Passion In The Game

Not In The Plan

Things were going great in married life. Anthony and Rayna were happy and their first 2 months of marriage were blistful. Though, it was time for the bumps in the road and their marriage to be tested.

"Rayna!" Anthony called out. It was 7:25 in the evening. There was food on the stove but no Rayna. This was odd and little unfamiliar. He was used to Rayna waiting on him when he came home and for her not be around was weird. He went upstairs and was met by Rayna in the hallway.

"Hey, baby." she said kissing him.

"Hey." he said. Anthony looked her up and down taking note of the scrubs she had on. "What are you wearing?"

"Well, I know it's not the sexiest thing but, it comes with the job." Rayna said putting her hands on her hips.

"Job? What job?" Anthony said confused.

Rayna knew this was the part where Anthony was about to blow a gasket. She slipped past him and went downstairs. "Well, there's no other way than to just say it. I decided I had enough of staying home all the time so...I got a job." 

"What?" Anthony said shocked. "Rayna, we talked about this!"

"I know. I know. I know but, Anthony, I'm here all the time." she said going into the kitchen.

"Rayna, I told you. I got us. You don't have to do anything. I thought writing was working for you." Anthony said.

"It is but, writing is slow money. I want the real dough." she said going in the fridge.

"I can give you that." Anthony said.

"I didn't go through 4 hard years of college to sit here and be a housewife." she said going over the stove after handing him a bottle of Gatorade.

"What about stress?" Anthony said. "I don't want you stressed out."

"Anthony, I'm easy going. Stress is a rarity for me." Rayna said.

"Rayna. I don't want you working." Anthony said sternly.

"Look, I had this dream of doing something that I had a passion for. I wanted to work with a professional sports team. I had the necessary things I needed to do that. Well, now I can't because you don't want me stressed and I doubt the team will let your wife be working right on top of you. I need to be able to do something. So, I decided to hell with and I applied for the Sports Medicine Center downtown." Rayna said making plates for dinner.

"Babe, come on." Anthony said. "I give you everything you need and more. Whatever you want you can ask for and it's yours. There is no reason for you to be out here working."

Rayna sighed and cupped his face. "I get it. You don't want me to be a repeat of your mom. I get that but...I want a purpose. I feel a need to pull my weight. I'm bored and I just need to feel this void in my life."

"Rayna..." Anthony started.

"Look, can we eat dinner first? I'm starving, I didn't get much of a lunch today." Rayna said.

"See!" Anthony yelled. "Already you aren't eating. Babe, come on."

"Anthony. Can we please eat and we'll finish this later." Rayna said taking the plates to the table.

"Rayna, you aren't listening to me." Anthony said.

"I am. I'm just hungry. Now can you get over here and eat before this food gets cold."Rayna said. 

Anthony obliged and ate with Rayna. After they showered and got ready for bed, Anthony struck the discussion back up again. 

"So all of a sudden, staying home wasn't enough?" Anthony said pulling on his night pants.