The truth was, the longer this went on, the more resentful Ella could feel herself becoming as her mother’s words replayed in her head.She was determined not to become a lady who lunched or gave up her identity for them as a couple.Ella did not know how they were going to find a compromise, but she knew they had to try.She loved Ben.He loved her.They loved their son.Somehow, there had to be a way for them both to achieve their dreams without destroying the others.
Later that day, Ella was working in her office when Lynn knocked on her door.“Wanted to let you know that I have sent the latest round of samples from field 6769 to Dr.Blesson.It is almost five.If you are good, I’m taking off.”
Ella looked up and gave Lynn a weak smile.“Thank you.That is all for today.I will see you tomorrow.Oh snap.I forgot.I have a doctor’s appointment in Little Rock tomorrow.I will be out all day.”
Lynn could tell that Ella seemed down.“Everything okay, boss?”
Shaking her head, Ella, who looked like a little girl playing in her daddy’s office sitting in her oversized desk chair replied, “I am just stressed.We have so much to get done in such a short amount of time.I really should not be out tomorrow, but I don’t have a choice.I have my sugar test and my monthly check-in.Guess there is nothing I can do about it.”
Lynn, being the sweet person she was, asked, “Would you like me to stay late tonight and help you get ahead?”
Shaking her head no, Ella replied, “No, that is not necessary.Truthfully, we are actually in good shape.I tend to sometimes overdo it.I was always the first one done with all of my school projects.I hate deadlines.”
“Oh, you are not telling me something I have not already figured out,” Lynn said with a kind laugh.“Since you have to go to Little Rock, you should take off now and surprise that sexy husband of yours.”Lynn winked as she said it.
Considering her suggestion, Ella nodded.Over the past few weeks of working together, she and Lynn had grown close.“You know what?I think I’ll do that.I just hope it isn’t strained.Yesterday, he overheard my mom and me talking about me going to grad school.He lost it.We made up, sort of, but not really.As irritating as my mother is, she is right.We do need to make a plan, but every time I bring it up, Ben puts me off.We don’t seem to be able to talk about it without fighting.”
Putting her hands on her slim hips, Lynn said, “Gurl, I know what you need to do.It is time for you two to go and talk with someone about this.”
“You mean like a therapist?Ben would never agree to that.He is way too proud to admit we need help.”
“Well, darling.Let me tell you something.All these good ’ole Southern boys are too proud to admit they need help.That is why smart Southern women don’t give them a choice.I have been married almost forty years, and one thing I have learned is that a good marriage takes a lot of work.It is a lot like a rollercoaster.You have just as many ups as you do downs.The way to learn to deal with the bad days is by developing good ways of weathering them before they ever come.When my Lee and I hit a really bad patch several years ago, I had it.Oh, don’t get me wrong, nobody cheated or anything.It was just that we had a lot of things hit us all at once, and all of it was pulling us apart.It was never a question of love.I knew we loved each other, but living with each other on a daily basis nearly took us down.I kept begging him to go with me to talk to someone.He refused, said he would see me in divorce court before he went with me to some headshrinker’s office.Well, one night after a particularly brutal fight, I told him I was done.He had two choices.He could go with me to couples therapy, or we were through.The next day, he came home, and I had changed all the locks and had his clothes on the front steps.He decided real quick he wanted to try couples therapy.It was the best thing we ever did.It literally saved our marriage.”
“Wow,” replied Ella.“That is some story.Where did you go and how long did it take?”
“We used a guy in Little Rock.I think I have the number at home if you want me to text it to you.We only went a few times.All we needed was a neutral space to talk with someone helping us learn that our marriage was not a competition because if one of us lost, we both did.Also, we had to stop keeping score.The only reason to ever keep score is to beat the other one.Since we were supposed to be playing on the same team, keeping score was useless.It sounds crazy to say that we went through almost twenty years before we realized those simple things, but once we did it changed everything.That does not mean that we don’t still have days where we drive each other crazy.We do.But overall, our marriage is so much sweeter than it ever was before.Of course, both of our girls are grown and out of the house, and that helps a lot.You don’t realize how much stress kids bring to a marriage until they are grown.Don’t get me wrong, grown kids bring their own type of stress, but that is a convo for another day.”
Lynn could tell that Ella was carefully considering her advice.Not wanting to overreach, she added, “Enough old lady lecture for today.Go on and get out of here.I will text you that number.The old guy we saw is probably retired, but it was a large group of therapists.You could give them a call and see if they are still open.”With a wave and a wink, Lynn sailed out the office saying, “See you in two days.Drive safe.”
As Ella drove to Little Rock, she thought a lot about what Lynn had shared.She had texted Ben that she would pick up dinner and meet him there by 7:00.She ran through Cantina Laredo and grabbed some quesadillas and cheese dip.When she got to the condo, she transferred the food onto real plates and placed them in the preheated oven to stay warm.Next, she jumped into the shower and threw on her favorite pj’s she had left there.She was shocked to see that the bottoms had no hope of going over her ever expanding belly.Knowing that desperate times call for desperate measures, she ditched the pj bottoms in favor of just going with her white bikini panties.The pj top stretched thin across her massive boobs, and the shirt itself rode high over her belly.Making a mental note to order some maternity pajamas, Ella set the table and was in the midst of fixing herself a large glass of water when she heard keys in the lock.
“Wow!Something smells good,” called Ben as he closed the front door and dropped his bag and mail on the console table in the entryway.
Walking out of the kitchen toward Ben, Ella gave him a wide smile.
Grabbing Ella and wrapping her in his arms, Ben plastered his lips to hers.Pulling back from the kiss but keeping her firmly wrapped in his arms, he said.“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have you here when I come home from work.When I got your text, it made my day.”
“Are you sure you are not just saying that because I have your favorite chicken bacon ranch quesadillas warming in the oven?”asked Ella, giving him a cheeky grin.
Continuing to hold Ella close and rubbing his hands up and down her back, Ben shook his head.“Nope.It is all you.”Letting his eyes roam over her, he asked, “What are you wearing?”Seeing her belly poking out from under her shirt, he let one hand roam over it and felt the tight, smooth skin of her abdomen.“Lord, woman, are you trying to kill me?You look so sexy.Where did you get this?SexyMomma.com?”
Rolling her eyes, Ella said, “Yeah right.We both know I look like a beached whale in this.It used to be my favorite pajama set.”
Looking more closely, Ben nodded, “You do not look like a beached whale.It is all I can do not to bend you over this table and have my wicked way with you.”
Ella laughed at that.“Good luck with that one.I don’t bend so well now.”
Laughing, Ben agreed.“I guess not.But you do look adorable with your belly sticking out.”Looking more closely at Ella’s shirt, he added, “Oh yeah, I do remember these pj’s.You used to wear them all the time.”
Nodding Ella replied, “Yep.The bottoms are now a complete no-go.And this top.I am pretty sure it’s on its last hurrah.Nothing I have fits.I am only seven months in.Can you imagine how huge I am going to be by the time he gets here?I won’t be able to fit in a chair.”
“Hush.You will always look sexy to me, no matter how big you get.”
Ella gave Ben a look that told him she did not believe him and said, “We’ll see, big boy.When you have to start tying my shoes because I can’t reach them, let’s see how sexy you think I am.”
Ben laughed and pulled Ella close for another kiss.Just then, the timer on the stove went off.
“That is dinner.”Pulling away, Ella made her way to the kitchen as she said, “You go wash up.Is soda okay or do you want something stronger?”
