FIXING THE BROKEN VOWS

Chapter 7

"Where are you taking me, Miguel?" I ask, gazing out of the car window as we venture further away from the familiar cityscape.

"Just wait. You'll love the place," he responds, his focus still on the road ahead.

The car glides along at a steady pace. Today, I've taken the day off because he promised to bring me to a location rich with his childhood memories. Our journey has taken us through five years of marriage, a whirlwind romance that swiftly led to a lifelong commitment. Despite the flaws and mistakes we've witnessed in each other, the painful moments, and the lingering trust issues, I continue to stand by his side, determined to nurture the affection I hold for him.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his slow glance meeting mine through the rearview mirror as we speed towards our destination.

I shift my gaze away from the lush greenery and offer him a gentle smile. Just being close to him is enough to reassure me. To ride alongside him in the car, to share in the everyday drives, and to embark on all of life's adventures together.

Yet sometimes, in the quiet of the night, as I watch him sleep, doubts creep in. I wonder if his transformation is genuine. My fears clutch at me, hinting that this journey we're on might be the final one. Nothing is certain. I question whether his repeated declarations of love hold truth, or if once again, he's concealing actions that will wound me.

"We're still a ways off, love. Perhaps you'd like to catch a nap," he suggests, drawing me from my reverie.

I nod slowly, then return my gaze to the world outside the car. We've been driving for nearly an hour, yet I'm uncertain of our true destination. I found myself looking at the space between his legs, and I'm not sure why. I stared at it for a few seconds, especially since it stood out against his pants.

"Do not tell me that's all you'll show me there." I raise an eyebrow, gazing ahead.

He gasped in amusement, causing me to hide my face in embarrassment due to my own words. Goodness gracious, Cleopatra, did I just blunder?

"If you want, I can set him free, baby," he chuckled playfully, which made me scowl at him. I immediately averted my gaze and looked back at the peaceful road. I didn't want him to catch me blushing from embarrassment.

"We're far from the place, Cleopatra. I can release him in the car if you want. He teased me again, so to shut him up, I gave him a strong slap on his left hand. But that rascal just laughed even louder.

His laughter reverberated within the car, and I could bet it could be heard beyond the long shrubs at the edges of the highway.

"I'm just joking, love. Look at your face, as red as a tomato."

In an instant, I glanced at the car's mirror to see if what he said was true. Indeed, my face was flushed like tomatoes. I didn't dare look back at him; I knew he would only continue to tease me. He was quite skilled at embarrassing me, for heaven's sake!

"You can rest for a while, baby. You should sleep first."

He spoke again upon noticing how restless I was in my seat. Slowly, he took hold of my left hand, causing me to wince at the warmth of his calloused palms against mine.

As he had planned this trip last night, I was caught off guard and immediately called Karen to inform her of my absence today. I wasn't prepared, and he had awakened me in the early hours of dawn. Now, my eyes felt exceptionally heavy.

"You'll enjoy this journey, I promise," he said, raising his right hand in assurance. I responded with an eye roll and a playful hiss.

I playfully punched his arm and grinned. "Make sure, Benedique, because if not... I noticed his gaze returning to me, his brows knit in curiosity. "You won't receive a kiss for an entire month," I teased, causing him to feign distress.