Together Again (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 18

Chad and Candace were in that room until the we hours of the night. Candace had stopped when she started to dose off. When she stood up, she put all of her work on the book shelf. She went behind Chad, and wrapped her arms around him. "Baby, I'm going to get read for bed. Are you coming?" "I'll be there as soon as I can." "Alright." Candace went in their room. She took out a nightgown and changed. She put more deodorant on, and brushed her hair. She laid down and waited for Chad. When Chad was in the office, he was glued to the files.

He wanted to make sure everything was in the right order and everything was where it was supposed to be. He checked how the business was doing. He went over the files he needed to check. As he was looking over them, he started signing them. He wanted to made sure everything was done before he went to sleep. He was glad everything was in order. He thought, "I don't want my company going down." When he went in the room with Candace he saw her waiting for him. "Baby, what are you still doing up?" "I was waiting for you. I sleep better with you here."

"I know. I just wanted to get things taken care of before tomorrow." "Baby, you should really take the weekends off. You work your butt off over there. You do a lot for the company. I am behind you 100%. I just know that when we have our time together, you don't get enough sleep." "Baby, I do sleep." "I didn't say you don't sleep. I'm saying you aren't getting enough sleep. I don't want to wake up one day, and Jerry calls me telling me you're in the hospital because you haven't slept and you passed out at work." "Believe me that won't happen."

"How can you be so sure?" "I'm positive it won't happen, because I have you to keep watch over me. Do you see how you are fretting over me with sleep? Baby, you always keep me well fed, and healthy. I depend on you, even if you think I don't." "I'm happy to do those things for you. I'm your wife, and it's my duty to do whatever I have to, to keep you with me." "Baby, I don't have the desire to get rid of you. I'm not changing you out for anybody. I'm not going to cheat on you if that's what you're thinking." "You don't know that for sure."

"Yes I do know that. I'm the one who decides who I am going to be with." "I'm not saying you will. I just want you to know I am going to try to be a good wife to you." "Babe, that's just it! You are a good wife to me." "Then how come I don't feel like it." "I really don't know. You do enough for me as it is. Baby, give it some more time. We will get through it okay. I'm so surprised this is the only thing we argue about." "It is the only thing we argue about. Yet, I'm happy it is. I don't want to be fighting with you all the time. I'm not trying to end up in marriage counseling and end up divorced."

"I got to get you off this divorced kick. Baby, there are couples who stay married all of their lives." "I want to see us do it. That's what I want. I don't want to be thinking about it. It's always in the back of my mind. I know we say we are happy with each other, but you know things do happen, and life does change everything." "Baby, I believe you should talk to Mrs. Johnson. Look at her and her husband. They are in their ninety's now. They are still together. Think about the story of The Notebook. They died together." "I see your point. Do you really think we can do it?"

"I know we can. You are always so determined. You are always writing romances. I got a question for you. What's your recent story about?" "It's about a divorced mother trying to find love and happiness." "There you go right there. That's why you're acting like this. You're afraid your story is going to come true." "I really hope it doesn't." "Baby, I'm just trying to tell you, it's not going to happen. We love each other. You and I are together for life. Do you know why?" "You want to scare me for the rest of my life." Chad started laughing.

"That's not why. We're going to be together forever because we have a deep connection with each other. We understand each other on many levels. We don't just overreact. We actually work together, and try to keep our love alive." "I see where you are going with this. I understand what you mean baby. I just don't want something to happen to either you or me because 'we loved each other too much.'" "Why did you put air quotes around we loved each other too much?" "Baby, tell me you know about the saying?" "No, what saying."

"The saying, 'you can love something so much, and it can be taken away just like that." Candace snapped her fingers. Chad said, "I have heard of that one. It doesn't mean it's going to happen with us. I mean we spend time apart a lot. You and I don't get to spend time together until the night time. Which really isn't much time. Yet, this is our life as husband and wife. No, that does not mean you switch jobs. You can if you want to, but I can take care of us both." "I just want to feel useful. I want everything there is to have in a relationship and family."

"Baby, we will have a family of our own. It's just right now, things are kind of tight. I promise once I get this big deal coming up done, we are going to go back to the Caribbean." "Are you serious? I mean that's a lot of money. I do love being there. This deal can be huge for the company right?" "Most definitely. We are going to try and partner up with Fodgers." "That's going to be great for you guys. I mean they are every where." "That's true, and it can help them too." Chad and Candace talked a little bit longer, and then went to sleep.

The next day, Candace and Chad went to the office together. Chad spent time getting things in order for the meeting with Fodgers. Candace sanitized the office. She wanted to make sure it was clean. While she was cleaning, she noticed how dusty it was. Candace made sure the office looked and smelled better. When Chad came out the conference room, and saw his office, he was happy. He said, "thank you baby. You are too good. I should probably put you on strike. You have to relax my baby. You do too much as it is."

"Haven't I told you, I want to feel useful." "You are useful just by being with me. You keep me from losing my head with work. You love me through all my faults and you aren't after my money or anything. You just love me, and that's why I'm with you." "Baby, you are too much." She put her arms around him. Chad said, "baby wait for that. The door isn't locked." "Oh okay. I was just going to kiss you." "I can handle that." Candace and Chad shared a kiss. Candace backed up, and sat on the couch. Chad said, "did you want to eat out today?" "If you want to we can."

"That would be good. We can go out to eat." "That sounds great." That night Candace and Chad went out to Kokkari Estiatorio. They ate and had a great time. When they got back home, they showered and went to bed. Sunday morning came, and Candace was still passed out. Chad was wide awake. He was in the office working. He was going over his proposal for Fodgers. He was hoping he wouldn't miss anything. He started thinking about his mom and dad. He started thinking about how they have treated him over the years.

He wanted to have a family with Candace. He was just wondering about his parents and how they react to things. He didn't want them ruining what he was going to have. He knew how they were very judgmental about the things he did. They always put his brother higher than him. Chad kept thinking and realized it didn't matter if they found out from the paparazzi because he wasn't going to tell them. As he finished working, he started smiling. He realized he had finally overcame wanting his parents approval. When he was done, he went to the bathroom.

He came out, and laid right beside Candace. When they got up again, they talked about their decision about the new house. They called Mrs. Truitt and let her know which house they were taking. She started the paperwork for them. When they got off the phone with her, Candace was bouncier than a bouncy house. Chad said, "baby, calm down. We have to still pack." "Baby, it's going to take at least three months to get it finalized. We actually have a house of our own though. We got to buy a house. You bought us a house."

"Baby, this is for both of us. We share the money. I don't know why you don't think so." "Baby, you earn basically all of the money. I don't know why this bothers me." "Baby, I do it to provide for you. The reason it bothers you so much is because your family raised you to be independent. The only thing is, when you get married, those things change."