My Husband and His Doll Chapter 2

The next day was Saturday.

Calvin told me a coworker would be coming over to catch up and asked that I make more food than usual. I started my day early, slaving away in the kitchen since 6:00 am to whip up stewed beef, shrimp salad, and roasted tomato soup.

At 11:00 am, the doorbell rang.

Calvin went to get the door while I brought the food out from the kitchen.

A young woman stood at the door wearing a short floral dress. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and she held a fruit basket in one hand.

"Calvin, Laura, thanks for having me," she said, flashing a sweet smile in my direction.

Dorothy. She'd lost a bit of weight since the last time I saw her, but she appeared to be in good health, if the pink flush in her cheeks was any indication.

The comments flooded my vision immediately.

"Deedee's here! She looks so sweet and delicate in that dress. Calvin can't take his eyes off her!"

"Calvin gave her that hickie last night, didn't he? I bet Laura hasn't even noticed."

"Dorothy deliberately left her neck bare so Laura could see that hickie."

My gaze fell on Dorothy's neck. Sure enough, a faint reddish mark peeked out from under the neckline of her dress. It was subtle, but noticeable upon close inspection.

I said nothing and turned back to the kitchen. Dorothy trailed after me and took up the spot beside me. She tilted her head to one side and watched me chop the vegetables.

"Your knifework is amazing, Laura. Calvin's a lucky guy," she praised.

"I'm not that good." I didn't so much as lift my head.

Dorothy reached for one diced zucchini on the cutting board and popped it into her mouth. "I love that apron you're wearing, Laura," she said as she chewed. "Where'd you get it?"

I glanced down at the floral apron I was wearing. Calvin had given it to me for my birthday last month, but I couldn't bring myself to use it until now.

"Calvin got it for me."

"Wow, he has great taste." Dorothy grinned, her eyes crinkling. "The T-shirt he gave me last time is really nice too. I wear it to bed every night."

My hand paused. "He gave you a T-shirt?"

"Yeah. I had to work late one evening last month and didn't have anything to change into, so he lent me a T-shirt. After that, he told me I didn't have to return it, so I've kept and worn it since." She tilted her head to the side. "You don't mind, do you, Laura?"

The comments flooded my vision.

"Here it comes. The classic 'You don't mind, do you?' line!"

"Laura's looking pale! LOL!"

"Dorothy's doing it on purpose. That shirt still smells like Calvin. It feels like he's hugging her every night she wears it to sleep."

"Come on, Laura. Lose your shit already! When she snaps, it's game over for her. Calvin hates it when she gets all dramatic."

I took a deep breath and scooped the diced zucchini into a plate. "No, I don't mind at all. It's just a T-shirt."

Dorothy's eyes flashed. She seemed disappointed.

She turned and left the kitchen. When she walked into the living room, she plopped down beside Calvin on the couch.

He was scrolling through his phone when Dorothy leaned close to him. He absentmindedly stroked her hair, his gesture practiced and natural. From the looks of it, this wasn't the first time they'd been intimate like this.

"Calvin, you should spoil Laura more," Dorothy said in a honeyed voice. "She works so hard in the kitchen."

"You call that working hard? It's just a bit of cooking," Calvin replied. He didn't even take his eyes off his phone.

Dorothy giggled, then buried her face in the crook of Calvin's neck, nuzzling him.

I watched them through the kitchen's glass door, nearly dropping the plate I'd been holding.

The comments were merciless.

"Laura's grinding her teeth in the kitchen. God, that's satisfying!"

"Damn, Dorothy's sweet-and-innocent act is epic. Laura can't even call her out!"

"Calvin doesn't care about Laura's feelings at all, not when he has Dorothy!"

"Dorothy's going to resonate with the doll again tonight. Calvin will cuddle her to sleep while Laura lies beside them. Just thinking about it gets me excited!"

I closed my eyes and set the plate down on the table.

Fine, then. If it was excitement they wanted, I'd give them excitement.