Jenn's Perspective
July 14th, and I found myself without any birthday plans. My hormones were in turmoil, making me irritable over the smallest things. I didn't want to be, but it seemed like everything was getting on my nerves, and I couldn't help but think that the kids were growing tired of my moods.
Then, Ben walked into the room, bearing a tray of freshly diced fruit, a water bottle, and a pack of gushers candy.
"Hello, my queen. These are for you and the little one," he announced, setting the tray down gently before kissing my growing belly. Afterward, he leaned in and kissed me, and I responded, gently rubbing his chest.
"Thank you, handsome," I said, starting to nibble on the fruit before something struck me.
"Why are we headed to Europe? Did you even consider that I might have wanted to go to Puerto Rico?" I questioned, looking at him curiously.
"Babe, I arranged the trip to save you the trouble. We're going to Europe for your birthday and to get a break from the States," Ben explained, his hands starting to work on massaging my feet.
"Ah, I see," I replied, watching him as he skillfully eased the tension in my feet. Then, suddenly, I shrieked, "Ben, no!" as he playfully tickled my foot.
He ceased his tickling and shifted his attention to my sides. I couldn't help but laugh, struggling to catch my breath.
"You're going to make me pee!" I exclaimed between fits of laughter, and Juni, our baby, woke up, startled by the commotion, and began to cry.
"Oh no," Ben muttered, gently picking up Juni to soothe her. She immediately calmed down in his warm embrace, whimpering softly before finally falling back to sleep.
"Wow, the baby whisperer," I commented, impressed by his baby-calming skills, as I continued to snack on my fruit and gushers.
"Absolutely," Ben quipped, as he carefully placed Juni back in her cot and then joined me in bed, his hand sneaking under my shirt to play with my breasts.
"You're easily entertained," I teased, gazing at him, and he responded with a smirk.
"Are we going shopping today? I need new shorts and pants. My... uh, 'cock' has outgrown my old ones," Ben playfully teased, causing me to choke on my gushers. I burst into laughter, which clearly wasn't the reaction he expected.
"You got me," I chuckled, pushing back. We playfully wrestled on the bed, but I quickly pointed out, "Babe, you're going to make Juni cry again!"
"Fine then, you motherf... uh, lover," I responded, poking his rear with my nail, which caused him to release me and tumble off the bed. I couldn't stop laughing and had to rush to the bathroom to avoid an accident. Afterward, I washed my hands and found Ben still on the floor.
"Are you all right?" I inquired.
"I got assaulted," he dramatized, and I couldn't help but laugh."
Babe, you wouldn't let me go, so you had it coming," I chuckled as I helped him up.
"You owe me dinner," he declared as he got to his feet.
"For what?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
"For traumatizing me and because I want some quality alone time with my wife. No kids. Just you, me, a candlelit dinner, followed by... passionate intimacy," he whispered, smirking softly.
"I guess that sounds good," I shrugged.
"What do you mean, 'I guess'? Don't you love me anymore?" Ben pouted and cuddled up to me, gazing at me with puppy-dog eyes.
I adored these moments when Ben revealed his true self to me. It warmed my heart and made me incredibly happy.
"I'm kidding. Of course, I'll go on a date with you, my love," I smiled.
"Great. I'll check on the kids and grab some Starbucks. I'll get your usual, don't worry," he assured me, planting a kiss on my forehead before heading off to check on the children. I smiled and began tidying up the room. First, I gathered the clothes strewn across the floor and tossed them in the washer. Then, I cleaned the bathrooms and dusted every surface before vacuuming.
While cleaning, I recalled a jewelry box I'd seen in Ben's drawer a while back. I decided to look for it. However, I stumbled upon something I never expected to find: letters from his ex, Jennifer Garner.
As I opened the first envelope and read the date, "6/8/23," I gasped. The letter was recent.
"Dear Ben,I hope this letter finds you well. I miss you. I know you're happier with Jennifer now, but I miss you. Despite our rocky history, I'd like us to start anew. Every day without you is painful. My heart has always belonged to you, and I hope you'll realize the depth of my love one day. I'm happy you've found someone who brings you joy, and I'm genuinely glad you're happy. But please know that I won't give up on us. I'll always be here for you, no matter how hard it is.Love always,Jenni"
I couldn't believe what I'd just read. I heard footsteps approaching and quickly returned the letters to their place, closing the drawer and pretending to search for something beneath the bed.
To be continued...