Page 65 of The Marriage Narrative
“Last-minute schedule change,” she croaked. “We’re doing a gender split today. Ladies on an outing. Little men at home.”
“Why?” Jordan asked as he retrieved their mics from the black box.
“Why not? If you’re still upset about Lulie’s little outburst, don’t be.” That wasn’t a suggestion. Mabel’s half-smile read as defeated more than anything else.
Zinnia checked her calendar. Although they filmed chronologically, storyline events were chopped, reordered, and edited to fit the overall narrative of the show. The Zaffre cold war that had lasted almost two whole weeks was unceremoniously over. Because today she needed to be a sister-in-law bestie.
Every day could be a new day with a blank slate in the Zaffre house.
Jordan was convinced that a decade of these forced switch-upshad permanently stunted the twins emotionally. He even claimed that if his parents could go back, they’d keep the twins off the show entirely.
She wasn’t sure if she believed that, though.
“Where are they going?” he asked.
“Shopping. The mall.”
Perfectly parallel worry lines appeared between Jordan’s eyebrows. Zinnia reached up and gently smoothed them with her thumb before cupping his jaw and saying, “I think I’ll buy a pair of those shorts we talked about. You’re gonna give yourself heat stroke dressed like that.”
He had his signature black shirtontoo—it was hard to not imagine the perfect-for-her arms he was hiding under there.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I’ve managed to survive this long doing it. I’ll be fine.”
“And so will I. Don’t worry. Text me all you want.”
“All right.”
“Hug me. A ten. Come on.”
He chuckled, finally smiling. She melted in his arms, sighing against his neck and then breathing him in. He always held her with the perfect amount of pressure—that precarious middle ground between comforting and too much. Whenever she felt stressed today, which was pretty much guaranteed, she’d flip back to this moment. Her newfound happy place.
Mabel cleared her throat. “Alfie, head to your parents’ room. Zinnia, you’re with me. Let’s go.”
Jordan kissed both of Zinnia’s cheeks, twice, before waving them off as he headed into the house.
“He’s so damn stubborn,” Mabel said as they began walking in the opposite direction. Deciding to personally escort Zinnia to the garage was interesting. “Do you have some kind of weird no-kissing pact too?”
She laughed. “Yes, actually.”
“I swear he enjoys making my life hell. I’d hoped you’d be different, but I never get whatIwant.”
“Why would you?”
Mabel’s glare came in hot and fast.
“It’s just a question,” she said. “Here’s a different one. I really don’t like the clicker. Can—”
“No.” Mabel almost smiled. “Trust me, you don’t want to pick that fight. You’re almost out of here. Just tough it out a little bit longer and then you two can go off and…try your best elsewhere in someone else’s segments. Let’s just get through the summer, okay? You’re doing much better than you were.”
ZnO2 Group Chat
ZINNIA:Shopping with Lulie today. Any connection tips?
FIONA:Voluntarily?!
ZINNIA:Surprise schedule change.
GRACE:Interesting choice. I think there was an episode about her wanting to be a personal stylist. I’ll send a link for the summary. Hold on.
