Love In The Shadows: Christian Romance

•Five•

•Can we talk

"Michelle, we need to talk."

Michelle placed her hands on her hips and asked, "What Eric!?"

With a soft tone, Eric replied, "I want to discuss the issues we've been facing in our marriage recently."

Michelle folded her arms. "Oh, so now you want to talk about it?"

Eric rolled his eyes and replied, "Michelle, this is not a game. I genuinely want to work on our marriage, and I'm taking the time to do so."

Michelle replied, "Do you think it'll happen overnight? Fixing our marriage will take time, and it requires you to listen."

Eric sighed, "That's exactly what I'm trying to do today, Michelle - to listen to you."

"Okay..." Michelle started, "The night when you cheated on me with Pamela!"

"What about it?" Eric asked, "It happened and I apologized for that so many times."

Michelle responded, with hurt, "But apologizing isn't enough Eric! What about healing your wife and actually making up for the pain you caused me."

Eric defended himself, "I have been making it up...I gave you kids, a roof over your head, and I supplied everything for your sewing business. I've made it up!"

Michelle shouted, "YOU THINK MATERIALISTIC STUFF MATTERS TO ME ERIC??"

Eric shouted back, "WELL WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT FROM ME MICHELLE!?"

Michelle argued, "How about spending time with me, taking me out, rubbing my feet sometimes, or even reassuring me when you're out there at Church meetings that you're not out there seeing her again!"

Eric said, with a sincere voice, "Baby, I pray over our marriage every night, praying to God that one day he can bring forgiveness to your heart so that you can forgive me. Forgive the both of us!"

Michelle argued, "Well it's hard to do that when you're always around her, and when you go to these meetings how am I supposed to trust that it's not happening again?? How!?"

Eric argued, "Because I told you that I would never hurt you like that again!"

Michelle yelled, with all her might, "BUT HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TRUST YOU WHEN YOU NEVER SHOW ACTION THROUGH YOUR WORDS? You're rarely home, you're always busy with church, and it's getting so bad even the girls come asking me questions about where their father is! I did not marry you to become your second or third option. It's like you put the church, your arrogance, and Pamela over me!"

Eric replied, "Baby that's not true!"

Michelle yelled, "WHICH PART??"

Eric argued, "You are my number one priority I promise! It's just that I am a pastor and-"

Michelle interrupted, "-Aren't you the same pastor who preaches about righteousness while engaging in the very foolishness you condemn?"

"Will you let me finish??" Eric asked.

Michelle went quiet then Eric continued, "I am a pastor and my job puts a lot of weight on me. I have to make sure I've got a new lecture for the Sunday school teacher, new songs for the choir, and even I have to prepare myself for the new Sundays."