Mastication

Lacie had only been married for three months

when she suddenly noticed

the way that her husband—

the love of her life, 

the man of her dreams, etc.—

chewed his food.

His jaws working

mechanically,

pulverizing, tearing,

crunching, grinding,

lips smacking,

brief gulp of a swallow,

slurping at the lid of a can,

then the next bite of food

shoveled in

to begin the process

all over again,

his eyes blankly

staring at the television

blaring across the room.

Lacie stood up then

and shouted,

to her spouse’s utter bewilderment,

“Stop! Stop it right now, goddamnit!”

“Wha?” he asked,

wounded puppy voice with a mouth

half full of food.

“Sorry…I’m sorry,” she replied,

eyes cast downward.

“It was nothing…must just be

that time of the month, ha ha!”

He eyed her suspiciously,

then resumed dining,

and Lacie realized then

just how long

happily ever after would be.