"Morning sleeping beauty" Paul mumbled as he watched Carla awaken from her deep sleep. "Are you feeling any better today?" He asked referring to last night in which he remembers her falling asleep after complaining of a headache. She shrugged in response before stretching out. "Define what you mean by better. If you mean do I still feel useless, then yes I do. But the sore head, that's cleared up thanks." Paul sighed as she spoke. Clearly his messages insisting she shouldn't blame herself hadn't been listened to. "C'mon get up. I've got us a doctors appointment for after lunch, it's nearly midday."

"You mean you 'ave got me a doctors appointment. You have a football club to go an' run. Remember that little place." She replied sitting up against the pillows on their bed. He shook his head as he watched her. He knew this was her coping strategy, but he couldn't deny it annoyed him no end.

"Come here?" He asked placing his newspaper on the coffee table beside the chair he sat on.

"Why?" Carla groaned, reaching to the bottom of the bed to grab her designer silk gown. "Can't you come here." She continued, huffing as she placed it on herself.

"Because we both know if I come over there, neither of us will be getting out for the next few hours. Come on I just want to give my wife a cuddle while I tell her some things." He spoke, while waiting for her to come over to him.

"My oh my Paul, you are turning soft in your old age ey." She giggled as she walked towards him. "What's going on? The only time you have ever given me this much attention was our honeymoon" She asked sitting upon his lap. They both remained silent for a while, each thinking over different things before Paul spoke up. "Look I guess this whole thing has woke me up car'. I've not really been the husband you deserve. I've not cared for you as much as I should, I not given you nearly enough attention. I realise expensive gifts aren't always a substitute for proper love and affection. I'm sorry, I really am. But I promise from this day forward to change. I will spend more time at home with you, I'll let you fall asleep on me while we watch TV, I'll stay with you when you're feeling down or ill or nervous or whatever, I'll be by you're side."


They arrived back home, arms linked around each other, both with sadness plastered across their faces. The trip hadn't been as positive as they hoped, in fact it left them both feeling as hopeless as ever before. Carla had, had a scan and the doctor told them the tablets weren't working as successfully as they should, but the pair were to keep trying and see what would happen though it was unlikely anything would.

"I'm going upstairs." Carla mumbled, pushing Pauls arm from her body. She wanted to be alone, but she didn't. She felt as if she had completely failed as a women, but Paul was providing the comfort she desperately needed right now.

Paul sighed, he didn't know what to do. If it was any other women he would immediately run after them, but this was Carla and she was unpredictable at the best of times, never mind when she was feeling this venerable and useless.

His eyes followed her body as she walked up the stairs. He was just about to leave her, give her space when he remembered his earlier promise. "Carla wait." He called, quickly climbing the steps to join her. "C'mon I'm not letting you be alone, not when you're like this." He said joining her on the half-way landing as she broke down in tears. He didn't say anything, he merely held her as she cried away all the tears she could.

"Why me?" She sniffed, her body finally beginning to relax in the arms of her husband. She was tired now, exhausted even and was ever so pleased when she felt herself be lifted into the air and carried up the remaining stairs to their bedroom.

He helped her change out her clothes and wrapped her in his warmest dressing gown before tucking her into bed. "This isn't your fault princess. Nothing is." He whispered before lying down beside her, watching as she fell asleep.