Face in the Mirror

The first sign that something's off.

With their dinners done, Chris wrapped an arm around Natalie's shoulders, encouraging her to lean against him. He frowned over at her when she resisted. He squeezed her arm gently in a second attempt.

 

"Babe, no. I don't wanna get you sick." She wheezed and pulled her knees up to her chest. She pulled a blanket up over her shoulders and yelped when the alien in the movie lurched from out of the darkness at the hero.

 

"I got ya." Chris took the opportunity to scoot closer to Natalie and gathered her in his arms. With a sigh followed by a hacking cough, she relaxed against him. She burrowed her head into the crook of his shoulder and allowed him to shield her eyes from the grotesque imagery on the screen. "See? You're safe. What would you do without me?"

 

"I wouldn't be watching scary movies!" She shuddered against him and tugged the blankets over him. "You feel like that vampire guy from that saga thing."

 

"You mean 'Twilight'?" He chuckled as she rolled her eyes and held her closer to him. "Too bad I don't sparkle in the daylight."

 

"That'd be weird." She sighed and laid her head down on his shoulder with a groan and then a yawn. She tucked her hands between his back and the pillows in a desperate attempt at warmth that would not come. "Maybe you are sick already. You just don't realize it yet."

 

"Nah. I feel cold because you're burning up." He felt her brow and kissed her gently. "Maybe you should take a bath or something. How high is it, anyway?"

 

"I was gonna have Michelle check before I left the office but then a kid came in with his mom who was really pregnant for an appointment. I didn't want to make either of them sick. They were so cute."

 

Chris grinned at her before slipping out of the bed to retrieve the thermometer. He came back and stuck it under her tongue. She rolled her eyes as they waited. He took it out and squinted at the numbers. "That's pretty high, hon.102. You need to take a bath and then get some sleep."

 

"I'm not tired." Her voice pitched and dragged out into a childish whine.

 

"Well, maybe after the bath you will be. Come on." Chris shut the movie off and stood. He went into the bathroom and turned on the water. He sat on the edge of the tub and held his wrist under the running water until it began to turn warm. He set the plug in place and drizzled Natalie's favorite bubble bath into the flow. He watched the foam build as she shuffled into the room. "I know you feel cold but bundling up isn't going to help. Come here."

 

"Is it hot? I don't see any steam."

 

"Babe, you aren't cold. You're trapping heat in and making your fever worse." He took the knot of her robe and untied it. He smoothed his hands over her slender waist covered in his favorite t-shirt. He smirked up at her as he continued to undress her. "I've been thinking. Maybe it's time to buy a home together."

 

"Really?" She held his hand as she sank into the water with a shudder but sighed and relaxed as soon as she was submerged.

 

"Yeah. We've been living here for almost two years now." He moved down to sit on the tile beside her. He scooped the scented water up and poured it over her shoulders, not caring he would smell like crème brulée afterwards. He looked up into her eyes softly. “One day, I want you to be my wife. Mother of my children.”

 

“You do?” Her eyes grew wide as he nodded slowly. He watched her attention shift to their hands that met in a tender dance in midair. “Then yeah, we should go house hunting when I’m better.”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

 

Time passed and eventually, the water grew too cool for Natalie to withstand. She pulled the plug and stood, allowing Chris to help her out and cover her in her bath robe. They went back to their bed and sat down as he turned the movie back on.

 

“Oh, come on. I don’t wanna watch this anymore.” She turned her pleading eyes to him. “Let’s watch something cute or at least less scary.”

 

“You honestly think this is scary?” He watched her turn and walk back into the bathroom as he tucked an arm behind his head, anticipating her prompt return and yearned to hold her close to him again. He waited for a moment, his eyes searching the ceiling. “Babe?”

 

“If you’re gonna watch that, I’m gonna pamper.” Only her voice came to meet him.

He smirked and turned his head to stare at the darkened bathroom. “You’re gonna pamper? In the dark? Aren’t you afraid of what might be lurking within?”

 

“There’s nothing in here that can get me.”

 

He felt the mood in the apartment change drastically. He felt her fear grow as her confidence faltered. “Sure there is. There in the shadow on the mirror. A face is watching you. You can feel its eyes on you even now. I bet you’re looking for it. You’re looking for its black eyes that sometimes see you when you're sleeping. You’re waiting for the feel of the air on its arms that you've felt many times before. The feel always gives you goosebumps when you’re least expecting it. But you won’t find it. It’s master of the shadows. Can you feel its icy fingers creeping out to brush your arm? It’s closer than you think.”

 

“Stop!” The light snapped on. “Just stop! You win.”

 

He did nothing but laugh and turn his eyes back to the television, flipping it to a comedy playing to calm her when she came rushing out to him. She nestled down close to him and buried her face into the comfort of his neck. “I’m sorry, babe. You’re safe. I won’t let anything get you.”

 

She huffed and shifted to rest her knee on his thigh.

 

“That could make for an interesting screenplay though. It’s been a while since I’ve seen an actually scary movie. They all use shock value to cover for the shoddy storytelling.”

 

“If that’s what you wanna do. Just don’t use me for your guinea pig!” She pulled back enough to give him a warning glare only to smile and allow her expression to soften when he kissed her softly. He smoothed his thumb over the light dusting of freckles across the top of her cheek as he cupped her cheek.

 

“I won’t, babe.” He wrapped his arm around her and held her until she drifted off to sleep.