Page 3 of Everything For Love

It takes me a minute, but the words sink in.

“You don’t want me?”

My wife shakes her head slowly. “I hate it here. I’m bored. This small-town life, it might be good for you, being the town doctor that all the women fawn over, but I hate it. I never agreed to live here.”

“You did, when we got married,” I point out. “You encouraged me to return here and maintain a relationship with Noah.”

“Well, I was wrong. And I’m done.”

“You’re done? What does that even mean?”

Aubrey can’t look me in the eyes. I bend and lean forward, giving her no choice. I reach out to touch her and she moves away.

“Really, Aubrey?”

“I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I’ve said the same thing to you,” I point out. “Apparently, the life you’ve lived for the last eighteen years isn’t what you’ve wanted this entire time. And yet, after two kids, you’ve failed to mention this. Today alone, you’ve accused me of having an affair with one of my nurses and being in love with Josie, who I’d like to point out is your friend.”

“She’s only my friend because of you.”

“Okay? That doesn’t make her less of a friend, Aubrey. Do you mean to tell me all those shopping trips you’ve gone on with her, you did so to appease me? Because I never asked you to be friends with Josie. Or anyone else in town. I never asked you to join the PTA, to volunteer us to run the school carnival, girl scout troop, and whatever else the kids have done over the years. You did that and it certainly wasn’t to appease me.”

I pull out one of the dining room chairs, hoping she’ll do the same. When she doesn’t, I ask, “Can we please sit and talk?”

She shakes her head, but eventually sits down. Instantly, she covers her face. I’d like to think she’s crying, but she’s not.

“Aside from moving to South Africa, what can I do to get you through this funk?”

“Nothing,” she says automatically.

“Not a thing, huh? Just going to destroy our family?”

“I’m not happy, Nick.”

“All right, so let me fix it. Let’s find a happy medium that gets us through the next couple of years. We’ll go when Mack graduates.”

“That’s too long.”

“It’s two years, Aubrey. We’re not taking him out of school and ruining his chances at getting a scholarship.”

“He doesn’t need to play sports, Nick. There are so many other life lessons to learn out there. Not everything revolves around football and baseball.”

“When you’re his age, it does.”

“If you love me, you’ll do this.”

I shake my head as anger boils. “Don’t do that, Aubrey. That’s unfair.”

“It’s what I want.”

“Two years,” I tell her. “Give us two more years and we’ll go. I’ll sell the practice, the house, and we’ll take Amelie and go.”

Aubrey sits for a moment, staring at everything but me. She won’t make eye contact and it bothers me. There’s something else going on in her head and she’s not letting me in. Not that I blame her. This is the most we’ve talked in months.

Again, I reach for her hand, but she draws it back. “We’re not magically fixed because we’re talking.”

“No, of course not.”

---