."
Lois nodded. "And just because we've been forced into a marriage doesn't mean that I have to like it. My father might be thrilled with this match, but I'm not. If it were up to me, I'd be off doing my own thing. I'd rather be a working commoner then a princess stuck in a marriage with you. So you can just keep your little gift. I will not be bought!"
She snapped the lid of the box shut and hurled it at Kal. He moved one step to the side a second before it would have crashed into his forehead. His jaw hung slack with disbelief. He'd meant the gift to be a gesture of his good will and his willingness to give this marriage a fighting chance. How had the tables turned on him so quickly? He bent and picked up the box from where it had landed, his heart sinking. He placed the box on the top of his dresser and shook his head. He went to his closet and pulled out an extra blanket and pillow.
"What are you doing?" Lois demanded.
"You can take the bed," Kal said, disgusted by the turn of events. "I'm going to go sleep on the couch. Come, Fasa."
With a meow, the cat followed Kal out of the bedroom and to the living room. Kal lay on the couch on his back. Fasa jumped up and lay on his chest. Hot tears of sadness and frustration pricked at Kal's eyes. He fought them back and stroked the cat's back. Though he was exhausted, Kal found sleep to be elusive for a long while.
To Be Continued...
