As the door to their honeymoon suite clicked shut behind them, the newlyweds strolled into the room that would be their home for the rest of their life. There were too many toasts, awkward family members, and ceremonies that made the day last too long. But now they were finally by themselves. The bedside lights’ soft light made the room feel comfortable, and there was a mix of nervous excitement and calm happiness in the air.
The husband, a huge, strong man with a confident strut and a smile that was midway between charming and patronizing, walked up to the bed and pulled off his jacket. His bride, who was graceful and had sharp eyes, started to unpin her hair, letting lovely curls flow around her shoulders. There was a calmness between them that made you feel both delighted and intrigued. Then, as if he needed to express something that wasn’t uttered, the man grabbed his pants and jokingly hurled them at her.
“Here,” he said with a crooked smile. “Put these on.”
She was shocked and instinctively grabbed the thick waistline with both hands. “What?” she said, sounding more amused than confused.
“Put them on,” he said again, nodding once if he had just made a very important point.
She stepped into the legs of his jeans because she had to, since she was more interested in what was going on than anything else. The material was excessively long and bunched up around her feet. The waistline was also too big for her physique. She held them up by the sides and giggled a little.
“I can’t wear your pants,” she said with a giggle as she floated in the huge pants.
“Exactly,” he answered with a lot of confidence in his voice. “And don’t you ever forget it.” I am in charge of our relationship.
He crossed his arms and thought the conversation would end there. He thought that was a horrible way to say anything. This was a safe way to set the tone, make the rules, and make it apparent who would be in charge. It might have been a simple joke, but it had a hint of power, just like how men in his family had always “joked” about marriage.
But his wife, who was known for being smart and tough, didn’t let it bother her.
She smiled calmly, crouched down, took off her underwear, and threw her knickers across the room to him. They fell softly and clearly on the bed in front of him.
“Okay,” she said in a low voice. “Put these on now.”
He blinked in amazement. “What?” he said.
“You heard me,” she said, her voice still light but now more stern. “Put them on.”
When he picked them up, his smile faded a little. He tried to visualize how it would fit by holding the tiny waistline up with his huge fingers. The try was dumb. They wouldn’t even reach his thighs. He turned to gaze at her again because he could feel the change in the air.
He said, “I can’t get into your pants.”
She grinned and leaned forward. “That’s right.” And you won’t… not unless you change how you think.
There was silence in the air for a moment. It wasn’t cold or angry, but it was full of understanding. She had stated her point with style and comedy, and the tables had turned. It wasn’t about being in command. It wasn’t about figuring out who was in charge. It was all about having respect. It was about being normal and equal. It was about knowing that in a marriage, one person shouldn’t be the main focus while the other person supports them. There were two people.
The quiet was broken by real and open laughter. He relaxed and stopped being so tense. He went over, hugged her, and kissed her on the forehead.
The pants and the underwear stayed on the floor that night. But more importantly, any thoughts on who would be in charge and who would follow were also inaccurate. The couple learnt something important from that one delightful talk: that a healthy marriage is based on balance, not control. It’s not about making the rules; it’s about making them together.
They would always remember the first thing they learned as a couple.