It is Either You, Or No One

Georgia Fay came out of the room, holding a pink lipstick on her hand, and a mirror in the other hand. She checked her reflection in the mirror as she applied the lipstick on her lips and nodded in satisfaction, she was the perfect definition of beauty.

"You look really handsome today" Georgia commended, looking at her husband, Mark Dreal in admiration.

"What do you mean?" He frowned, knotting his tie.

"I mean you look great" Georgia smiled and took her bag from the couch.

"You mean, all these while I have not been handsome? You are indirectly saying I am ugly, is that it?" Mark stopped halfway through knotting the tie and raised his head to look at Georgia.

"That is not what I mean, I love your tie, that's it" Georgia said softly, trying to control her outburst.

"Reserve the compliment for some other time, I have a lot of things to do today, I really do not want you to ruin my day" Mark said carelessly.

"Me? I don't get that" Georgia smiled, hoping he didn't mean what he had said.

"How do I look?" Georgia asked, dropping the mirror in her bag.

"I hate your cloth" Mark stopped knotting the tie and looked at her like some ant that he would be willing to trample under his feet at any moment.

"What is wrong with it? You loved it the other day. Remember the day we went to Louis's party?" Georgia gave a charming smile, hoping he would remember. He had held her hand that day and kissed her in the midst of all his friends.

"Listen to yourself! Today is different from the other day. Are you not aware of the tending? You will remain stuck in this cloth forever just because you heard me say I love it some years ago? I hate the cloth already" another word from Georgia would make Mark walk over to her and pull the dress off her if she would not take it off by herself.

"Not some years ago, and it is not even up to a year since we got married" Georgia snapped.

"Are you sure? I think it has been over ten years that I have admired the cloth. Your old face too points how long it had been" he pulled on an annoying grin.

Georgia ignored the words, even though it hurt her, she could not help but believe she was really getting old. At thirty two, she was looking like a woman in her sixties, at least that is how Mark paints her everyday.

"But, what is wrong with it?" She was getting late already, Georgia had a hard time getting dressed, deliberately choosing to wear this because Mark had said he loved it. She could not believe he was saying another thing now.

"It is too short, are you a pervert?" Mark glared at her.

"What?" Georgia looked at the cloth, the gown stopped a little above her knee.

"If I instruct you not to wear something, as your husband, you should listen to me" he growled.

Just like he stopped her from having friends!

"Can we quit this early in the morning? I have an appointment with a patient today, it is almost time that I meet her" Georgia sighed in frustration.

"If you knew that, you should not have asked me to access your dress for you. What is more important? Me or you work?" Mark questioned.

Was that what he was thinking? She would be selfish to leave without doing as he had instructed, Georgia gave a rueful smile.

"I almost forgot, I am sorry" deep down, Georgia was hoping they would stop the drama and she would get to work fast.

"I am angry already. Go wear another cloth" Mark continued knotting his tie, his back turned to Georgia.

"Can you help me choose? I had a hard time selecting this one. We might as well save each other the stress of wasting time" Georgia bite her lower lip, that was almost out of bounds.

In reply, Mark shot her an angry look before turning his back to her again.

After a long search for a cloth that seemed good in her wardrobe, Georgia finally found a long jacket over her gown.

"How about this?" Mark crossed his legs and was busy pressing his phone when Georgia came back to the sitting room.

"Too short and body revealing. Don't you know how old you are? You are supposed to know all these clothes don't suit you. You are some years over thirty for crying out loud!" Mark banged his fist on the table, dropped his phone and stood up. He walked inside, brushing past Georgia.

He threw her a long gown after spending a long time in the room, all through the time, Georgia was checking the time.

"Wear that, and be fast with it" he resumed his seat and continued pressing his phone.

"This seems to be too long," Georgia complained, quickly smiling to stop Mark from shouting at her again.

Mark accessed her when she was done wearing the gown, he pointed to her heels.

"Only young women wear this, I hate women who wear it" he took off the heel shoes for her and threw it across the room.

"What am I supposed to wear then?" Georgia stared at him, wishing she could give him a hard knock in the head.

He shook his head slightly, his brown hair made Georgia dizzy as she noticed it. She could feel her cheek burning under his gaze. She hopes he doesn't notice it.

"I don't know, but as of today, as long as you remain my wife, you are not allowed to wear heels, I had a bad experience with women who wear it". Was he finally going to tell her about the women in his past? The thought warmed Georgia's heart. She had always wanted to know about them.

"So?" She asked eagerly.

"So, get rid of all the heel shoes you have." Disappointed, Georgia realized that was all he would say.

"I will," she smiled sheepishly.

"And, what is this?" Mark touched her face.

"Where? My makeup?" She glanced at him, whatever he was thinking, she was not sure.

