Rebecca Ferguson- nothing real but love & unchained melody - The righteous brothers. Inspired me to write this chap! You'll know what I mean when you get to the part! Anywho, enjoy lovelies!
Vote Comment share

** Andrew Pov **

I messed up. Big time.

I've single handling dug my own grave. Things that I've said to her were uncalled for...

° Flashback °

"Andrew, hold on" I hear Joseph come after me as I unlock the car door to get in.

"hold on," he pats my shoulder. I turned around.

"Going back there will not fix anything, at least not now! It won't," I explained.

I hurt her, badly. And let my ego get the best of me. Why couldn't I just put my pride aside as she suggested. She could've return home with me, tonight. Sleep, soundly in my arms. After, I've battled my hardest to earn her love back by passionate love making. If that even makes sense. I just.. But, no instead. I got drunk lashed out my anger on her.

"do you love her?" he asks. Getting me out of my thoughts.

I sighed.

".... I do. More than anything" I ran a hand through hair.

Dang, I really messed up this time. My stomach turns. As I remember the looked in her eyes. Hurt. Betrayal. It was not my place to say things about what happened to her with Tony. Especially, when she had just gotten thr courage to tell me about her past. Now I felt, unworthy of her. As if I don't deserve her. Not anymore.

"then you'll have to do exactly, what I tell you, understand" he advice.

I nodded. In lost of hope. Who knows maybe Jacqueline husband, Joseph had a better solution that I desperately needed.

° End of flashback °

My wife avoids to make eye contact with me by scanning all around the building, everywhere that did not included me in the picture.

Man, she hates me. She really hates me.

But I couldn't help to admire how beautiful she looked. As always.

"you look--" I aimed to say but was interrupt by an another voice. Which got my wife and I full attention.

"y'all must be the Henderson's" an mid age african Amercian steps in to speak with us. With a beautiful brown skintone that emulates my wife's.

"Andrew and Linda to be correct" she read the clipboard that was handed to her by the receptionist.

"that's correct" my wife answers truthfully for her and I.

I frown.

God, really wanted to show off when he created black women.

Don't get me wrong. Beauty do come in, all colors, shape, sizes, etc..

But there's just something about black women.

That you can't help but love.

"Susanne, hold my calls, will you" she says still smiling at us.

"yes, ma'am" the redhead receptionist replies.

"Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Henderson follow me" Dr. Givens led us to her office.

"Jacqueline, has told me so much about y'all" she takes a seat at the lime green couch. Then addressed us to do also.

Linda and I sat on the edge of each side of the couch that we shared and leaving a gap in between that she awkwardly filled it with the red stripped pillow that was nearest to her.

I too placed mines on top of hers mimicking her gesture. She glimpsed at my way from the corner of her eyes than looks away.

Dr. Givend grabs her notepad began to write things down.

"so, where should we start?"

Linda and I looked at each other.

"we-" we said in unison.

"I'll, um, go first...if that's okay with you" I spoke softly. Something that I haven't done in a while. Which puts me at the category among the worst husband of the year. For, now. Heck, I wanna get outta that rank, soon.

"sure" she nodded.

"yesterday...we...my wife and I had gotten into a fight over meaningless things. And I had said something that I shouldn't-" I explained.

"how did that make you feel?" Dr. Givens asks my wife.

"I felt hurt," Linda replies as she grabs the box of tissue that was on the table.

I sighed.

Way to make me feel more quilty. Last night I barely sleep. Joseph suggestion to come here. Seemed to be a good idea. To resolved whatever issue we're having.

But now I just think it was a bad move. I'm not used to seeing people cried, especially because of me.

"I was drunk, Linda. I barely remember what happened that night, I'm sorry." I sighed.

"well, I did! The way you treated me last night can be equal to the ways an harlot is treated, Andrew" she exclaimed.

"I just said-" I reply getting annoyed.

"I'm not a whore, I'm not" she declares.

"nobody said you were-" I yelled.

Dr. Given holds up her index finger as an signal to pause.

"Mrs. Henderson, I would like to hear your side of the story" says Dr. Givens as she clicks her pen on and off.

"The baby...we were...well, still having trouble having a baby. Then repeatedly, he began to come home late-"

"it was work," I cutt in running a hand through my hair.

"I was getting to that" she mutters.

Dr. Givens wrote on her notepad some more. Curiously, I was itching to know what she's writting. She's probably thought that we we're those couple that fights day in and day out.

"but long, before that I suspected that he was...cheating," my wife confessed.

"what led you to think that?" Asks Dr. Givens, curiously.

"because, there was.. I found.. lipstain on his tie" Linda continued.

"oh," Dr. Givens raised her eyebrow in surprise by wife comment. Swiftly, brushed it off as if it did not astonished her and proceed to jotted down more things on the notepad.

"did you confront him about it?" she asks my wife.

"yes-"

"I didn't cheated. That tie belonged to my friend, Ted" I added. Knowing precisely where this consevation was heading, too. Trouble. And it did.

