Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~66~

Shawn returned home from an afternoon at his Los Angeles office expecting to find Rosie and Piper. When he entered the living room, Yasmin was there alone sitting on the white sectional.

"I thought you had a photo shoot," he commented as he sat down on the chair opposite her. "Where's Piper?"

"At the zoo. I asked Rosie to stay there as long as possible so that you and I can have some time alone."

Her tone of voice was very measured and calm which set off alarms in his brain. "Is everything okay."

She laughed nervously. "No, but you know that already. I think we've both known for months."

"Is this about our session with Vera last week?"

"In a way, I guess it is, but it's about a lot more than that. As much as I hated what was revealed during therapy, I'm also thankful. I've been giving our relationship a lot of consideration and I've come to a conclusion."

There'd been an uneasiness between them, but it wasn't hostile. It was like they'd reached a tipping point and had fallen off the edge into limbo.

"I'm sorry-" he started.

"Nope! No more apologies, please. I know you are sorry, but remorse isn't going to fix us. Nothing is. That's why I want to move forward with a legal separation and then divorce."

He just stared at her, stunned by her revelation.

"Maybe we should have some wine," she said as she got up from the couch. She walked to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc.

"I don't want a divorce!" he sputtered after setting his glass on the coffee table. "I want things to work for us!"

"I know you do, and I appreciate that, but this isn't solely your decision to make."

Running his hands through his hair, he tried to gather his thoughts. "Can you walk me through this sudden change of heart?"

Yaz took a sip of the crisp white wine. "Of course. It comes down to several things. First, you said that Piper is the primary reason you chose to stay together. I get that- I'd do anything for her, too- but I don't think growing up in a home where her parents are not truly in love is healthy for her."

"I love you, Yaz! You believe that, don't you?"

"I do, but it's not the kind of love that a committed couple should have, and I see now that it never was."

"It could become that with time. I can feel us growing closer," he told her.

She got what he was saying. In some ways, they got along better after his affair than they ever had, but this only reinforced her point. "We're closer because we're no longer romantically or sexually involved. Taking those elements out has turned us into great friends, which I don't think we were before. It has also allowed me to see what we were missing with much more clarity."

"I promise I'm going to fix the sex thing."

So far he hadn't successfully remained hard and had an orgasm thinking only of Yasmin, but he'd managed to block Taryn from his thoughts twice when she crept into them. He felt that was progress.

"The sex issue is a symptom of a much bigger problem," Yaz said matter-of-factly. "We both know what the problem is."

"Again, maybe that needs more time, too," he argued.

"If you haven't stopped loving Taryn by now, you never will. If you weren't my husband, I'd probably find this eternal flame you two have burning between you very romantic. I happen to be caught in the middle, and my resentment is growing each day. I'm tired of trying to make you love me like you love her, and I think it's time we accept that isn't happening."