Page 58 of Beyond our Forever

Turned out we were on the same page, so when my fingers found the knot in his tie and started pulling on it, my husband wrapped his hands in my hair as he started kissing me.

Many things between us had changed, but the flame was still alive, it had survived the cold breeze, and now his touch became the tinder that ignited the flame of my body. I needed nothing else, only him, and everything he could give me.

Just him.

“Bruce…” I moaned his name as another kiss sealed our lips.

Until the damn phone started ringing, breaking the mood. Of course it was his phone, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out who was calling him.

His lover, and a demanding one.

His job.

I tried not to be resentful as I attempted to swallow my ingratitude that day, reminding myself that it was his job that was taking us on this magical trip to my dream city.

So yeah, I could accept that for now the fever could wait. One more day wasn’t going to hurt.

Muttering his excuses, Bruce took the call as he dropped me back onto the sofa, and I watched him adjust the uncomfortable bulge in his pants. What a waste, I sighed to myself.

While he was discussing something to do with electrical installations, I went to the closet, trying to distract myself by going through my underwear drawers, where I found only basic white and gray cotton pieces.

When did I stop worrying about what I was wearing under my clothes?

I took a few minutes to study my reflection in the mirror. Maybe I should get a haircut and a few nice skirts, some summer clothes.

All I wore were boring neutral shirts and pants, comfortable clothing. Mommy’s clothes, as Emilia mockingly called them. My life was always so hectic. I was lucky if I found time in the morning to do something for myself.

I was a wife, I was a mother, but I was still a woman… wasn’t I?

I heard the alarm in the distance meaning time was up, I had to hurry otherwise I’d get stuck in traffic picking up my children. Then there’d be all the usual chores, and they’d need dinner and putting in bed.

And the next day would be the same story, the cycle that repeated endlessly. Even on weekends there was no rest as the kids got up even earlier demanding their breakfast.

A mom’s job never ends.

But now Paris loomed on the horizon. At least that would save my sanity. Now I had a wonderful romantic break with my husband to look forward to. Bruce’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Wait, Thia, how about we pick up the kids together and have dinner out somewhere?”

That sounded like heaven to me, I didn’t care about the meatloaf already in the oven if it meant a break from routine. This day was getting better and better, and I couldn’t wait for later when the house was quiet and we could enjoy the privacy of our room.

My children went mad when they saw their father had come with me, this was a rare occasion as his job didn’t allow it very often. Noah, Aaron, and Ava all competed for his attention with Bruce laughing as he tried to answer each of them.

This was my family. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine and their pure joy made my heart sing with happiness.

We walked through the crowded streets of the city until we reached our favorite Italian restaurant, a place which served homemade, traditional food. My kids loved the pizza they made there, so when we arrived, they already knew exactly what they wanted.

As the waitress walked away with our order, Bruce got ready to make our big announcement, about their Grandparents coming to look after them because we were going away.

“Mom and I have a surprise for you,” he began.

Of course, our daughter immediately started guessing what the surprise might be.

“A baby?” Ava asked, her eyes bright with hope.

“Nope. You’re still the baby of the family,” her father replied. “Do you really want to know or are you going to keep guessing?”

That silenced her long enough for him to continue without interruption.

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