Lovesick -- A Rocky Lynch Story

Chapter 3

Rarely after I had kids was I without one of them. I was always pulling my six-year-old through a department store or finding a changing table in the bathroom of a Target superstore. But on an odd occasion, I got to go out with a friend for coffee and talk about our lives– and today was our day.
Rydel had asked me out for coffee while we were sitting at Carter's program and I was all too quick to oblige. I asked Rocky if he could keep the kids busy for a Saturday afternoon- during Mason's nap time- so I could go out and have some adult girl time.
Rydel's invitation couldn't have come at a more perfect time for us. "So things aren't well?" she asked me seriously, sipping her latte.
"Oh, Del," I shook my head, "It's not like that. Umm..." I looked around for the words to explain to her. "We are nowhere near separation..." I assured her.
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Thank God... Then what's bothering you?"
I thought for a moment shook my head. "I just feel like things are too different. And we obviously knew things would change once we had kids, but I feel like he and I just don't connect."
"In what way?" She tilted her head. "Emotionally?" she whispered. "Sexually?"
I burst into laughter and nodded my head. "I just feel like we're in the rut," I told her. "Like, all we talk about is our kids... Or bills. And I feel like we just don't do things for each other anymore. I'm guilty of it too." I raised both of my hands as if to surrender. "I used to visit him at the studio at work like once a week. I used to go out on dates with him and put on a sexy little dress and try to look nice. I used to actually shave my legs." I made her laugh.
"So you just want that back?" she asked me. Before I could respond, her phone rang and she smiled at it. "Hang on to that thought Juliette– Hey baby," she said into the phone. "Oh shoot, I forgot she had that today... You can take her?" she asked who I assumed was Ellington. "Yes, yes, and we have Brookes piano recital Wednesday... I don't know why it's in the middle of the week. I know it's a school night." She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well why don't we drop them by my parent's place tomorrow night or a bit and go out... Okay." She paused. "I love you too baby. Bye."
"Sorry!" she said, turning her attention back to me. "So, you were saying?"
"No, Del. How do you do that?" I pointed at her phone.
"Talk on the phone...?" she questioned.
"No, no. You guys are so sweet and loving and you've been that way. Even with Alice's dance competitions and Brooke being a genius child. How do you and Ellington make it work?" I asked her.
"Well, you knew we had a rough patch too... When we had kids young like yours," she told me. "We've actually been discussing having a third child. We just don't know."
"I think you guys are strong enough to handle it..." I told her, shrugging my shoulders. "I thought Rocky and I were too."
"You guys are. You so are. You just need a little help kinda like Ellington and I did," she said. "I'm gonna drop our book by tomorrow and I'm telling you it's gonna change your life, Jules."
"What's it called?" I asked her.
"I think it's 31 Days of Love, or 31 Daily Ways To Show Love, or something..." She shook her head. "I don't remember, but I'll bring it by tomorrow morning for you guys to look over. But you gotta talk to Rocky and see if he agrees and let me know," she suggested.
"Deal. I'll text you tonight after we've talked..." I said. I sighed deeply and looked at her, "Rydel, I just need my marriage back. I love my husband and my kids, but I need my marriage... I mean. Rydel," I looked at her seriously, "we didn't even have sex on our anniversary because we were so exhausted."
She pouted and nodded at me. "I know where you are, love... This is why you gotta have girl talks. We gotta talk about this kinda stuff."
I looked at my phone and Rocky had texted me. "Mason woke up and Avie scraped her knee and I can't find the band-aids and I think Carter got lost in the backyard," I read out loud to Rydel.
She laughed out loud. "It's a wonder we even have children with these boys," she giggled. "We should get going. Alice has her dance competition at 7 tonight and I gotta go get ready." We both stood up and hugged tightly. "Let me know about the book!" she called to me.
"Will do!" I yelled as I got in my car. I took a deep breath and pulled out of my parking spot, ready to face my nightmare household. Carter was playing hide and seek by himself in the backyard when I got home. Mason was sitting in his high chair covered in guacamole- his favorite food. And Rocky and Avie were sitting on the couch having snuggles and she was teary eyed.
"Aw... Baby, come here," I grabbed her. I hugged her and smiled at Rocky. "Will you please wipe Mase down with baby wipes and put his clothes on top of the washing machine?"
"Got it babe," he told me as he got up. I walked Avie into the bathroom as she told me the story of how she fell on the back sidewalk and her Barbie doll didn't tell her there was a stick to trip on.
As the busy evening droned on, I fixed dinner early and we got a movie going to watch with the kids and let them stay up a bit late. Mason fell asleep in the middle of Big Hero 6 and I put him down in his room upstairs. As soon as I tried to come cuddle up next Rocky, Avelyn came in between us to hold Rocky's hand. My heart melted of course.
As the ending credits rolled and 10 pm rolled around, we rushed to kids up to bed to sleep. "Good night Avie... Love you baby girl..." I whispered as we walked out of her room. We tiptoed down the stairs and into our room to take a breath. "Oh my god..." I sighed, going to wash my face, "Every day is an adventure."
"You got that right." He stuck his toothbrush in his mouth.
We stood in silence and I turned to look at him with seriousness. "Rocky..." I sighed.
"Mhm?" he mumbled.
"Do you think things have changed?" I asked him.
He laughed out loud and spit his tooth paste in the sink, wiping his mouth. "I mean... We have three kids, we live in the suburbs... I'd say things have changed, babe, yeah."
"But I mean..." I twisted my hair. "With us," I stuttered. "After Mason... Things just- they're so crazy don't you think..." I trailed off.
"That we barely pay any attention to each other?" he asked me.
"Yeah..." I said. "And I never wanted it to be this way. But somehow we've gotten here."
"And I don't like it," Rocky shook his head. I started to brush my teeth and Rocky spoke. "Juliette, I feel like our priorities have changed so much, but we've shifted too much." I nodded to him as he spoke. "But I think we need help getting back to where we were... Don't you think?" he asked.
I nodded and spit my toothpaste out rinsing my mouth. "I don't know if we could do this without help. I don't know where to start," I said. "All I know is this is the most we've talked in like a month."
He laughed and came over to me to give me a hug. "I think we need to fix this."
"I agree." I wrapped my arms around him, enjoying his body close to mine.
We got ourselves into bed and I texted Rydel to end the night.
Juliette: Bring over the book tomorrow, pretty please? :* :*
"I love you Rocky," I told him.
He turned the light off and got into bed next to me. "I love you Juliette... We're gonna get our groove back. I promise."