"If you like it, I can use it everyday" she faked a smile.

"Get it off" Mark grabbed a tissue paper from his pocket and wiped a bit of it.

"I hate women who wear makeovers, they are usually the ugly ones, trying to hide the fact that they are ugly with the make up" Mark held her hand.

"I only used a little of it, but if you don't want it, I can get it off" Georgia bite her lower lip.

"And, this earring of yours doesn't suit you. Are you a slave?" He thrust the tissue paper in her hand and released it.

"You admired it the day I brought it home, why the change of mind?" Georgia frowned, daring to look at him.

"You bought it yourself?" Georgia could bet he was holding his breath, what exactly is wrong with him?

"Yes"

"I hope you know no one should give you any gift aside from me. If you ever receive any gift from anyone without my consent, you will be in trouble, a big one." Just when Georgia was going to demand a reason why she should not accept a gift from anyone he raised his hand to her head and patted her.

"You will never know the intention of anyone, it might be bad when it comes to gifts"

"I will not" all her protest melted under his touch.

"And, this your hair, I hate the smell of it. Wash it off" Mark took off his hand from her head and went some distance away from her.

"But, I used shampoo, there is nothing wrong with it" it was obvious his touch had an effect on her, because instead of her words coming out angrily, it came out as a weak protest.

"Get rid of the smell, I hate it" he sat back on the couch and started pressing his phone again.

Some minutes later, Georgia got back from the bathroom, having washed off the make overs and her hair. She took off her earring already, and was now wearing a sandal.

"How do I look now?" She dried her hair with a towel.

"I will meet you soon, I love you" Mark said to someone over the phone.

Georgia was sure she heard Mark say the L word, he had never said it to her all these while they had been together. Always making excuses for not saying it. The other night he had told her he hates to express his feelings with words. So far, he had not done anything to her to show he loved her, or maybe she was greedy. She shrugged.

"Who are you speaking with?" Georgia questioned, running the towel over her hair.

"Someone very important" he dropped the phone on the table and smiled.

"I don't seem to get what you are talking about" Georgia frowned.

"Don't worry, Erica, you will become aware of things as they are soon. A surprise." Georgia's heart raced, Mark had never done anything to surprise her before. She was definitely going to wait for this.

"I cannot wait, Mark. I love surprises" Georgia said, a smile on her face.

'You are getting old, and that smile doesn't suite you. A frown will be better " Mark winked at her.

"Here, help me with my hair, I am late to work already. If you help me to dry my hair, I might be a little faster than doing it myself" when Georgia expected him to ignore her, he took the towel from her and proceeded to help her dry her hair.

"Can you do me a favour?" Mark said behind her.

"A favour?"

"Yes. Can you do something for me?" He asked quietly, gently drying her hair.

"I will be willing to do anything for you" Georgia turned to him, holding his hand to stop him from drying her hair further.

"Quit your job" at first Georgia didn't understand what he was saying. She laughed.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" He asked coldly.

"Why not? You are asking me to quit my job, right?" Georgia held on to his hand, she could not help but admire his soft pink lips.

"Yes. I hate to see you work" his brows came together on his forehead.

"I cannot. Ask for another thing" Georgia released her grip on his hand and turned her back to him so that he could quickly get done with drying her hair.

"You're selfish, you know that, right?"

"Mark, you know how much I love my job, and you know my reasons for preferring being a therapist to any other profession. Don't act like you don't know it."

"I know, Erica, I just hate to see you work" Mark sighed and continued drying her hair.

"You don't have to worry about me, I will never get tired or sick. My work is my cure for any sickness. And I can live forgetting about my past thanks to my job." Georgia smiled, he seemed to be really concerned about her. The thought made her sigh in relief.

"Erica…" Mark turned her around so that she could face him.

"What?" She smiled.

"I hate to hear your voice, I am sick of it." What that was supposed to mean made no sense to Georgia, she raised her brows, confused.

"Stop this talk early in the morning, you don't have to tell me you hate me if you are not going to tell me you love me" Georgia walked over to where her bag was and picked it, she went outside, banging the door after her.

Georgia opened the car door and got inside, she was about to start the ignition when she thought about what she said, she wondered if she had made Mark angry.

Mark closed the door after him, the sun glasses he was wearing made him look like a rock star, that had made Georgia attracted to him the first time she saw him. He was different from every other man in her life. She was not surprised when she proposed to him herself and the next few days they were married.

The car roared to life and pulled out of the compound, he wasn't frowning so Georgia was sure he was not angry.

Her phone beeped, then rang before she could check the message.

"It has happened again" a female voice at the other end said, in between sobs.

"Hold on, I am coming right away. Get to my office ASAP" Georgia turned on the ignition and speed out of the compound.