My eyes sprang open at the mention of Kyle’s name. I knew I was a coward for leaving so early that morning but I had to. I was in no shape to be around my family. A part of me wanted to tell Patience to go back home, to insist on it, but with her hand continuing to stroke my hair, relieving the ache in my soul with each pass, I couldn’t.
“You don’t have to do this alone, you know.”
Finally, I reached for her wrist, halting her actions. “I do. I won’t dump my bullshit on my family.”
She shook her head. “It’s not dumping for a husband to confide in his wife.”
I gritted my teeth, anger suddenly rising in my chest. “You didn’t want to be my wife, remember?”
She pulled her wrist free of my hold, eyes wide, mouth opened.
“You said it yourself. I forced you into this marriage. No need to pretend like you wanted it.” I casually reached for the glass of seltzer water I’d been drinking. “Go home, Patience.”
She turned her head away from me, staring out at the window. “I know what you’re trying to do.” She turned back to me. “Same thing you did back then. Push me away when we get too close.”
My jaw tightened.
She eased off my desk and my gaze lingered on the six inch heels she wore that made her legs look phenomenal, even though they were covered by dark stockings. I would’ve preferred them bare. Slowly she removed the long jacket she wore, exposing the form fitting, white dress that stopped inches above her knees. Though the dress had long sleeves, the black lace detailing showed off the tops of her shoulders and arms.
“I know it’s well past Labor Day, so I’m breaking theno wearing whiterule, but I figured I could make an exception for my husband on his birthday.”
My stomach muscles tightened.
She wiggled her hips a little, pulling the sides of the dress a little lower. “After all, it is his favorite color on me.”
She was right. Aside from seeing her naked, I loved seeing her walnut skin covered in white fabric. The contradiction in color turned me on.
Patience moved closer, removing the glass from my hand and adjusting my arm to make room for her body as she sat in my lap. The irony is that as soon as I felt her weight against my body, the heaviness I’d been carrying all day began to lift.
She placed a quick kiss to my lips but pulled away too quickly for my liking. I was about to pull her back to my arms when she handed me something.
“This is for you.”
I looked down to see a card. Obviously made by a child.
The left side of my mouth curled upwards. “Kennedy is such a sweet child.” She was always leaving her mother and I letters or bringing them home from school thanking us and telling us how much she loved us.
“She is, but this isn’t from Kennedy. It’s from Kyle.”
My eyes widened and Patience looked at me again, urging me to take the card. I did and read the outside.
“Happy Birthday, Daddy,” I read out loud. I flipped the card open and grinned at the drawings of our entire family. “I love you very much,” I finished reading.
“He transposed the I and the R in birthday, and the O and the V in love, but he’s five.” She shrugged. “And he wrote it all by himself.”
I swallowed, still staring at the card.
“He wouldn’t have done that without his hero.”
I peered up at my wife.
“You’re his hero, Aaron…and mine, and Kennedy’s for that matter.” She leaned in to cup my face. “You don’t get to go through this day or any other day alone. I don’t care how painful it is, how upsetting it is, or how vulnerable it makes you feel. You don’t do it alone. Do you understand me?” She shook my face for good measure.
I hesitated and eventually sighed before nodding. “I do.”
“Good.”
Laying my head against her chest, I listened to the sound of her heartbeat. I drew strength from it. I closed my eyes when she began stroking my hair again.
