Lorena and Zachary had a grand wedding... an hour or so after it was supposed to start. All of the guests were looking around curiously and some were grumbling something about them not respecting their elders or this ceremony. Whatever it was, Lorena and Paterson didn't care. They were enjoying themselves, sneaking around the venue, stealing kisses and sweets. Paterson had never been a huge fan of sugar, but Lorena certainly was. Macarons, chocolates, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, blondies, she loved them all.
Except for coconut. No coconut.
Paterson felt the sweetest treat was Lorena. Yes, she usually had a stoic face on that intimidated people. Yes, she was, by nature, cold. But she would warm right up when she was with him. Her eyes would soften whenever she looked at him. She was always sticky with him and loved to be spoiled. And most of all? He loved how he would be the only one to see these expressions. So he didn't care if she was cold to the world, she was warm to him. And that? That was all that mattered.
Lorena on the other hand. She knew that Paterson, unlike Zachary, was a naturally outgoing and charismatic man. She felt the constant threat of him leaving her. Would he find someone else? Would someone else be like those novel characters and break them up? Would he... just fall out of love with her? Sure, their love had survived worlds, but she couldn't help but doubt. He was kind and loving to her, but he was the same as everyone else too.
Hah~ our Lorena is a little dense...
Lorena was walking in the mall, trying to find a birthday gift for Paterson. She had been searching for two hours, but still hadn't found anything. She was starting to lose hope. Gloomy and sad, Lorena sought out for comfort. And she found it when she came across a bakery. Immediately, Lorena had hearts in her eyes.
She entered and was hit with a wave of delicious smells. It was warm and a clear bell rang when she entered. Lorena walked up to the counter and looked through the glass. These treats looked so good! There were melon bread, muffins, cookies, cakes, and pastries. She... wanted them all.
"Hello, are you ready to order?"
A nice, masculine voice sounded from over her and Lorena looked up. There was a handsome man, by others' perspective, with a blinding smile. Lorena, however, was immune. Paterson, in her mind, was much more handsome. Nobody could compare to her husband.
She looked back up to the man, smiled, and nodded. She pointed to the pastries that she wanted and got a few savory ones for Paterson.
"Are you getting them to share with someone else?"
Lorena looked up at him inquisitively and nodded. The man saw her wariness and rushed to explain.
"Ah, well you're just getting two completely different kinds of baked goods I just assumed that you were getting them for you and your friend or something..."
"Well, not my friend perse... but my husband. Though I do suppose he is my friend along with that."
The man seemed disappointed that she was taken already and tried to hide it. But inevitably the smile that he threw her wasn't quite as bright as before.
"He's a lucky man, your husband. Having such a beautiful wife and all, he must be pretty handsome too?"
Lorena quickly nodded.
"Oh yes! He's not only handsome, but also really brave and strong and very mischievous."
She started to ramble on about him and the man seemed to have given up on flirting and became a good soundboard. He chimed in at the right times and gave all of his attention to her. Nobody was in the bakery anyway, he thought.
Lorena finally calmed herself and blushed. She... she had just bragged about her husband in front of a complete stranger! She really wanted to bury a hole and live in it. She smiled sheepishly to the man and he laughed.
"It's really okay, nobody has been coming in anyways. It's cute seeing you so enthusiastic about him as well. You guys probably have a long future ahead of you."
Lorena was about to reply when she felt an arm wrap around her waist and she got pulled into an embrace. She looked up and saw Paterson, and he didn't seem too happy.
Paterson had wanted to catch up with Lorena at the mall after his meeting, but who knew that he would see this? His Lorena and a man chatting away! She was blushing and enthusiastic, which he knew she never did in front of other people, and he was showing her all smiles! The atmosphere around them was very harmonious and Paterson felt, for the first time, threatened by another man.
He pulled his wife into his embrace and glared back to the man. The man at the counter shed tears in his heart.
Why do you glare at me this way? Ah! This is really no fair!
To save his own butt, the man looked to Lorena and implied what they were talking about.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear. You're right, he is really handsome."
Lorena flashed him a triumphant grin and grabbed her bag of pastries, completely ignoring the foolish husband who had inadvertently drank her vinegar. (Meaning gotten jealous) She tucked his arm under her arm and waved goodbye to the man. Paterson looked down at her and frowned.
"Don't do that again."
"Do what?"
"Look happy in front of another man. You're too gorgeous. You'll attract annoying bees and butterflies."
Lorena frowned.
"Then you don't do it either. When you flash girls your smiles, and they practically melt into the floor. Attracting all those bees and butterflies, and yet you have the gall to say this to me? Hmph."
She let go of his arm and power walked to her car. She opened the passenger seat door, plopped down, and shut it before he could even say another word. He sighed helplessly and willingly took the driver's seat. She turned her head to the window and nibbled on a melon bread she bought.
"Don't be mad at me... I won't smile at other girls ever again, okay? I won't even talk to them."
Lorena turned and nodded.
"Good. Then I won't even look at other men."
With these absurd promises, they finally put the other's heart at ease. Who knew that they would actually be able to keep them years in the future?