Six Months Apart

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Melania since I told you that she’s attracted to you. Why is that Matt?”

“I haven’t been spending a lot of time with Mel.”

“What about the time you went over to Joel’s place and stayed to watch the Star Wars movie because she asked you to?”

“It was Kira who invited me to stay.”

“I bet Melania asked her to. And what about Family Day? You and she spent a lot of time together.”

“All we did was skate while you and Cam were with Joel and Kira.”

“And what about the Raptors’ game you took her to?”

Matt’s mouth compressed. “If I had asked you to go with me, would you have gone?”

“How could I? What about Cameron?”

“Your parents or mine would have been happy to take care of him.”

“You know very well that I don’t like sports. I would have had a miserable time, sitting there, surrounded with screaming fans and listening to the annoying screeching of sneakers on the court.”

“That’s why I didn’t ask you.”

“You didn’t have to ask Mel. What about Joel, wasn’t he interested in going?”

“He had already made plans with Kira.”

“What about one of your friends or male co-workers? Couldn’t you have asked any of them?”

“Why are you so upset that I asked Mel?”

“I have a right to be, Matt. I’m your wife.”

“There isn’t anything going on between Mel and me. We’re just friends.” He had made up his mind that he wasn’t going to have any more contact with Mel outside of family visits and get-togethers. It was obvious that they were attracted to each other and as long as they stayed away from each other, there was no danger of them acting on that attraction.

“She wants to be more, can’t you see that?”

“Look, why is it that you and I always end up getting into an argument over Mel? Mel isn’t the problem. Our marriage has been in trouble for a long time now.”

“And I suppose I’m to blame for that.”

“Instead of us arguing about who is responsible for the state of our marriage, why don’t we just go for counseling?”

She jumped to her feet. “Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. “No one in my family has ever gone for marriage counseling before and I’m not going to be the first one.”

“So, you would rather see our marriage suffer than to seek professional help?”

“We don’t need a stranger telling us what to do. We can try to work things out by ourselves.”

“And how do you propose to do that when we don’t even invest the time? When I asked you when was the last time we were intimate with each other, right away you assumed that I was talking about sex. Do you believe that’s all men think about or want from women?”

“Most of them do.”

“Sex isn’t all that a man needs from the woman he’s in a relationship with. Do you know what I need?”

She stared at him, nonplussed.

“You’ve never taken the trouble to find out.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“All right. I need someone who is compatible; a woman in my corner; someone who listens and is present; appreciation; space when I need it and a woman who loves herself.”

“So, you don’t think I appreciate you?”

“No. I don’t think you do. I think you take me for granted.”

“What else am I not giving you?”

“Space when I need it.”

“Make up your mind, Matt. You say you want intimacy and now you’re saying that you need space.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting both, Gina. It is possible, you know.”

“Well, I don’t prevent you from going out with your friends or running off to Joel whenever you feel like it.”

“Just like how you need your personal space, I need mine and I would like to have it without you taking it personally and without you making me feel guilty.”

“When have I done that, Matt? I don’t get upset when you go into the study or down in the basement by yourself. I leave you alone. And what did you mean about a woman who loves herself? Don’t you think I love myself?”

“I said that because sometimes I feel like I’m walking on eggshells, afraid to do or say things because of how you will react. When that happens I’m not free to be my authentic self. It prevents me from truly being myself and that’s not healthy.”

“It sound like you’re sorry you married me.”

“I’m sorry about how things are between us, Gina. I have tried my best to make this marriage work but I can’t continue doing it alone.”

Her heart sank. “What are you saying, Matt?”

“I think we should separate for a while.”

“This is Mel’s idea, isn’t it?” she cried. “She’s doing this to spite me and because she wants you.”

His expression darkened. “Mel has nothing to do with this,” he snapped. “This is between you and me. Our marriage is in the state it is long before Mel and I became friends.”

“Ever since you gave her a ride home, you and I haven’t had sex and you’ve been sleeping in the guest-room. Are you cheating on me with that little tramp because if you are, I swear–” She was almost beside herself with jealousy. “When you leave here, are you going to move in with her?”

His hands tightened into clenched fists at his sides as he fought to control his temper. “Not once since you and I have been together have I ever been unfaithful to you.”

“Why do you want a separation now, then? You didn’t before.”

“I wanted to try one last time to save our marriage and that’s why I recommended that we go for counseling but you refused. So, the only thing left right now is for us to separate.”

She felt close to tears but refused to cry in front of him. “You said you think we should separate for a while. How long is a while?”

“Six months.”

“Six months? That’s–that’s a long time.”

“That’s how long most separations last.”

“So, you’ve been reading up about it?”

“Yes.”

“And what happens at the end of the six months?”

“We will know whether or not there is a chance that we would get back together.”

“What about while we’re separated? Are you going to use your freedom to date other women or Melania?”

“As a Christian man, dating is out of the question.”

“Does that mean that if you weren’t a Christian, you wouldn’t have a problem dating other women even though you’re still married to me?”

“If I weren’t a Christian, both of us would have to agree whether or not it’s okay for either or both of us to date other people.”

“Well, I don’t plan on dating anyone,” she was quick to inform him.

His eyes narrowed. “Nor do I,” he replied.

“So, when do you plan on moving out?” she asked.

“As soon as I find a unit. Excuse me.”

“Where are you going?”

“To find a real estate agent who will help me to find a condo.” He turned and walked out of the room.

She watched him go, her eyes filling with tears. This couldn’t be happening. They were expecting their second child and they were going to separate for six months. Six months. That seemed like a long time to her. Why was he doing this to her? Was it because she had refused to go for marriage counseling? Or was this just an excuse for him to move out so that he could have an affair with Melania?

Jealousy ripped through her. Despite him insisting that they were just friends, it was obvious that he was attracted to that little hussy. She had watched them closely on Family Day when they were sitting around the table in the food court at Eaton Center. She had noticed the lingering looks they had exchanged. The thought of him hooking up with Melania made her so mad that she was tempted to take up the vase with the roses and throw it into the fireplace. How she longed to scratch Melania’s eyes out. Well, I’m not going to let her get her claws into Matt.

Sources: A New Mode; Educaloi; Ascent Law Firm;