“This was a terrible idea,” thought Charlotte. But out loud she sweetly said to her husband, “How quaint!”
They were hesitant to take their marriage therapist’s suggestion to get outside their comfort zone and try something new.
“Charlotte, you aren’t fond of art galleries or museums. Gary, you don’t like fashion shows or shopping. Find an activity that neither of you has done before and experience it together. Perhaps outside the city?” Dr. Zelinsky had suggested.
They’d discussed sky-diving, river rafting and sailing. But neither were very athletic although they worked out with personal trainers twice a week. A Google search for “nearby outdoor activities” led them to a listing for a gorgeous cabin in the woods just two hours away. Surprisingly, they both agreed that a weekend “roughing it” sounded like fun. They booked online, ordered groceries for delivery, and arrived right before dusk.
Athena did the dishes after dinner and poured herself a glass of wine. She wasn’t sure she was ready but there was no reason to delay any longer. She took a deep breath and opened the envelope. Her eyes glanced over the paragraphs explaining the test and jumped to the results.
He lifted the binoculars, focused the lenses and could just make out her red foul weather jacket, bright against the tiny white triangle of the sail. She headed away from land, away from him, towards the horizon. The ocean was calm and the sunshine cast a path of shimmering diamonds between them, reminding him of the jewelry she left behind.
Amy was early and sat stiffly on the couch. It was her first time seeing a therapist and she wondered if she should lay down.
I took teeny bites of the protein bar as I watched the screen showing my husband’s vital signs. Different colored graphs scrolled by on a continuous roller coaster but no alarms were ringing so I figured things must be stable. His eyes were closed and his breathing was even. I folded the empty wrapper into a small square and put it in my pocket.
“Watch your step!” Wendy shouted, jerking him to the side.
It had been a week of “lasts.” Her last term paper, her last shift at the coffee shop, her last Taco Tuesday at Don Jose’s. She heard the toilet flush and realized that this would be the last time Zoe would slip under the covers next to her in their bed.
“Nana, why doesn’t daddy like mommy anymore?”
Merry awoke just as the first red bursts of dawn streaked through the shutters and across her white bedspread. It reminded her of blood splatter and she watched the gory hue turn to a bruise of blue and purple and finally the pure, clean brightness of a new day, disappearing into the covers. She felt a shift in the universe and tears pricked her eyes.
