Day One (Naomi)

Naomi's eyes shot open at 5:00am. She felt amazingly alert and energetic, ready to get to work for Natalie.

As she set about preparing, Naomi mused about her own decision-making. Everything was so much simpler now. In all situations, do what's best for Natalie. She cracked an egg into a bowl and began to whisk.

What was best for Nat? Natalie said she wanted a girlfriend and Naomi believed her. She ground a little black pepper into the bowl and started a kettle of water. She needed to be a good girlfriend. Nonchalant, as though nothing was different.

Naomi wiped her brow on her sleeve as she poured the contents of the bowl into a baking pan. It didn't even feel like work to her; the thought of quitting and going back to bed was incomprehensible. She was making breakfast for Natalie because everything she did was for Natalie.

She ran the coffee grinder and began rinsing out the press pot when an idea struck her. As she put the grounds in, she added just a dash of nutmeg. That was her preference, not Natalie's, but she did it without hesitation. She just wasn't sure why.

Waiting for the coffee and casserole, she explored that thought. Why add nutmeg to the coffee when she knew Natalie didn't like it? Well, she liked it, and Natalie liked her. In fact, Naomi mused, her girlfriend's main concern since this all started was that Naomi maintain her independence. Doing small things for herself was actually better for Nat since it would help to keep her mind at ease.

The kitchen timer went off and Naomi pressed the coffee pot, then went to the bedroom. Natalie was sleeping on her stomach, her mouth open and a small puddle of drool on her pillow. Naomi quietly opened the blinds just a little, causing a beam of light to fall across Natalie's legs. She checked the time and went back to the kitchen, making a note to open the blinds a little more every sixty seconds.

Finally, right around 6:20, Natalie began to stir. Naomi quickly left, realizing that nothing says "mind-controlled ****" like being there when the master wakes up. She slouched a little, wanting to project calm, lazy morning vibes. She grabbed a novel from the coffee table and opened it to a random page just before Natalie entered the room.

"Good morning! I made you coffee and a little breakfast casserole." Naomi tried to sound as casual as possible.

Natalie was still half-asleep. She began to protest when a look of horror dawned on her face and Naomi suppressed a grimace. She muttered something about how Naomi had to make her breakfast.

"Nope," Naomi said. "I did it because I wanted to."

She suppressed a giggle at the look of surprise on her girlfriend's face when she sipped the coffee. Natalie seemed almost offended when she asked why it had nutmeg in it. Naomi gave the response she'd rehearsed all morning.

"You don't want a sex ****, right? You want a girlfriend? Well, sometimes your girlfriend makes coffee the way she likes it."

Natalie started to dig deeper and Naomi cut her off with a kiss. "Don't overthink it," she told her. "Just let it play out."

Natalie seemed dissatisfied, but she was in too much of a hurry to press the issue. She rushed out the door, leaving Naomie alone with the half-finished breakfast and coffee.

Now that Natalie was gone, Naomi shifted back into productive mode. It was strange how effortless it felt, like holding her breath underwater. Her body just seemed to spring to life on its own, setting aside the book to focus on her tasks. There was no deliberation or hesitance, just the instant need to do something for Natalie.

First she turned off the air conditioning, then went through the apartment opening windows. Naomi set about cleaning in the least conspicuous ways she could, dusting the fans and high shelves, cleaning under the bed and the sofa, and wiping smudges from the kitchen appliances. She couldn't keep herself from cleaning the bathroom a little bit, even though Natalie would surely notice. Her goal was to make it look like she hadn't spent more than an hour cleaning.

She was on her knees with a toilet brush when another urge hit her. She checked her phone and saw that it was 9:05, giving her ten minutes to clean herself, dress, and get to class. As she pulled her hair back into a tight bun, Naomi reflected on her new look. Rather than the typical jeans and tank top combo, she was wearing a fashionable blazer and skirt for some reason.

It makes me look smart and hot. She only realized as she was looking in the mirror that she wanted other people to be jealous of Natalie. She pictured heads turning as she walked, gazes lingering a little too long. Spurning all advances and proudly announcing that she was Natalie's. There goes Natalie's girl, they would say. Man, what I wouldn't give...

The train of thought ended abruptly as she felt a familiar tickle in her abdomen. No time for distractions; she had to get to class.