The Love Affair

Chapter Four

"I expected you back at two," I said, throwing my jumper across my head. Nick was still laying on the bed, the sheet barely covering him as he typed on his phone. "Nick," I repeated for the second time after he'd failed to hear me the first, or deliberately chose to.

"Huh?" Nick looked over, placing his phone on the bedside table.

"You said you were coming back at two."

"Oh, yeah. Why? You don't sound so pleased, babe," he replied, smirking as he sat up, "and I know you can't be unpleased about the sex." His voice boisterous and alert as he slapped the absent spot on the bed where I was moments ago lying. "Besides, like I told you downstairs. Work didn't need no more of my time. They said I could head on off. So, I caught the train, not telling you cause I wanted to surprise my beautiful wife," he explained, reaching for my hand that was resting below the pillows on the side of my bed. He squeezed it, his matrimonial circle kissing my skin. "Are you disappointed or something?"

The unconvincing appearance of my sweet smile and affectionate tone wasn't a hint to Nick. "Of course, I'm not. I was just wondering. Normally, you've never been able to drop off early. And it's not like you told me where you were going. You could have been in Europe or literally in the city, or halfway around the world for all I knew."

"Ah, yeah. I was just in the city, babe. I'm sorry but hey, tonight, we've got that house warming party so that should be fun. And I'm finishing early all week, and maybe, just maybe, now that I am back home, you'll have inspiration for that book. Huh?" he responded, letting my hand go as he retrieved the vibrating phone from off the beside table. He was intently looking at the screen, giving me the opportunity to think how I was going to come out with it to him. We needed to properly talk.

"Nick—"

"---Yeah, babe?" he interjected, refusing to look towards me.

I didn't personally want to bruise his ego. So, like the coward's route I chose, I opted to not bring up my 'unhappiness' with our sex life and chose safely what I deemed safe to bring up. "Have...have you given any thought to children?"

His fingers stopped almost immediately tapping across the screen as he finally held my curious glaze. "C'mon, babe. We've spoken about this before, it's a conversation we don't have to worry about yet. Besides, you know I do. Just...let's just be patience, okay?" Nick gently argued, something I sensed as the final conversation he wanted between us to occur on the topic of children.

I held my sigh in. At least I tried, I thought to myself. But did it make me feel better? Did it make me feel happy? Not as worried? Would these strange emotions disperse? Would I start loving my husband as I should be. Or was I just destined to feel depressed and out of tune with my emotions.

"I better go have a shower and what not," he began, taking the red duvet cover off his naked legs before he stood up, proudly naked and texting on his phone, still, as he headed out the bedroom. "Why don't you try writing, hun? Perhaps, I've just given you some inspiration," he hollered from out in the hallway.

Unlikely, my inner thoughts scoffed. It wouldn't make a difference.

It was later that afternoon, Nick was on the phone, chatting to whoever needed his attention. I was sat at my vanity table, watching him through the mirror opposite as I gently put my earrings through the lobes of my ears. They were once an engagement gift from him, sliver diamond earrings that I adored to wear. They were also earrings I only wore when we went out on nice occasions which I presumed would be tonight's event.

"Yes, yes, okay, good. Yeah, bye." Nick ended the call, throwing the phone onto bed.

"Everything okay?" I muttered, watching as him through the mirror, moved towards me. His hands slipped onto my naked shoulders just above the low cut straps of my black dress. They continued to rub up and down like he was kneading bread as he shook his head. "Yeah, don't worry. Just business antics. You looked beautiful, babe," he replied, kissing the top of my forehead.