Dr. Givens, observes Linda and I going at it without bothering to interrupt. Which confused me causing I thought Joseph and Jacqueline suggested that we come here to save our marriage instead of being at each other throats.

"it's perfectly normal for couples to have conflicts at starting stage of marriage. I've worked with many couples as you with similiar problems"

"Situations as this are what makes or break a relationship. And many can't handle that, so they choose the easy way out, which an divorce." Dr. Givens imply after we've cold off from yelling at each other.

"you two, seems like a couple that loves each other despite of the stubbornness, and difference. My husband and I have been married for 22 years. We had ups and downs just as othee couples. So, I have high hope that y'all will do just fine" she advice.

"....what do you think we should do for now" I asked.

"Some, time off. I'll advice that you both take a breather. From each other. Be separated for 28 days. You'll require be to live in different homes, or hotel which ever your hearts desire"

"But you'll be discrete for that given amount of days. No visits. Phone calls only, and online chatting such as skype will be allowed" she announced.

"oh..." says my wife.

Good, to know that I'm not the only that's uncomfortable with this idea.

"are you up for it?" Dr. Givens.challenged.

"...I'll do it, only if you will" my wife whispers.

I didn't what to be apart from her. But for the sake of our marriage. It's a risk I'm willing to take.

"alright, we'll do it" I sighed.

"wonderful, you'll be monitored at all time by my crew. So, do play fair, understood?" Dr. Givens, stated.

"Thank you, Dr. Givens" my wife and I shake the marriage counselor when the succession was through.

"thank you so much" my wife adds.

"remember, take time to focus on other things, hobbies, work, etc anything other than the marriage"

"Also, you'll both have come here on Fridays of each weeks for an follow up. To see how y'all are handling the separation. And finally to return on the 28th day," she reminds us one last time before we left.

"thanks, again" I said.

"not a problem. Mr. Henderson. oh, and best of luck" Dr. Givens says as we exit her office.

Linda and I silently walked outside building.

"do you want me to take you home or.." I asked.

"oh no, its fine. Jacky will be here, soon.." she bit her lip gazing at her feet.

"I don't see her around, let me take you home," I insisted. This time she agreed.

"I, have, um, to get my things, you know what Dr. Givens recommoned" she says.

"yea, sure" I reply. We got in the car. No one really said anything.

When we arrived, Linda bolt out of the car. Went in our home. Why is she in a hurry? We just got home. I followed her. Found, her in our master bedroom. Packaging. I undo my tie letting it drop on the floor. Slowly, approached her.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she did not sense me being there. I encircled my arms around her waist.

"....what are you doing?" she asks, carefully

"trying make up" I nuzzled her neck.

"you've already aimed to do that, yesterday, while bein-" she respond.

Why can't she just that let go.

"I'm not drunk, okay" I starts to undressed.

"we- I can't. Dr. Givens said that" she shakes her head.

Her body language was told me another story.

"she didn't say anything about-" our cellphones rang at the same time.

From: Dr. Givens

«The marriage counselor»

Dear,

Mr. & Mrs. Henderson. There's one last important info that I forget to mention. No itimacy. So, you'll practice being celibate for 4 weeks. Hope that it'll not be much of a challenge. Again, best of luck.

Not much of a challenged.

I chuckled. I almost failed. This is already a challenge for me.

"I'll see you in 4 weeks, or whenever we have, our marriage appointment" she zips her suitcase. I'm guessing that our marriage counselor forward her the same message that I received.

"where will you be staying? Jacqueline's" I asked.

"Jacky is great and all. But she's also married..and I don't want to be a burden..I will be staying at my parents"

Man, I know that the in laws will not be happy about this. Neither, will my parents.

But I can't say stay here. Everything, will remind me of her.

The plan that Dr. Givens has for plotted for us will all go into drain. Because I will want to see her...

I took my suitcase filled it with my clothes. She watched me as I packaged.

"here, I'll take the Lincoln. You can take the Chrysler" I handed her the car keys.

"...where are you going?" She asks.

"My parents. I can't stay here..without you being here. I just can't" I confessed.

Interlocking my hand with hers. She looks at me. We stood there, getting lost into each other eyes. There's was so much we wanted to say. All the things we yearned to say spoke in our eyes.

I chose to say something that will not caused any disputes. I chose to say something that I meant from the bottom my heart.

"I love you" I tipped her chin up. Her eyes watered with tears.

"I love you, okay" I hugged her tightly.

She nods "I love you too, I do" she cried.

"four weeks, not that bad. We'll make it" I wiped her tears and placed a kiss on her forehead. We took our luggages put them in the car.

"I'll see you" my wife pecks my lips. Shyly, gets in the car. She puts on her seatbelt and rolls her window.

"I'll see you, soon" I kissed her, lightly. Although I wanted more. I managed to control myself. I watched as she speed off.

God, I really hope this will somehow better our marriage. I looked up at the sky. Got into my car. And droved off as she did.

_____

Any questions, thoughts, feel free to leave a comment down below! Don't forget to vote!

Vote. Comment. Share. 🌹