Chapter Three
Rhett slid his key into the lock and turned the doorknob slowly, taking a deep breath, silently hoping that Jessie would be taking a nap, but the sound of the faucet running in the kitchen shot that hope down.
He shut the door quietly and tiptoed into the kitchen, watching as Jessie stood at the sink washing vegetables, swaying her hips to the music on the radio. He took a deep breath and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her hips and nuzzling his nose into her hair, "Hey beautiful."
Jessie tensed the moment he touched her, she sighed and remained stiff in his grasp, "You didn't remember to go to the store, did you?"
Rhett paused in confusion and then groaned upon remembering the list she had texted him after he left for work, he rested his forehead against the back of her head, "God, I'm sorry babe, I completely forgot." Jessie huffed in response, rolling her eyes.
"Jessie, c'mon, talk to me." Rhett placed his hand on her upper arm, giving it a gently squeeze.
Jessie wrenched her arm from his grasp, "Just do me a big favor and get the kids from Eric's house, and don't forget the list this time, please." She spat angrily.
Rhett felt defeated, Jessie's moods had only continued to get worse as time went on, nothing he ever said was right, and nothing he did was ever enough for her. "Sure..I'll be home soon." He grabbed his keys from his pocket and walked out to his car, unlocking the door and hopping in with a sigh, his heart clenching, Link would never have treated him like that; even during their worst fights they always found a way through and would come together closer than ever before.
Link stepped into his house, flicking on the lights and looking around the house, sighing softly, the house definitely didn't fell the same without his kids, though he was thankful for the peace and quiet. He walked into the kitchen and smiled at the little post it stuck on the fridge covered in his wife's loopy writting:
"Have fun while we're gone baby(I know you won't, but do try!) We love you, see you Monday.~ P.S. There's some dinner in the oven and a surprise in the freezer. 3"
Link's heart swelled with love, he truly didn't deserve his wife, she was always so cheery and loving toward him, always so thoughtful. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, Christy was truly a kind soul, and it killed him every day when those thoughts would come to plague his mind, he tried desperately to shoo them away and remind himself how lucky he was to have her, but he always felt himself wanting, and he knew only one person could fill that space in his heart, a person he could never have.
He mentally shook the thoughts from his mind and reached for the freezer's handle and pulled, gasping with a grin at what lay inside: Ben & Jerry's CinnamonBun, his favorite icecream. He grabbed the pint of icecream and stepped over to the utensil drawer and pulled out a spoon, taking off the plastic wrapping and taking off the lid with an excited grin. Link took a big bite of the icecream and sighed contentedly at the taste before spooning more into his mouth, thankful for the momentary distraction.
Link placed the carton of icecream back into the freezer and tossed the spoon into the sink, his stomach twisting with excitement and anxiety about the idea of tomorrow. He grinned and hurried to the bedroom and crouched down to look at the bottom of his closet, pushing various pairs of shoes aside to find his duffle bag and sleeping bag. He bit his lower lip to try and contain his excitement as he stuffed clothes and other necessities into the duffle, it had been far too long since he and Rhett had gone camping alone together, though he had to admit he liked having a third party there, it helped him realize how stupid his infatuation was and steered him from acting upon them, part of him was terrified of the inevitable impure desires he would have and of not having the internal strength to deny them anymore.
He shook his head with a sigh, no, he wouldn't do that to their friendship, although he wanted more he couldn't risk destroying the beautiful relationship they had, nothing was worth losing that. Nothing.
Rhett sat in the driver's seat of his car, looking into the rearview mirror at his two children, "Locke, make sure to help strap your brother in."
Locke nodded and leaned over to buckle Sheperd into his car seat before buckling his own, once Rhett saw that both boys were secured he put the car into gear and left the parking lot of Walmart.
Rhett kept his eyes forward, watching the streetlights zip by in the night, it was strangely hypnotizing and helped distract him for a moment from the anxiety he felt heading back home.
"Dad?"
Rhett snapped to attention, "Yeah, Locke?"
"Are you ok?" Locke asked, munching on the string cheese Rhett had bought for the boys.
Rhett forced a smile, "Of course buddy, just tired from work. Did you two enjoy your time over at Eric's?"
