The Heart Can't Make It Alone (Completed)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

***

Raw, Toronto, Canada

August 27, 2018

Joe sat in catering, making a list of all of the things he needed to finish up before his departure to Nadi, Fiji tomorrow morning. He'd be tired by the time he reached the island, but it'd be worth it to be in paradise with his wife. It was something that he was looking forward to considering their second anniversary hadn't been one to fondly reminisce about. He sighed as he thought back on that day. Despite the milestone and their attempts to make it a halfway joyous occasion, the negative tension in the air was certainly palpable.

***

July 16

Joe yawned and stretched his long body before rolling out of bed to tend to the beckoning call of his often boisterous little girl.

"Rosey, Rosey, Rosey," he said, sliding his feet into his house shoes, "you're a pistol just like your mom."

He looked down to grab his phone from the nightstand, immediately noticing the letter sitting beside it. He picked up the folded paper and sat back down on the bed. Luckily, he heard Val shuffling down the hallway to the nursery. Seconds later, Rosey started to quiet down. He unfolded the letter and began to read to himself.

Joe,

I know this isn't how we envisioned our second anniversary, but here we are. I hate where we are right now, but I'm willing to do all I can to fix what I damaged. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else, but I didn't show you that. I thought I had gotten past all of my self-sabotaging, but I guess not. I want to work on myself so that I can be a better wife to you. I just don't know if you'll have me though and that frightens me. I just hope that we can work on us. More important than that, I want to work on me, so I can live up to the vows I made to you two years ago today.

I pray that you deem me valuable enough in your life to allow me to work toward being a better version of myself with you as my husband. I love you always, no matter what.

Happy Anniversary, Joe

Love,

Val

"Damn it, baby," he whispered, letting out a frustrated sigh, "why'd you do this to me?"

He set the letter back on the nightstand and stood from the bed to leave the room.

Just as he was about to enter the nursery, Val walked out, bumping face to chest with him.

"Shit. Are you OK?" he asked, looking down at her.

"Yeah, I'm OK."

"The babies OK?" he asked.

"Um, no. They need diaper changes. I can't ... you know," she said, holding up her cast wrist.

"Yeah, I know," he acknowledged, nodding his head.

He peeked inside of the nursery, noticing that she'd been able to temporarily quiet both children down with Gerber snack cookies.

"They haven't eaten. That was really all I could do for 'em."

"It's not a problem. I'll take care of it."

Suddenly, the moment became unbearably awkward.

"Well, I'm gonna go and .... Fuck!" she cursed, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"What?" Joe asked, looking down at her for an explanation.

"Nothing."

She sidestepped him to continue down the hall, stopping when he grabbed her upper arm and kissed her temple.