Andante, Andante: Please Don't Let Me Down

Chapter Seven

"Regina, if you continue assaulting your clothes that way I can't promise I will be able to protect you when they come seeking their revenge," I tease while my wife furiously scrubs at her blouse over the washing machine.

Her brows are furrowing expressing her concentration, causing that adorable little vein across her forehead to pop. She huffs, forcing a ragged breath up her lips and scattering a few loose strands from her face. Despite the murderous scowl consuming her face I still believe she's the most beautiful woman out there.

My wife refuses to acknowledge my playful banter proceeding with her fierce scrubbing. I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, pushing her against the machine and latching my lips onto her neck. Regina abruptly pushes me away, rejecting my touch, leaving me stunned and shocking my soul.

"I'm trying to get the blood out of this expensive blouse, I've had a very trying day Emma," she spits coldly, eliciting a nervous energy to tremble through my veins because she never speaks to me in this manner.

"I'm sorry," I whisper and reach out, gently placing my hands on top of hers to still her anxious actions. "Let me help you," I insist and pull the garment from her reluctant white knuckles. "What happened today?" I softly inquire and spray some stain remover onto her blood soaked blouse.

She exhales loudly and visibly shudders beside me. "It was just a stressful day, nothing you can do to fix," she remarks in a tone that leaves an unsettling sensation deep within the pit of my stomach. We fall silent for a moment because I don't want to open my mouth and irritate her even further. "Listen Emma, I don't think we can travel to Sicily this year."

My eyebrows draw painfully close together as I peek over my shoulder at my agitated wife. "Why?" I simply question, remaining as calm as possible.

"I don't think it's feasible," she breathes and nervously runs a quivering hand through her long tresses. "With the first year of my own practice and Noah just being born...financially," she trails off and rubs the muscles behind her neck that I imagine to be knotting from the stress. 

"Are we struggling?" I meekly question and hate myself for not being more involved with our finances. Regina has always been the one to manage our accounts and bills, even when I was working.

"Not...really..." she stammers causing me to believe she's lying just to save me the stress. "We will be fine. It's just a lot right now and I don't think we should be spending money so carelessly."
  
"Alright, if you think that's best than that's what we will do. Maybe your parents can visit us?" I suggest while my eyes are strained to her bottom lip she's worrying between her teeth. "Regina," I drop her shirt into the washing machine and turn around to face her. "Do I need to go back to work?"

"No, no, Emma you just had Noah. You need to stay at home with the kids. Besides, it wouldn't make much sense. All your earnings would go toward daycare. We will be fine," she assures me and places a quick peck to my cheek.

The kiss is nothing like the usual loving, sensual kisses I'm accustomed to and my heart sinks from the distance between us.

~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure you're okay?" Cora questions with her motherly concerned tone powerfully consuming through the phone line.

"Yes, ma," I exasperate with a small chuckle attached to the end. I shake my head and continue packing my suitcase. "I think you're getting forgetful. I work at a wonderful dentist office and I have this ex wife who is a successful doctor who owns her very own practice. I don't need you paying for our plane tickets," I teasingly explain with my phone tucked firmly between my ear and shoulder.