Bring Me To Life

Rough start of the week

Yet, Jenn persisted, her anger fueling her questions. "How long has Lisa Marie been working at the office? Why does she think it's okay to act like that?"

I paused, feeling the tension rise. "I'm not sure, but I'll find out. This needs to be sorted, and I won't let her behavior continue."

The rest of the car ride was silent.

As soon as we got home, the accusation still hung in the air, Jenn's frustration escalated, and she took a more aggressive approach.

In the midst of our argument, Jenn's frustration found a new target.

"You're so naive, Ben! Lisa Marie has a thing for you, and you're just pretending not to notice!" she yelled, her accusation sharp.

Confused, I denied it, "Jenn, that's not true. We work together, that's it."

But she continued, her anger escalating. "Oh, please! She's only 25, and she wants you because you have your life together. It's obvious!"

I listened, trying to maintain composure, but the constant barrage of false scenarios pushed me to a breaking point. I snapped, "Jenn, stop making up ridiculous stories! There's nothing going on with Lisa Marie!!"

As our argument escalated, Jenn's frustration found a new demand.

"Fire Lisa immediately, Ben! I won't tolerate her trying to ruin our relationship!" she insisted, her tone demanding action.

I resisted, "Jenn, it's not that simple. I can't just fire someone without cause."

Growing angrier, she shot back, "Oh, don't give me excuses! If you won't fire her, then hire me at your work. I need to be there to keep an eye on things."

Surprised by the sudden demand, I hesitated. "Jenn, I can't just hire you like that. It's not how things work."

But Jenn was relentless, her anger fueling her determination. "I don't care! If you won't do something about Lisa, then I'll be there myself to make sure she stays away from you."

The argument took an unexpected turn, revealing the depth of Jenn's insecurity and the lengths she was willing to go to alleviate her fears.

Attempting to diffuse the mounting tension, I calmly said, "Jenn, you need to relax. Let's address this issue without making impulsive decisions."

Her frustration only intensified. "Relax? You think I'm overreacting? Fine! Imagine me working with Channing Tatum, and he's being so flirtatious that I can't resist. How would you feel about that?"

Staying composed, I responded, "Jenn, let's not create imaginary scenarios. We need to focus on what's real and deal with it together."

But my attempt to bring reason into the conversation backfired. Jenn, fueled by frustration, issued a threat.

"Well, maybe I'll just work with Channing again, and he can flirt with me all he wants and touch me." she declared, a challenge in her eyes.

Maintaining my calm demeanor, I replied, "Jenn, let's not resort to threats. If that's what you want to do then go ahead."

My composed response seemed to infuriate her even more. "Why are you so calm about Lisa, then? You act like it's no big deal!"

I explained, "Because there's nothing to be concerned about with Lisa. We need to trust each other. Since you're clearly upset, the next error she makes, I'll fire her. Okay?"

Jenn, in an unexpected shift, responded with a calm but upset demeanor.

"Ben, it's not about wanting Channing to touch me. It's about trust and respect in our relationship. I shouldn't have to resort to extremes to make a point," she expressed, her eyes reflecting both sadness and frustration.

I decided I needed a moment to work on the final rough draft "Enough, Jenn. I'm going to my office to work on the script. We'll discuss this later when we're both calmer."

As I headed to my office, determined to focus on revising the script, I caught wind of a disrespectful comment muttered by Jenn. This cutting remark added an extra layer of tension to an already tense situation.

Opting not to engage in the heat of the moment, I closed my office door and immersed myself in the task at hand. The muttered comment lingered, serving as a stark reminder of the challenges in our relationship that required careful navigation. While revising the script, I found solace in the creative process, using it not only as a means of expression but also as a shield from the verbal disputes outside. This challenging situation motivated me to channel my energy into completing the final script edits and kickstarting the production script, turning adversity into fuel for my creative endeavors.

2:30 PM

I finally came out of my office and it was time for me and Jenn to pick up the kids.

Emerging from my office, a wave of accomplishment surged through me having completed the production script. Eager to connect with Jenn, I approached her. "Do you want to come with me to pick up the kids?" I smiled softly as the warmth of my intention was met with an unexpected chill as she shot me a dirty look in response, opting for a disconcerting silence.

Undeterred, I asked again, hoping to bridge the growing gap.

Regrettably, Jenn's response took a petty turn. "Why don't you go ask Lisa Marie. I'm sure she'd love to go with you and take care of our kids since she was all over you." Jennifer snapped at me as she finished feeding both Juni and Raelynn.

Struggling to keep my composure I responded in a calm manner. "I am asking my wife. I want you, my wife to join me.. in picking up our kids.. that we share."

The atmosphere grew tense as she gathered the girls , physically pushing past me to get to the garage and putting both girls in their car seats. I offered to help her but she immediately shot me down. "Fuck off." She snapped.

Silence hung in the air as I stewed in frustration, remaining quiet but seething inside. Jenn, maintaining a cold indifference, ignored my presence throughout the drive. The fragile peace shattered when a simple song change triggered an explosive outburst from her. "Why would you change the song!?? You know that's my favorite song!!!!" She yelled at me so loud I felt my ears ringing.

Responding in kind, I raised my voice in an attempt to reclaim control of the escalating argument. "IT WAS A GENUINE MISTAKE! I wanted to raise the volume but I didn't expect it to change the song!!"

Unexpectedly, this unleashed a torrent of emotions from Jenn, manifesting in tears. "Take me home. I don't want the kids seeing me like this." She demanded but we were more than half ways there.

"Tough." I mumbled and she put on her sunglasses as tears kept streaming down her face.

To be continued...

(What do you guys think..? Is there a secret behind Jenn's explosive madness?)