Locke nodded while Sheperd nodded off in his car seat, "Yeah but it's just not the same when Lincoln isn't there." Rhett could see the sadness in his eldest's eyes and his felt his heart break for the little guy, he knew full and well how special a best friend is at that age and how painful it can be when they're away.
"He'll be home on Monday, son, you'll see him soon."
Rhett turned his attention back to the road and turned the volume of the stereo up a little bit, his heart racing as the song "Weekend in New England" by Barry Manilow began to play.
When will our eyes meet?
When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearning end?
And when will I hold you again?
Rhett's eyes burned with tears as the words hit him, he swallowed the lump in his throat and changed the station, wiping at his eyes before any tears could fall.
Rhett drove up the driveway to his home and put it in park, "Alright boys, we're home." He called. Shepard awoke slowly and yawned, his uneaten string cheese still in his hand. Rhett stepped out and opened the left rear door, unbuckling Shep from his car seat and setting him on the ground outside the car, Locke followed suit and got out the other side. "Shep, Locke, help me with these." Rhett popped the trunk and handed the lighter of the groceries to the two boys and grabbed the heavier ones himself and struggled to pull the trunk closed and lock it. With a huff he hurried over to the front door and unlocked it, letting the boys go in first before following.
"Mommy, we're home!" Sheperd yelled with a cheery smile, waddling with his bags to the kitchen.
Jessie turned from what she was doing and smiled, "There's my boys!" She took the bags from her sons and put them on the kitchen island, hugging them and kissing their heads. "Alright, you two get washed up for dinner, ok?"
Locke and Sheperd disappeared down the hall to the bathroom. Rhett chuckled and called to them, "And no splashing around in there! I don't wanna have to clean bubbles off the floor again!"
Rhett laid the groceries on the kitchen island and gave a half hearted smile to his wife, "Got all the stuff you needed."
Jessie nodded, "Thanks. Can you get the table set?" And with that she turned her back to him and continued stirring things on the stove.
His shoulders slouched in defeat, "Yeah, honey." He grabbed some plates, cups, and silverware and took them to the dining room table, setting places for all four of them. He sat down at his place at the head of the table and grabbed his phone from his pocket and rested his elbows on the table, opening his messages with Link: no new messages.
Rhett put his phone back into his jeans pocket and looked to his wife in the kitchen, "Hey Jess?"
"Mm?"
"Is it alright if Link and I go camping this weekend?"
Jessie let out a sigh as she began carrying food over to the table, "If that's what you want."
Rhett felt his stomach twist and he lowered his gaze, talking to her these days was like wandering into a mindfield without a map.
The kids hurried over to the table and sat down, Jessie eyed them suspiciously, "Did you two wash your hands good?"
They both nodded and with a look at their hands she smiled, "Good. Now, do you boys want a chicken leg or a wing?" Locke and Shep both asked for a leg, she placed the chicken on their plates and spooned on bits of various cooked vegetables, then served her own plate before sitting down on Rhett's left.
Rhett clenched his teeth at her passive aggressive actions and leaned forward, grabbing some wings and spooning mashed potatos on his plate, slathering it with gravy. His sons went on and on about their day and how homeschool went, but he couldn't concentrate on what they were saying, all he could think of was the camping trip tomorrow.
After the boys had bathed and gotten ready for bed Rhett sauntered into his room, grabbing his camping backpack and stuffing it haphazardly with clothes and bits before tossing it aside and sinking onto his side of the bed.
Jessie came into the room and closed the door, letting her hair down and stripping in front of their dresser, keeping her back to him as she slid on a nightgown.
"Jess, what the hells up with you lately?"
Jessie paused and turned to him, "What are you talking about?"
"I mean you're being so cold to me, what the hell did I do to deserve that kinda treatment?"
Jessie sat on her side of the bed and slid under the covers, "I was gonna ask you the same thing."
"I've been nothing but a loving husband to you! I come home and you act like you'd rather I not come home at all!"
"Well, sometimes I don't."
Rhett felt his heart break, he looked to his wife with wide eyes, "What did I do, Jess? Just tell me."
"I don't want to talk about this now. Good night." Jessie rolled over on her side and shut off her light on her nightstand.
Rhett swallowed back tears and lay on his side with his back to her, biting his lip as his body trembled, he couldn't take this anymore, this was no life.