The woman stood in front of her mirror, momentarily disconcerted by her appearance. It wasn't that she didn't recognize herself, it was just that something felt off.
Dark brown hair, cut short, falling at the nape of her neck. Honey colored eyes, with specks of green sprinkled in her iris. Smooth, olive skin. She had her mother's complexion and was thankful for it.
Everything was in its place, no alteration to her face that she could see. No. It was something else.
The woman shook off her feeling of unease and walked into the kitchen, joining her husband. Their morning ritual, having coffee together, was something she looked forward to every day.
Their children were grown and out of the house, living with families of their own. It had been an adjustment, getting used to living with her husband without the company of children, but she was learning to enjoy their time as a couple.
She walked in to find him searching through the kitchen cupboards and shelves. "Honey, what are you looking for?"
"The coffee grinder," he said as he shut the pantry closed. "Don't you always keep it in the third shelf of the pantry?"
The woman, feeling a bit irritated, walked over to the pantry. Surely the grinder was exactly where she left it. She had been putting it on the third shelf for years. That was the coffee grinder's spot. Her husband never looked for things properly.
She opened the pantry and only saw an empty shelf. Confused, she looked at the top shelf. Nothing. Perhaps the bottom shelf. How could one misplace a coffee grinder that was always in the same spot?
Her husband cleared his throat from behind her. "Did you by chance put the grinder in the freezer?"
The woman turned around to look at her husband, "Don't be ridic..." Her voice trailed off as she walked up to the open freezer door.
There, in the ice bucket, was the coffee grinder. "Well, I never." The woman, startled, reached for the grinder. It was ice cold.
Her husband looked at her with concerned eyes, "It's okay love. Maybe you were distracted yesterday morning." He smiled at her gently, putting his arms around her shoulders, he led her to a counter stool and took the grinder out of her hands.
The woman rubbed her temples. "Maybe. I'm so tired lately. Maybe I need vitamins...." She looked around uncertainly, not recognizing her own home for a minute.
The man looked at his wife searchingly, taking in her confusion. Just last week, he had found the milk in the cupboard. The vinegar was found in the crisper. Sideways. He had chosen not to tell his wife of his findings.
He was worried for her. This was not something his wife did. She was always on top of things. Always in control. She was the most organized person he had ever met.
Taking a coffee cup, he poured his wife some coffee and walked over to where she was seated. "Here you go honey."
The woman looked up at her husband, confusion settling over her eyes, "Honey?"
He looked up in alarm.
Her eyes cleared and she laughed, "Sugar, please."
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