Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 1

While lying in bed, I look at my wedding ring and think to myself that I can’t believe it’s been five years already.  It seems like just yesterday that we were looking into each other’s eyes and saying “I Do.”  Tomorrow is our anniversary and I couldn’t be more excited. I don’t know what Braxton has planned, but I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll be great.  He’s been working really hard lately at the Assistant District Attorney’s office, but I’m hoping he hasn’t forgotten and has planned something really romantic.

 I’ve loved Braxton since the first time I saw him at college.  I thought he was the most handsome, funny and caring guy I’ve ever met.  I had told my friend Liz that I thought he was cute and that I would love to go out with him sometime.  He was quite popular and I always thought that he had a girlfriend or that I wasn’t good enough to be around him, so I never took the next step.  Liz told me that I was lame and that I should grow a pair and talk to him.

Then one night when I was in the library studying, he came up to me.  I was too nervous to look at him, so I pretended like I didn’t see him standing there.  He finally pulled a chair out and sat across from me.  I finally looked up at him and smiled. My god! He was even more gorgeous up close!  He had the most beautiful green eyes I’ve ever seen.  He smiled back and asked me what I was reading. I just pointed to my book.

“Do you talk?” he asked.

 I nodded my head, “Yes.”

“My name’s Braxton. What’s yours?” 

“Kansas”, I practically whisper.  

He flashed me the most beautiful smile and from that moment, I knew I was in trouble.  I was head over heels for this guy and all he did was smile at me.  We talked some more and I found out he was getting his law degree and I told him I was getting my masters in nursing.  We ended up talking until the library closed. I hadn’t even realized that it was that late. He was so easy to talk to. At the end of the night we exchanged numbers.   

We spent almost every waking moment together. He was such a gentlemen.  He would open doors and pull my chair out for me.  Whoever said chivalry was dead, had never met Braxton.  He would hold my hand everywhere we went.  We would take long walks through the city at night and we would spend hours on the phone talking to each other and texting when we were in class.

“Kansas? You home?”

“In here honey”, I yell from the bedroom.

He comes walking through the doorway looking completely exhausted. “You ok?” I ask. “I’m just really tired. It’s been a long day at work.  I have this really difficult case that I’m working on”, he sighs.  Braxton’s been working twelve hour days ever since he was assigned that case.  He doesn’t tell me anything about it, but I’m ok with that because they’re usually messy and I’m better off not knowing.  He sits down on the bed and starts taking off his shoes.

I move behind him and rest my chin on his shoulder. “You hungry?” I ask.

“Depends on what it is”, he answers with a sharp tone.  “I made spaghetti with garlic bread.”