Make You Feel My Love

Paul had just laid Ava down after lunch with Tessa and their families when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw a text from an unfamiliar San Jose number. He smiled to himself when he read the message.

Hey, it's Katie. It was kind of a shock seeing you on Monday but now that I've been able to process it, I'd like to take you up on that lunch offer if it still stands. Happy Thanksgiving, Paul.

He quickly typed out a reply as he stood in the hall.

Happy Thanksgiving to you also. What day is good for you?

Tuesday?

I have a game that night; what about Wednesday?

Wednesday is good too. There's a Greek cafe near my shop; do you want to meet there?

Sure. Text me the name and address. I'm looking forward to it.

Me too. It was really good to see you; I can't wait to catch up.

"Paul!" Tessa called up the stairs. "Is Ava okay?"

He shoved his phone into his pocket and pushed off the wall and headed for the stairs. "She's perfect; fell right asleep," he answered as he came down the stairs. He kissed Tessa's cheek when he reached her. "I'm ready for dessert. What you got for me?" He pinched her butt for emphasis.

"Paul!" She blushed, looking around quickly to make sure none of their family saw.

"What? It's been forever, Tessie."

"You were on the road for two weeks."

"What's your excuse for before that?" He shot back.

"I'm not going to argue with you about this while our parents are in the other room."

"You're my wife; my beautiful, gorgeous wife. It's not like I'm asking for something absurd here, Tessa. I love you. That's it."

"I love you too, Paul, but I don't feel pretty or beautiful or gorgeous. Not out here.”

“Out here? What the hell does that mean? And when did you become so obsessed with your looks?”

“When you moved us to California where every woman is blonde and perky and tinier than I ever thought possible.”

“We made a decision to come here, together. And you're better than any woman out here.”

“Well I'm sorry that I'm not fulfilling some wifely duty that I did not know I was obligated to provide you at your every whim and fancy, but I'm not comfortable with myself, so how in the hell am I supposed to feel comfortable naked in front of someone else?"

"Because I'm not someone else!" He hissed hotly. "I'm your husband, your partner, and I don't see the flaws like you do. I don't expect you to cater to my every fancy but every once in awhile would be nice."

"I don't want to talk about this, Paul, not right now. Can we please put a pin in this until our families leave?"

"Fine, let's put a pin in it. No problem," he said, rolling his eyes before walking away. He joined his family in the living room with a smile. He heard Tessa in the kitchen and the strain in her voice when she called out that dessert was ready.

The rest of the day was tense between Paul and Tessa, their interactions in front of their families very put on. Tessa went to bed before him and when he closed the door behind him thirty minutes after her, she was facing the wall and curled into a ball as far away as possible from the center of the bed where she normally slept against Paul's side.

He felt a small pang of guilt at having pushed at her earlier. He knew she had hang ups about her body after having Ava but he had hoped if he told her she was still so perfect to him, that she'd eventually get past it, and see herself the way he saw her.

He pushed the feeling aside though as he tried to remember the last time he and Tessa had been intimate with one another, thinking it must have been when they first moved to San Jose, right before training camp. At first Paul had chalked it up to settling into a new city, and then to the start of camp and getting to know new teammates. But now they were nearly eight weeks into the season, ten weeks into their move. Things should be different.

Paul thought they were happy, in life and in love. Now he wasn't sure. He didn't know what was going on in Tessa's head, or her heart, and he didn't know what was going on in his either.