The Meeting

First Time

Insecurities come from many places; some people have suffered from trauma, some have been cheated on previously, some have blemishes on their skin, or imperfections that they see before all else when they look in a mirror. For Leah, it was time. Time to think, time to look, time to study, and time to list the things that she didn't like about herself. I knew that my words had settled her in that moment, but it wasn't a permanent fix. When she caught a look at herself in the mirror next, or she saw a picture of herself in the paper, she would feel this way all over again.

Leah and I had developed a routine, we both did our equal share of housework, looking after the children together, and spending time together. However, Leah needed more than that. She needed to feel like her old self, feel like she had a reason to make an effort again. As her wife, it was my job to make that happen, my job to make her feel like I could be in love with her, in love with her forever.

Planning a first date with two children was difficult, there were a lot of things to organise. I spoke to Amanda, she wholeheartedly agreed to keep the kids overnight when she found out what I had planned. Leah wasn't so sure, her main concern being the kids.

"What about the kids?" Leah questioned.
"Your mum is having them, c'mon go!" I laughed.
"What kind of outfit?"
"Something for a date." I smiled back.
"Okay, I'll be super quick." Leah kissed me as she headed out the door, a smile plastered over her face.

When Leah returned she hid the bag from me, wanting her outfit to be a surprise. She had a glow about her, a glow that told me that she was starting to feel the butterflies that I felt too.

"I'll pick you up at 7pm, okay?" I smiled as I packed my clothes into a bag.
"Sounds good to me." Leah laughed as we organised our first date, as if we hadn't been married for years.

I travelled to a hotel, calling Amanda to check in on the kids before I began getting ready. The hotel manager had agreed that whilst I was out later they would do a 'honeymoon makeover' on the room, all part of my plan to remind Leah that our relationship hadn't lost it's spark. I began to pack my things together, travelling downstairs and out to the car that was waiting for me. As we travelled to collect Leah, my stomach was in knots but in a good way. This was a different type of first date; a first date where I knew the ending.

I pulled up outside the house that Leah and I shared, except tonight it was just her house. I walked to the front door, gently ringing the doorbell and stepping back to the bottom step. After a few seconds the door gently swung open, my eyes immediately finding hers as both our smiles grew. Leah was dressed in slim fitting suit, her hair gently falling around her face and a light layer of mascara bringing out the colour of her eyes more vividly than ever before.

"Wow. You look beautiful." I smiled as I struggled to refrain from kissing her.
"You look incredible, Alex." Leah smiled back.
"Ready?"
"Ready." Leah grinned as she followed me to the car, laughing as I held the door open.

The restaurant was just a few minutes away, we entered through the back to a private area to ensure tonight wasn't about anyone else but the two of us. Leah giggled as I held out her chair and poured her wine, her eyes looking at me with love and adoration. Leah's sparkle was back, my Leah was back.

Finally, for the first time in a very long time, Leah and I were able to talk about things that didn't involve house maintenance, homework, or cleaning. We spoke of music, football, fashion, and our life experiences before we had met. Leah's eyes sparkled as she talked about the latest runway trends and the concerts she had attended over the years.

After three hours of falling for each other all over again, I paid the bill, sent the text to Amanda to call the hotel and let them know we were on our way, and took Leah's hand as we walked back to the car. She looked confused as the driver drove in the opposite direction to our home, but trusted me that I knew what I was doing. We pulled up to the hotel, our hands still linked to each other as we walked inside and headed for the room that I hoped would be ready.