Chapter 14 I'm Dead Serious

• "We're husband and wife, and this is a normal part of every couple's needs in a healthy relationship. Have I said something that got you thinking otherwise?" Lewis said matter-of-factly after shifting his gaze from her to the boxes of condoms in the cart.
• Tia shook her head in response, for he had never said anything misleading about this. Also, she had thought about their sexual life when she decided to find a guy to marry off to. She wouldn't avoid normal needs and obligations; it was just that this was brought to the table so suddenly that it mortified her. With that, she looked away from his eyes and mumbled, "I-I didn't say I don't want to."
• Though she mumbled under her breath, he still heard her loud and clear. Then, he glanced at the two boxes and asked, "Are you saying that you want kids as soon as possible?"
• "I—" Tia's face was as red as a beetroot at this point. She glared at him, but she was rendered at a loss for words.
• Thinking that she was indeed in a hurry to get pregnant, Lewis retrieved the boxes in the cart. "Since you want kids, then we won't be needing this," he said while turning around to put the boxes back in place.
• When she saw that, Tia hurriedly snatched the condoms from him and chucked them back into their cart as she mumbled with a flushed face, "I'm not thinking of having kids so soon."
• This has to stop, or it'll only get worse if we keep at this subject! With a flushed face, she headed straight to the exit.
• Lewis thought he understood something when he saw her uncomfortable look. At that, he looked at the two boxes of condoms in the cart. When he glanced at her once again, his lips curved into a smile, and he chuckled under his breath while shaking his head.
• The redness on Tia's face still hadn't receded when they left the supermarket, and she looked out of the window as soon as they got into the car. It seemed like she was trying to avoid the awkward situation.
• Then, the car suddenly stopped after driving for only a short distance. With that, she turned to look at Lewis, only to find him looking at her too. "Come on, let's get out of the car," he cooed.
• To that, Tia shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll wait for you in the car." He didn't say where they were going, nor did she ask, but she was still traumatized by their mortifying conversation in the supermarket.
• No way was she going to have another mortifying moment in one night.
• On the other hand, Lewis looked at her for quite some time and only got out of the car himself after he was certain she really meant it. "I'll be right back."
• With that, he headed into the mall across from them.
• True to his words, Lewis came back in no time. While he was away, Tia pondered in the car as she considered hiring a caretaker since she had to resume work the following day.
• The doctor said Elizabeth would have to recuperate for a good half a year, but no one else would be home since Tia had to work. Hence, getting a caretaker to look after her grandmother while she was away was a good solution.
• Just as she was wondering where she could find one, Lewis had already returned and handed her a tiny shopping bag after getting into the driver's seat. "Open it. See if you like it."
• "What is it?" Tia asked while taking the item out, only to be rendered speechless for a moment before she could turn to him. "You… This…"
• It was none other than a pair of platinum wedding rings!
• "Don't all marriages come with a wedding ring?" Lewis said plainly, which took Tia aback for a moment. "You sure have everything prepared," she said with a chuckle.
• At that, Lewis looked at her. "As I mentioned previously, I'm serious about marriage."
• Indeed, Lewis had said this during their first meeting itself, even when she asked him to marry her the following day. Then again, it was a good thing since seriousness toward marriage also represented one's loyalty to it, didn't it? Wasn't this exactly what Tia was looking for?
• As she continued to stare at the rings, Lewis leaned over and took the box away. Following that, he took the ladies' ring out, brought Tia's hand to him, and slowly put the ring on her ring finger without saying a word.
• After checking out the ring on her finger, she looked over at him and asked, "Do you want me to put it on you?"
• Lewis shook his head in response. "My job forbids me from wearing any jewelry."
• "In that case, wouldn't I be losing out?" Tia teased as she swung her hand with the ring on it. "I'm a married woman once I put this ring on, whereas you're forbidden to wear any jewelry. Wouldn't you be bagging a bargain if some other young woman makes a move on you, thinking you're still unmarried?"
• "I won't look at other women," Lewis promised with a dead-serious expression.
• Tia chuckled at that. "I'm just kidding. Do you have to be so serious?"
• She swore this guy had zero sense of humor in him.
• Lewis smiled as well and proclaimed, "If a woman does make a move on me, I'll show her our marriage certificate and tell her that I'm married."
• Tia was stumped for a split second, then she burst into laughter. "Is this the Harvey humor?"
• As humorless as he was, he could make a joke too—it was a tad bit dry, though.
• Lewis shrugged with a smile, saying nothing as he started the car and drove off.
• By the time they got home, Elizabeth had fallen asleep in her bed, seemingly tired.
• With that, Tia tucked her in before she tiptoed out of Elizabeth's room and closed the door quietly.
• Meanwhile, Lewis brought their shopping into the kitchen and had even put on the apron, getting ready to cook. Judging from his stance, he seemed to know what he was doing.
• When he saw Tia standing in the kitchen doorway, he asked while washing the pan that hadn't been used for a couple of weeks, "Has Grandma fallen asleep?"
• His voice pulled her back to reality, and at that, she nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, she's asleep," she said while walking up to him.
• Then, she saw the pan in the sink and offered, "Here, why don't you take a break outside and let me do it."
• Even if they had just gotten married, they still hadn't had much interaction and barely knew much about each other. Hence, Tia still acted somewhat distant.
• "It's fine." Lewis didn't let go of the pan. Instead, he suggested, "Why don't you prepare the vegetables?"
• His words stumped Tia for a split second, and she looked toward the big bag of vegetables aside. However, seeing how he looked like he was about to cook up a feast, she smiled and nodded. "Sure."
• While she readied the vegetables, she watched Lewis as he busied himself at the countertop. He seemed rather experienced, certain with what he was doing. After swiftly chopping up some herbs, he removed the scales and gutted the fish, then took out the dutch oven to put the fish in. He moved so proficiently that he looked like a Michelin star chef.