CHAPTER 2 Camden
Camden
Arriving from work today and being asked to go on a camping trip with my wife was not on my bingo card.
I never pegged her as the type to be out in nature, but if that's something she wants to do, then I'll support her.
I just want to make her happy because over the past few months, we've had some flaws in our relationship.
I know Jessica thinks I've been cheating on her, but I haven't.
There's this one clingy woman at work who always tries to put her hands on all the guys there.
Whenever we tell her no, she doesn't care.
I want to fire her, but I don't want a lawsuit.
The frustrations I have with her and others at my job often cause me to bring it home, which isn't fair to Jessica, but it just happens.
I really need to get my shit together and be the best husband I can be. Lately, I haven’t been doing so much of that. I’ve been coming home complaining and not spending much-needed time with my wife. I always tell myself I need to be better, but I get stuck in this cycle.
She deserves so much more, and I want to give it to her. I just need to work on myself and give her what she needs. With her working from home, I’m sure she gets lonely sometimes. Due to this, it’s my role to step in and not make her feel shitty about her day or our relationship.
Getting home today, I see her standing in the kitchen, looking at her laptop.
I immediately greet her with a smile, which seems to make her a little confused.
Maybe if I did this more often, then I wouldn’t get this response from her.
When the mention of Ironcliff Falls is brought up, I’m immediately on board.
It’s crazy because my business partner actually mentioned it to me a couple of days ago, but I just kept putting off telling her about it.
The campground looks stunning, and the activities look so beneficial.
There’s a workshop on intimacy that we definitely need to dip into because I’ve been lacking in that department recently.
It’s no fault of hers. I just need to get it together.
I’m pulled from my thoughts.
“Can you try this and see if the noodles taste done or not?
I absolutely love it when she makes spaghetti. She puts a special touch on it that tastes amazing.
“They taste done to me.”
Ding.
I head over and grab the garlic bread out of the oven while she combines the spaghetti sauce and noodles together.
It smells so delicious.
“If you want to sit down, I can make you a plate and bring it over to you.”
A smile spread across her face like this was the last thing she expected today. Once she’s seated, I bring over a plate with spaghetti and a piece of bread with a glass of red wine to complete the meal.
“So, what are you looking forward to most about going to Ironcliff Falls?” I ask as I take a bite of my food.
“I’m most excited for the Fourth of July festivities. I’ll have to grab some themed clothes we can throw on for the day. I also want to make some Jello shots for everyone so we can let loose and have a good time. What are you looking forward to?”
Do I be honest or do I hide the truth from her? I guess if we’re going to actually use this week to our advantage, I need to tell her.
“Well, I want to do the intimacy workshop. I feel like I’ve been slacking on my part recently, so I want to get better at this and make you feel wanted and deserved.”
I can see tears immediately well up in her eyes. This isn’t what I was expecting to happen.
“Why are you crying, Babygirl?”
“I’m sorry. I’m just a little overwhelmed because it’s felt like forever since we actually sat and talked like this. I feel like most nights it’s just vague conversations without meaning behind them.”
Fuck. I never wanted to make her feel this way.
I stand from my chair and make my way over to her seat before kneeling to the ground.
“I promise, starting today, I’m going to be the best man I can be for you and our marriage. I love you so much and don’t want to see our relationship ruined because of me.”
She embraces me in a hug. “I hope you mean it. I love you too.”
I really do feel like an asshole who's let her down. I’m going to make it my mission to ensure she’s being treated the way she deserves from here on out. I don’t want to lose her, so hopefully this retreat will bring us back to why we fell in love all of those years ago.