Hiding in the Advice Column

1.

Dear Desperate Wife,
Communication is a two way street. Your husband may say he loves you, but if you have been married for twenty years, maybe, a change of routine or even scenery might help. Sit and talk with him, ask him if he would like something different or new in the marriage. It could be as little as doing a date night. It could be something dramatic as a permanent change or even something different in the bedroom. Don't forget that your husband may have something he isn't comfortable telling you yet. Give him time and don't press the matter once you both have come to that point in the topic of conversation.
All the best, R.

I proof read the article again. It will have to do, I've got a deadline and this was the last letter. I felt that Desperate Wife was feeling insecure about herself and her husband.

That's why I got in to this line of work. I feel I handle people better through letters instead of face to face.

I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel their need of closure, reassurance, sometimes even their fear or pain when I read their letters.

I emailed the draft copy to my editor, Jan. I hope she gets back to me soon, I need to go within the hour. I have to pick up my son from daycare soon. I always work late on Mondays and I like to have my final draft in before five on Monday evenings.

The magazine I work for, Soul, gets published every Wednesday and everything needs to be in on Monday for the editors.

Jan rang me than, I saw her office number come up on my office phone.

"Jan. Did you like the article?" I asked as I slowly packed up.

"That last one was a bit.... Distant." She replied to me. Jan was a nice lady, when you are on her good side.

I get it, she meant cold. "Sorry. But the letter was quite vague. I couldn't work with it if there was minimal info." I answered her as I wrapped my finger around the phone cord.

"Then why answer that letter? You get hundreds posted to you every week."

I don't know why I answered that one. "Let's just say, it called out to me." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you don't have time to do another. It will do. But the next article, bring it up a notch."

"Yes. Of course." I hung up and sighed.

How can I bring it up a notch? I felt the pain in that letter more than I ever wanted. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes. I know exactly what Desperate Wife was asking. How can I simply be so blunt? That's not exactly in my nature. I can't be rude to someone I've never met personally.

I can't write, your husband is suspicious of you because that was what I read between the lines.

It doesn't matter if the wife did anything wrong of not. Sometimes jealousy and suspicion are confused, sometimes they aren't.

Flashback
"To love and to hold, till death do us part." Rhea smiled lovingly at the man holding her.

Ryder grinned at his now wife and before the priest could say you may now kiss the bride, Ryder took his wife, his lips on hers.

When they pulled apart, Ryder was smirking and Rhea blushed as she stared at everyone that just saw them become one.

They hurried down the aisle and outside the small church to the waiting limousine.

It was the happiest day of Rhea's life. She found someone that loves her for her, someone that cherishes her. Rhea's grip hardened in her new husbands hand as they giggled to each other in the back of the stretched car.