Monogamy

Chapter 1

Melo and Ivory are sitting side by side, in separate chairs, in front of a marriage counselor who they've been seeing for 3 years and they've been married for 7. The marriage is hanging on by a thread so the final step is with this last session, they need to come to some kind of resolution. The last 3 years been feeling two enemies been beefing with each other instead of peace between two people who's married to one another. Melo and Ivory have 3 children together, money together and a well established business together. The counseling session begins with counselor, Dr. Zhane, already stressed because she doesn't know how she should begin the session with them. They've been with her for 3 years with a new issue and seems to be no progress with them. Dr. Zhane asked them "what are we doing here today? Like seriously why are we here? Y'all been here for so long that I feel like I'm part of the marriage. This is my personal and professional opinion, it can't be fixed." Melo and Ivory looked at each other with disappointment; neither can answer the question because they don't have the answer to the question. Dr. Zhane asked Ivory a question with a confused look upon her face, the question was "why are you still with this man if you're going to continue to come in here with this man about a new issue?" Ivory sits there and thinks to herself for a moment. While Ivory does that, Dr. Zhane shifts her eyes to Melo and said "why do you still come in with this woman and you know you're not happy with her? Why?" Melo rubs his face to think about the question that he was asked. Dr. Zhane gets up from her chair and heads over to her bar to pour herself a shot of whiskey to prepare for what's about to come out of their mouths.
       Melo asked Dr. Zhane "can I speak my peace? You know, answer the question?" Dr. Zhane gives him the nod of approval to answer. Melo then says "the reason why I continue to come in with her is that I keep having some kind of faith that it'll work out but truthfully, I don't see it nor do I have the heart for it anymore. I don't want our children to have to grow up going to two different households to see one parent or the other for a certain amount of days and/or hours. My parents stayed together for 35 years, through thick and thin; I wanted to have longevity like that and also they've preached to me that divorce shouldn't exist, it didn't exist in our family for generations so don't make it happen now. To me that shit is ludicrous and exhausting because who knows if they wanted to leave each other but didn't have the courage or heart to do so. It's stupid to me." Melo stops talking because he starts to feel angry thinking about his family traditions. Dr. Zhane then asked Melo "you see how that make you upset? You're living this tradition but you see how dumb it is because what if your wife doesn't want that? Both of y'all are not happy. Does the energy that y'all have right now effect how y'all treat the children?" Melo looked at Ivory and then points at her to answer the question. Ivory takes a deep breath and then says "honestly ma'am? It does. I'm trying to fake like I'm happy to be in this marriage for them but it takes a toll over my mental health, emotional and spiritual well-being. My babies be wanting to play and go out but I don't be in the mood to do so. They be disappointed and then I would feel bad so I then do whatever to make them happy. I'm not happy. When me and Melo have an argument, sometimes I yell at the kids when they're just checking on me to make sure I'm okay; I then check myself and apologize to them and explain myself to them about why I just yelled at them. I don't want my babies growing up thinking it's okay to be yelled at or taking your frustrations out on somebody else who's innocent and then keep saying you're sorry is the way to heal things. That's not the way at all." Dr. Zhane looks at Melo to see if he have anything to add on to what she said; Melo follows up with a statement of his own by saying "I've done something similar. When our daughters come to check up on me, I just leave. I leave for some hours and come back after having a couple of drinks. Our daughters would be waiting to talk to me but then I would dismiss them. After realizing they just want their daddy, I have them sit with me and I briefly explain what's going on and then I'll share milk and cookies with them until they fall asleep. I would pick them up and take them into their rooms and tuck them in, give them a kiss and that would be that." "So what about Ivory? Do you go and talk to her?" "No. I just walk in the room, get undressed, get in the bed and go to sleep knowing she's still woke. What's talking going to do? It's just the same shit all over again."
       Dr. Zhane goes back to the bar and pulls out 2 more glasses and asked them if they want a drink; they both agreed to a drink and she pours them a drink, gives it to them and says "by the end of this session, I will ask this question to both of y'all 'are y'all going to stay or is the marriage over?' That's going to be the final question. Okay?" Melo and Ivory both agreed and prepared for the questions.