Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~54~

"So what are we going to name this little fluffball?" Yaz asked a couple hours after their simple Easter dinner of lamb chops, salad, and asparagus that their chef had prepped for them.

They'd taken the puppy out to pee and poop a half dozen times, set up the crate and playpen, pulled up the throw rugs, fed her some kibble, and now both Piper and the pup were both sound asleep. The dog was on its little bed, and the baby was in her crib, so the couple was sitting on the sofa enjoying the peace and quiet.

"You should pick since she was your idea," Shawn suggested.

"But I did this for you, so I think you deserve the honor."

"Yaz...I don't want you to think you have to do anything to make me happy. You're a fantastic wife and you always have been. I'm the one who owes you."

She shook her head. "You chose our family, which was enough. I'm focused on doing what I can to make sure you don't regret that choice."

More than anything, Yasmin wanted her husband to love her and not just in the way he did now. She wanted his feelings to match hers, and she was determined to own his heart. One of the many things she'd come to terms with lately was that the signs had always been there. He'd been wonderful their whole marriage, but there was a distance between them, like he wasn't fully with her.

She'd often felt this during sex, which she'd told Vera in one of their early sessions. The therapist advised holding off on intimacy until they were both ready. They hadn't gotten to that point yet, so she and Shawn were living celibate lives while sleeping in separate rooms. She hated this part of the healing process and had considered giving up a hundred times. It felt counterintuitive to not reform their bonds that way, but Vera said ultimately it could make things worse. She warned that having sex before Yaz felt true forgiveness would open up the wounds that were mending.

Yasmin was nowhere near the forgiveness stage. She was trying really hard, but every time she thought about the fact that Shawn had run to Taryn as soon as she left, her heart broke all over again. Despite that, she was committed to making things work.

"Let's come up with a name together," he suggested. "Bernice? Kinda fits with Bernedoodle."

Yaz laughed. "Might as well name her Martha!"

"That's a solid no. She's fluffy....we could call her Marshmallow."

"Too long. Piper will struggle with saying that."

Shawn pulled out his phone. "You got her to help our marriage and today is Easter, so maybe we should go with the theme of rebirth. I'm gonna search to see what things are symbolic of that idea."

"Look at you tackling this like a homework assignment! I'm impressed," she said.

"This is how I get my album names. There's a flicker of an idea and then a run with it. Okay...there are lots of things that came up. Phoenix is cool, don't you think?"

"Keep going. I want to hear more."

"White dove, new moon, lotus flower, rainbow, butterflies, daffodils-"

"That's it!" Yaz exclaimed. "Daffodils. We'll name her Daffodil and call her Daffy!"

"That's pretty cute. Daffy the doodle dog!"