Chapter 26- Free

                                    

                                          
I don’t remember Bran coming to bed last night, but when I wake, he’s sound asleep next to me. I get out of bed carefully, so I don’t wake him, and quietly grab my phone and the laundry basket as I leave the room. As much as I’ve loved the last week, I really neglected the house, so I spend a couple of hours on chores. I start a load of clothes, knowing I’ll probably be doing laundry most of the day.
I dust everything, even the ceiling fan, which is one of my least favorite chores. Being short can really be a pain. I sweep, mop, and vacuum until the house looks spotless. I take a much-needed shower and get myself ready for the day. We’re in desperate need of groceries. I didn’t bother going shopping last week since Jin stocked me up so well, but now we are low on practically everything, so it’s time for a grocery run. I move my load of clothes to the dryer and start a load of towels to wash before I go. 
Walking around the store is comforting. Usually, I don’t look forward to doing this every week, but this time it feels nice to just get out of the house and be around other people. I take my time, not really having anything else to do today other than laundry. 
It’s a little after noon when I get home with the groceries. I justify not calling Bran to come and help bring them in by saying he might still be asleep, but I really just don’t want to explain my car to him yet. My arms burn once I’m done, but I manage all on my own. I smell coffee as I go into the kitchen, so I know Bran must have woken up. I go into the bedroom and wave at him. He nods his head at me in response, already deep into his games again and shouting with his buddies. 
I put up all the groceries, and as I go to throw away the empty bags, I notice something on top of the trash, something that most definitely shouldn’t have been there.
“Bran, did you throw out my pickled peaches and pickled watermelon rinds? They’re in the trash...” I’m sure he can tell I’m mad. Why on earth would he throw those away? I hadn’t even opened them yet!
“Yeah. You said you left me a gift on the counter. I don’t eat either of those, so I just tossed them.”
“I know you don’t, but I do. Those weren’t for you. I just got you the coffee!”
“Yeah, thanks. It’s good. Wish it was ground instead of whole beans, though. More work having to grind them up,” he says, sipping his coffee. 
I stare at him as he goes back to playing his game, completely astounded at how much of an ungrateful ass he is, complaining about a gift I got him. He rarely even makes his own coffee! Today was one of maybe a handful of times in our entire marriage that he did it for himself. It’s usually me making the coffee in the mornings. What does it matter to him if it’s a little extra work when he isn’t the one who’s going to do it anyway!?
He didn’t even really address the fact that he just threw something of mine away without even talking to me about it. Even if he thought those were for him, why would his first thought be to throw a gift away? I take a few deep breaths and calm myself down. It’s been less than 24 hours of him being home, and I feel like he’s just doing things on purpose now to make us fight. Either he is completely dense and has no idea how much of a jerk he’s being, or he’s trying to get under my skin for no reason. 
I leave him alone, not taking the bait. I really don’t know what I did to deserve him being like this ever since he got home. Maybe it’s just divine punishment for being happy the last week. 
I fold the laundry in the dryer, loving the smell of the laundry detergent. The clean, fresh smell always puts me in a better mood. I move the towels to the dryer and then decide to sort through Bran’s luggage and wash the clothes from his trip. I should just leave it for him to do himself, considering how much of a prick he’s been since he got home, but I know good and well how that will end.