Starting Over

Chapter 17- A Day Out on the Farm

“Bridge, why don’t we spend the day out at the farm tomorrow? Just the two of us?” Luke asked me as we got ready to crawl into bed.

“I get that the boys are at Caroline’s parents for the weekend, but someone has to be here with Kenzie. We can’t just leave her by herself,” I replied without actually answering his question.

“Jason has Keeley and Kendall. I’m sure he wouldn’t have a problem keeping an eye on Kenzie. It’s not like she’s that hard to look after,” Luke told me, “Kenz can move around now and isn’t stuck on the couch all day. She would enjoy the company and I think Keeley would love to see her since she hasn’t since the accident.”

“Luke, have you already talked to Jason?” I questioned him sensing he wasn’t being completely honest.

“Yes,” Luke told me as I crawled into bed pulling the covers over me, “But Bridget, you haven’t left this house since we came home from Vanderbilt, except to take Kenzie to the doctor. You need a break.”

“I’m fine! I don’t need a break!” I yelled defensively at Luke.

“Bridge, baby, please just do this. We need some time to ourselves that doesn’t involve washing laundry, cleaning, or sleeping,” Luke pleaded with me.

He did have a point. It has been three weeks since Kenzie’s accident and the most intimate moment we’ve had in months was kissing him while he laid in that hospital bed next to Kenzie. I got up every day before he did, but didn’t bother waking him up to spend those few precious moments to ourselves having coffee before the kids got up. The closest thing to a kiss we had shared was a rushed peck as we passed each other walking throughout the house. Sure, we slept in the same bed, but by the time I finally get to lay down at night I’m so exhausted; I’m asleep before my head hits the pillow. Our relationship has been falling through the cracks of parenthood and was in desperate need of rejuvenation before we allowed it to disintegrate right in front of us. We definitely weren’t the loving couple we had been a couple of months ago. We needed a day to ourselves.

“Okay,” I told Luke as I rolled over towards him, propping my head up on my elbow, “You know I love you, right?”

“What made you ask that?” Luke asked before continuing on, “I know you do. I love you too, Bridget. More than you’ll ever know.”

He was looking to me for an answer, an answer I knew I had to give to him, “Luke, we’ve been in a fog of playing nurse to Kenzie and being parents to the boys. It’s like we don’t even have time for each other. I can’t remember the last time I told you that I loved you. I feel like I have been taking you for granted. You have been so amazing despite everything. I know I haven’t been pleasant. I’ve been stressed to the max trying to keep up with everything and I’ve taken all that out on you. I’m sorry.”

Luke just stared at me. I guess he wasn’t expecting what I had to say. It was hard to read his expression in only the soft glow from the bathroom light.

“You don’t have to apologize, Bridge. I’m just as much to blame. I haven’t tried,” Luke explained while insinuating something more.

“Luke, it’s not about sex. It’s about being able to lay back, laugh at stupid things, holding each other, and just enjoying being together,” I explained to him, “We haven’t done any of that in months.”

“And that’s going to change right now,” Luke said as he leaned over to me and passionately kissed me.

I could feel the love he had in his heart for me deep down in my bones through that kiss. I now knew more than anything I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Luke. And I was ready to shout it out to the world.