Annabelle sat her dining room table at six twenty five, her caramel brown hair curled at the ends that tickled her lower back. Her bright blue eyes shined like gemstones against her eyeliner and mascara, and her pale pink lips were curled into a soft smile as she watched the door to the kitchen. Her husband was supposed to be home at six thirty for their eight year wedding anniversary. Annabelle and her husband, Carter, had been high school sweet hearts. He had swept her off her feet with sweet romantic gestures and dates, and promises of a family.
When they got married, Carter had decided he wanted to start a company; a tech start up company. While Annabelle had no clue about technology other than how to use her laptop and her phone, she was fully supportive of her husband. She got a part time job to help pay the bills while her husband got his business started. When he finally did, she quit her job and supported her husband at home. Things were great, up until about three years ago. Carter's company was running, but it wasn't as successful as he wished it to be right away. It took time for these things to happen, he would say. Still, she fully supported him. She hadn't married him for his money! She had married him because he was the love of her life and he did his best to provide for them.
However, starting three years ago, Annabelle noticed a shift in her husband. Carter was coming home later and later. When she asked how his day was, he would simply tell her, "Fine." and that was it. He seemed almost... bothered when she asked questions about his stories. What was a CPU? Why would a customer want a liquid cooling system, wouldn't that fry the computer? Gradually, they stopped being intimate too. Annabelle and Carter hadn't had sex in over eight months. Before that it had been six months. The most intimacy they had was a forced cuddle when the nights became cold and their backs touched in bed.
Despite all of that, Annabelle stayed. She made dinner every single night. She kept the house spotless. But, it never seemed to be enough. But, tonight, Annabelle knew that Carter would do his best for her. It was their anniversary! He had been so romantic when they first started dating, and even before their marriage. Things had just become busy, that was all! Annabelle had gone out and bought a new dress and some cute lingerie to surprise Carter. The dress was a black lace cocktail dress that hugged her figure nicely. She had cooked his favorite meal, and now, she sat at the table, waiting for her husband to come home so she could shower him with love.
But... by eight o clock... Carter still wasn't home. Annabelle kept glancing at the clock, wondering if its batteries were broken. Where was he? She checked her phone again. All of her messages said, "Delivered." He hadn't even read them... Annabelle bit her lip, her eyes watering a little. She squeezed them shut and shook her head. No. He was just running late. He probably had a meeting that was running long and he forgot to text her. That was all. He was stuck at work. He wouldn't choose to be at work while his wife sat at home on their anniversary alone, right..... Right? (edited)