Disclaimer: I only own Ashlyn-Marie and Jamie.
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Ashlyn stood in front of their solid mahogany dresser looking into the landscape mirror while she applied her makeup. She sat in silence as her husband packed his bags. She'd agreed to drive him to the airport before he'd told her that he wouldn't be there for their wedding anniversary. The blonde didn't know if that was planning on his part to assure that they'd be in the same space, or just coincidence. Knowing Matt, though, she was inclined to believe that it was the former and not the latter.
The young attorney turned towards her husband, "I'm ready when you are."
Matt nodded, "What time do you have to be at work?"
"I took the day off," she answered before heading towards the door, "I'll be downstairs."
The wrestler shook his head, knowing there wasn't really anything he could do about the situation right now. After packing a few more articles of clothing, Matt closed his suitcase, picked up his carry on, and walked down the stairs.
When he made it to the living room, Ashlyn took his carry on from him and walked out the door.
'It's going to be a long car ride,' Matt thought silently as he followed her to the car.
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Matt remembered when he first started working for the WWE. When he'd needed to be dropped of at the airport, Ashlyn had always walked with him as far as security would allow. Nowadays, she parked the car and waited for him to go through the entrance doors before leaving.
Matt reached for the door handle, but stopped before he opened the door, "I don't want to leave with us like this."
"If we don't resolve this, will you stay?" the blonde woman asked as she stared straight ahead.
"Ash, you know I can't. I have a job to do." Matt defended.
"Then I guess it doesn't matter whether or not we reach some sort of compromise." Ashlyn faced Matt, "Because at the end of the day, when it comes down to me or the WWE, it's always wrestling first."
Matt hit hands on the dashboard, "Dammit, Ashlyn Marie you know that's not true! You are my top priority. You always have and always will come first."
"You keep saying that, but your actions don't match your words." Ashlyn sighed, "Look, Matt, I don't want you to miss your flight. We can talk about this later."
The superstar gave Ashlyn a kiss on the cheek before opening the door. He got his suitcase out of the car, and returned to the passenger seat to get his carry on.
"Matt," Ashlyn called before he shut the door, "I love you."
He gave her a small smile, "And I love you."
As he made his way towards the airports entrance, Ashlyn rested her head on the steering wheel, before starting picking up her cell phone, "Hey. Meet me at my house?"
"I'll be there in a few minutes." came the voice of her best friend.
"Don't be surprised if you beat me there. I just dropped Matt off at the airport." she replied.
"Ah. I see." Jamie said, "I'll see you in a bit."
After hanging up, Ashlyn started the car and headed home.
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"Why don't you two just celebrate your anniversary a little early?" Jamie offered.
"Jamie, that's not what I'm angry about. He promised me he'd be here. This isn't the first time he's said he was going to be home and then wasn't. All because of that stupid job of his." the blonde lamented.
The raven haired woman did think Matt was wrong to promise when there was a chance he couldn't keep it. However, she understood that his heart was in the right place when he'd made the promise, "I understand that, Ash, but do you really think you're being fair to him? It's not like he asked to work that day."
"I know. I know. I just…I'm tired of feeling like I don't matter anymore." Ashlyn closed her eyes and sighed, "I know I'm the most important thing in his life. It just seems like he's forgotten that."
Jamie hugged her friend, "Hey, right now you two are just going through some of the 'for worse' that comes with marriage. You'll be fine. Sometimes, it just has to get worse before it gets better."
The blonde hugged her back, "Well, it needs to get better soon. For the past year, our marriage has just gone straight to hell, and I don't know how much more of this I can take."
The young writer eyed her friend, "Sweetie, tell me you don't mean what I think you mean."
"I'm afraid so." Ashlyn answered as tears started to form in her eyes, "If something doesn't happen soon. Some sort of sign that we're moving in the right direction to fix this marriage…I'll might just ask Matt for a divorce."
"Ashlyn-Marie! Don't you think that's a little extreme?" Jamie exclaimed.
"No, I don't. I've been thinking about this for a couple of months now, and I'm sick of coming second. He goes all over the world, and expects me to be here when he gets back like the good little wife I am." Ashlyn wiped away her tears as anger flooded her system, "Somewhere along the way, I got cast aside so he can live his dream. Jamie, what about me? What about the dream of a family and the life he promised me?"
"If you divorce him, you'll never have that life," her best friend added gently.
The young blonde felt tears forming in her eyes again, "I had a life before Matt, and as much as I'd hate it, I'd manage to have one after him."
Jamie pulled Ashlyn into another embrace as the blonde started sobbing.
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Matt sat in his seat on the plane. He was willing to bet anything that by now Ashlyn was at their home, and her best friend, Jamie, was there as well. The superstar hoped that the raven haired woman would be able to get through to Ashlyn. He hated the strain that his job put on their marriage, but Matt had faith that they could get through anything. He knew that Ash would never ask him to sacrifice his dream, and that's what allowed him to get on the plane instead of staying with his wife. She'd be there when he got back. She always was.
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