Safe Zone

{Brett’s Point of View}

There was a million of things running through my head. Why couldn’t I be passionate with Katy? How was I going to salvage my marriage if I couldn’t even please her or even talk to her without getting upset?

I was in our bed waiting for her to come home. She was already an hour later than when she said she would be home. So I decided to be extra prepared, when I offered her to go to marriage counselling with me. And already have a therapist ready to pull up.

I looked over at the clock that read 11:11PM, as I heard the front door alarm beep. Katy took a couple of minutes to finally get to our bedroom.

“Brett?” Katy whispered, I assumed to see if I was awake.

“Hey, K. How was your workout?” I asked, putting my hands behind my head. Stretching my naked abdomen.

“It was good,” she answered while turning on the lamp next to our bed, “How was the end of that show?”

“Stupid,” I laughed, watching as she got undressed to get in her pajamas. I hadn’t examined her body in so long, even if it was just her back.

“Man, I’m so tired. Do you have to work tomorrow too?” Katy asked as she threw the sheets and blanket back and crawling under them laying on her back, pulling out her phone.

“No, I have to go in on Wednesday. You working four-tens?” This was the longest conversation we had in the last week or two.

“No, three-twelves. Then four hours on Friday. Unless they put me on-call,” She sighed, because she always hated being on call.

“Hopefully not, because we have Matt Sanders surprise birthday party this Saturday,” She looked over at me from her phone.

“When did you find this out?” I assumed she hadn’t been in the kitchen since it had been sitting on the counter for about a week.

“They sent an invitation telling us to keep it a secret. Then Val saw me about a three days ago while I was getting gas asking me if we were coming. I told her yeah. I figured you wouldn’t want to miss it,” Katy always told me all the stories of her and Jimmy with their friends, especially once Jimmy had passed away.

“Oh well of course. I just didn’t know about it,” She stated, rolling over towards me. This could be the perfect time to ask her.

“So I have been looking into marriage counselling. Maybe we could go see a therapist,” It was worth a try, rather she said yes or no.

“I don’t see why not. We need to figure something out. How are you and Cheyenne doing?” There went my hopes as she once again brought up Cheyenne. Truth was Cheyenne and I were over but she is trying to push the child she is carrying on me.

“I broke up with her about a week ago-”

“I’m calling bull on that. She was just over her like a couple days ago. I saw her car in our driveway,” she rolled her eyes and went back to her back.

“I know. But it isn’t like that. She’s pregnant,” Katy’s eyes grew large as I let out the secret, “Not with my baby, though.”

“And you know this how?” she seemed angry, which she had all right to be.

“Because I know.” It probably wasn’t going to end there but I didn’t want to tell her that I had a vasectomy about three years ago when she wanted to start having kids. It was evil, but I was not cut out for kids.

“How?” I anticipated it so I made a lie.

“Because we always used protection. For diseases and birth-control but I also pulled out ninety-nine percent of the time.”

Katy was quiet for a minute, “Okay.”

She probably didn’t believe me, which would make sense because I wasn’t telling the truth anyways.



{Val’s Point of View}

Time had flown by since I had been in Houston. I ended up getting the part in the movie that I was auditioning for, but it wouldn’t start filming until next month.

As I sat in the airport waiting for Matt to come get me, I had been on the phone for the last hour checking to make sure everything was as planned for Matt’s surprise party. Thank God we lived far from LAX.

Everything was a go, so Michelle headed to our house as soon as I called her and told her Matt was on his way to come get me.

It was going to be the absolute best party that I had ever thrown for my husband. And I hoped he hadn’t already found out.

He had been a little distant since I had gone out of town. Which I chalked it up to him stressed out over the record label being switched during the middle of an album.

Patiently I waited outside with my bags as I got his text that he was pulling up to the pick-up. I was glad when I saw the jacked up blacked out Chevy pick-up pull up next to where I was standing.

He opened his door and jumped out from the other side meeting me by the passenger side, “hey!” He smiled wrapping me in a brief hug, “Come on, let’s get out of this craziness.”

He grabbed my two suitcases and threw them in the bed of his truck, “Babies! Did you miss mommy?” I exclaimed seeing my two boys sitting in their car seats.

“Want to go get something to eat?” Matt asked putting his truck in drive and pulled out of the pick-up zone.

“No, I ate while waiting. Did you have fun with uncle B and aunt ‘Chelle?” I asked turning around holding my seat beat from restraining me.

“Well I might have to stop and get the boys something to eat. Last time they ate was breakfast.” I looked at the clock and realized that we had to be there by two.

“I’ll make them something. When we get home. I just really want to be home,” I sighed, getting frustrated but couldn’t really show it, because then Matt would wonder why.

My excitement and anxiety was just so ready for the best birthday party Matt’s ever had!