You, Me and He

Blame it on the Alcohol

After Shantelle got home, she was so upset. Why was this man bothering her? She clearly stated that she was not interested, yet he seemed to be persistent. It was like he didn't value marriage or respect boundaries, and it seemed to be causing a problem with her and Joe.

Joe, her beloved Joe. This Darnell person was being disrespectful and it was hurting him. Before he dropped her off, she had never seen him so hurt and angry before. It was making Shantelle angry, nobody hurts her beloved hubby and gets away with it. As she sat alone in her family room drowning her sorrows in a half pint of butter pecan ice cream, she began to have a mental reflection....

Shantelle's POV
I can't believe this. My poor husband is angry and hurt, and I got to be honest, I'm partly to blame for it. All I try to do is be polite and friendly, the way my parents raised me to be. But it seems like it doesn't pay to do so. I mean, I don't think I'm being inappropriate, all I'm trying to do is just be a good and kind neighbor and employer. So many women in this neighborhood are spoiled and snooty housewives who think their shit doesn't stink, and only married their husbands for money. To be quite honest, all this wealth doesn't impress me at all. Joe could be a blue collar construction worker and we could live in a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom ordinary house and I wouldn't love him any less. Wealthy or not, Joe is the most incredible man that I have ever known. He's loving, generous, strong and incredibly sexy. Joe is everything a real man should be, and there's not a man in the world who could ever compare to him.

Joe's been through so much, from his mother's murder and his struggles dealing with it to having to take antidepressants and it interrupting our sex life, and everything else in between. And through it all, I'm here for him no matter what. Can he be insanely jealous and possessive? Sure, but I know that his actions are well meaning and purely out of love for me, and that's just the way he shows it. Although I know he would never hurt me, I don't like when he gets angry and threatens other people. I often fear that he will lose control one day and end up hurting himself or get in criminal trouble. I love him deeply and don't know what I would do if I ever lost him. I've decided to stop taking birth control, so I could give him a baby, perhaps that will improve things between us and occupy my time.

After I finish my ice cream, I noticed that it's getting late and Joe hasn't made it home yet.

"I hope he's ok." I say with a sigh to myself, as I go upstairs to bed.

After I take a shower and crawl into bed, I immediately began to feel myself getting sleepy. As I close my eyes, I hear the bedroom door open and slam. Without opening my eyes, I hear stumbled movement and then feel someone standing over me.

Suddenly, I feel the comforter ripped off of me, the light flipped on and I immediately open my eyes.

"Wake up! Girl, I know you ain't sleepin'" Joe yelled, his speech slurred.

When I opened my eyes, I stared at Joe's face. His eyes were bloodshot red and his face was flushed. It looked like he had either been drinking or crying or both.

"Joe? What's the matter?" I ask, covering my eyes trying to adjust to the lights being turned on suddenly.

"Whatyoumeanwassamatta?! Aint nothinthamatta!!"Joe said slurring.

"Get up."

"For what?" I ask confused.

"Just get up. Don'tassmenoqueshuns!" He says irritated.

Doing what he asked, I slowly got out of bed and stood facing him. He looked me over and then pulled me into his arms....

"Ya love me?" He slurred nose to nose with me, the strong smell of whiskey burning my nose.