“With my parents. I thought it was best we talk alone.” Her tone was short and cold.
“Oh. Coffee?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He filled her cup from the pot on the table. “So you wanted to talk?”
“I don’t like the person you’ve become.” She jumped right in with it. She looked at him waiting on a reaction, but nothing. “And if we are going to stay married, things need to change.”
“Change?” He thought their marriage was fine except for a few differences of opinion on certain things.
“I have no desire to get divorced and our son deserves to be raised by both of his parents. However, he doesn’t deserve to be around people who don’t trust each other.”
“I was wrong to bring up Jamal. I broke my word to you, and I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” He reached across the table for her hands and she quickly pulled them back.
“Apology accepted, but only if you mean it.”
“I do.”
She looked at him, searching for proof of his statement. “In time, those words will be proven to be either the truth or just another lie.”
&
nbsp; “Trina,” he turned his hands up with the palms exposed. “Please forgive me. I will never again do or say anything to hurt you. I love you.”
She wanted to grab his hands, but couldn’t give in yet to his words.
“If I come back, there are some things we will have to do.” He nodded. “I’ve spoken with Pastor Mike and he’s agreed to counsel us. I don’t want to embarrass you, so he said we can meet with him privately at the end of the day three times a week. If anyone sees you there, they’ll think you’re there picking me up.”
“Okay.”
“This is your only chance, Chris. If you aren’t honest in these sessions and make an effort to change and fix our marriage, then I’m done. I’ll file for divorce and Tyler and I will leave for good.”
“I understand.”
This wasn’t the Chris she’d left. Maybe his time alone had helped him sort things out. He seemed understanding. Sort of like the man she had married.
“Now, I owe you an apology. I was wrong to tell you to break our vows. Please forgive me.”
“I do. Do you need help moving back?”
“No. About that, I’m moving back, but I can’t share a bed with you, not right now. I need you to understand that until we are in the same place emotionally, I can’t even think about being intimate with you.”
“I understand, I’ll take the sofa.”
“No. I’ll take the pull out sofa in Tyler’s room.”
“No. That won’t be necessary. I’ll move Tyler’s crib into our room, and you two can stay there.” He was trying to make an effort.
“Thank you.” She took a sip from her cup and placed it on the saucer.
“Would you like to get dinner?” He was hoping to spend more time with her.
“No.” She stood up and he helped her with her coat.
He whispered, “I miss you.”
She turned to face him. “I know you do, but you hurt me Chris and until I can get past what you said…I’ve forgiven you, it’s the trust part we have to work on. Until that is mended, I can’t be intimate with you on any level.”