Brewing
It was a brisk morning in the middle of September. As the cool air was blown through the trees and fall was underway, Aaron stood outside, staring at the front door of his home. He just finished a 5 mile run and, as he stood in the black topped driveway, he drew in a deep breath. He admired the white brick walls leading up to the red front door. He gazed upon the shuttered windows gleaming with the brilliant blue color of the morning. And, as a pair of birds flew over top of his head, he peered up at them, only with his eyes, and grinned. This. This is what he worked so hard for. Aaron slaved away every day in his 9-5 mortgage broker career and finally had everything he imagined: A beautiful house in the countryside, his sleek tinted Bugatti, a happy marriage… Speaking of, Veronica should be waking up soon for her morning brew. Aaron’s mind jumped to her rolling out of bed and the coffee pot not being full. Wouldn’t want to disappoint his darling. He headed up the steps leading to the front door, and as he stepped close to the welcome mat, he noticed a slight glimmer. He paused, knelt down and discovered a trip wire. Aaron followed the wire with his eyes, up the side of the front porch, to the top of the arch about his head. Dangling above appeared to be a vase containing a bubbling green substance. Stepping over the wire, Aaron enters the house where Veronica stands in the kitchen, gripping her mug of freshly brewed coffee.
“Acid darling? That’s new.”
“More inventive than sharps or blunt objects.”
“I will admit to that. I was just coming in to prepare your coffee, but I see you beat me to it.”
Veronica peers at him from above her mug as she takes a sip and smiles.
“I prefer my brew with cream, not arsenic dear.”
Veronica glides across the kitchen floor and out from behind the island. In one hand she grips her mug while the other extends to Aaron’s face. Looking up at him she remarks, “Plus, I like beating you at your own game.”
Aaron met Veronica when she was just a temp at the bank. She was his assistant and taunted him with her mesmerizing gazes from across the lobby floor. It wasn’t long before Aaron was completely smitten and the two became romantically involved. But, their romance took a turn shortly after being together for just about 6 months.
Aaron arrived at Veronica’s home to pick her up for dinner reservations at Le Coucou at 7 p.m. As he walked up to the suburban residence with flowers in hand, out of the shrubs lining the sidewalk shot a dart, which struck Aaron in the left shoulder. Panicked, Aaron pulled the dart out of his skin and ducked down behind a parked car. Adrenaline rushing through his body, he decided to make a run for his car. However, when he went to stand, his body gave out and he fell limp in the middle of the road. Still conscious, Aaron saw headlights of a car speeding towards him. By some miracle, Aaron managed to roll out of the way and under another parked car as the vehicle zoomed past. He saw the brake lights, heard the tires squeal, and the car backed up to be right next to him. He thought to himself ’What could this fucker want with me? My money? I have to get out of here’. The car door opened and he heard the clip clop of heels walking on the pavement.
Suddenly he heard Veronica’s sweet voice calling his name, “Aaron! Aaron darling! Aaron, where are you? She gasps Oh Aaron, are these flowers for me?” He watched her pick up the bouquet he brought with him. Confused, Aaron stays quiet as he tests to see if his body regained more strength to crawl by clenching his hands and wiggling his toes. “Aaron sweetie, you know me so well! Petunias are my favorite. Come on out from under my neighbor’s car darling. I promise, I have no more darts.”
Full of anger realizing that she just tried to kill him, Aaron yells, “You crazy bitch! What the fuck is wrong with you!”
“Wrong with me? Well my aim is off for starters. That dart was meant to pierce your heart. So I had to improvise, and trust me, you did me a favor by moving out of the way. I would have hated denting my front bumper.”
“The clean up would have been such a chore for you I’m sure!”
She giggles “See, I knew you would be a good sport! Now come on out, or we will miss our reservation.”
Aaron hesitantly crawled out from under the vehicle and stood up, glaring at Veronica with a condescending disapproval. “You pierced a $7,000 Dolce & Gabbana suit, then almost ran me over and you still expect me to treat you to dinner?”
Veronica paused and said, “You’re right, I’ll pay dear. And you still look dashing.” She glided around the car and ran her fingers through his hair and down to his chest. “Just needed a slight Veronica touch to add excitement. That dart hole tells a story you know.”
He relaxed his face from the touch of her hand, glanced above her head at the car still running in the middle of the street, then gazed back at her beautiful face.
“A story that Morticia and Gomez Addams would romanticize. Let me help you in the car darling.”
From that point on, Aaron was completely captivated by her. Not only was she gorgeous and brilliant, but thrilling and kept him on his toes. And Veronica adored him more than words could express. She finally found a man that wouldn’t give up or give in so easily, unlike her many suitors before. There was thrill in near death and the two would continue to “surprise” one another with boobytraps, trap doors and trick wires, a variety of weapons and tactics, and witty comments after escaping one another’s failed attempts. That was their love language. That was how they built the love that lasted nearly 5 years already. ‘Till death do us part’ took on a whole new meaning.
