Chapter 4
Laura leaned back into the sofa taking a sip of the wine, "The quality of this wine alone is enough to make me forgive you. Combine it with dinner and you are officially my favorite person."
Jean's soft laughter filled the room, "And Robbie thought you wouldn't be so forgiving."
"Don't push your luck."
"There's two more bottles."
Laura smiled, "Are you spending the night?"
"I will if you need but I can't imagine Robbie will work that late. Maybe you should save some of the wine for a conversation with him."
"I feel like I don't know where we stand."
Jean leaned forward, "In what way?"
"I didn't know he was unhappy, he didn't or couldn't tell me. And then he couldn't be bothered to tell me he was going back to work. How can I be confident in our relationship if I can't trust him to be honest with me?"
"Laura, be honest, Robbie has never been the best communicator." Seeing Laura's look she held up her hand, "I'm not excusing him not telling you about going back to the job. You have every right to be angry. But the other, I think you have to cut him some slack."
"So if Richard was miserable in your relationship and didn't tell you, you would be OK with that?"
"Can you honestly say you've been happy?"
Laura looked up at her sharply, "Why would you ask that?"
"I've watched you two. You haven't seemed as connected."
Shaking her head, Laura fought the tears welling in her eyes. "Maybe, I don't know."
"Has the spark gone out?"
She shook her head, "Not on my part, but I do feel like we don't try. I know part of it is settling into a relationship, something I haven't done in a long time. What's the difference between losing the spark and the spark settling?"
"I've been married for 25 years and I can tell you there is a natural ebb and flow. But with as long you guys waited, I wouldn't think the ebb would come quite so quickly."
"So what did I do Jean? Why did this happen?"
Jean scoffed, "Why are you so sure you did something? There is an age factor."
"It's not physical. It's the intimacy. I feel like we pass each other not really connecting. I tried to ignore it but since you said something it's on a constant loop in my head. All of these moments of co-existing."
Placing her glass on the table Jean stood, "It's time for me to go."
"You're just going to leave me with all of these thoughts?"
Jean smiled as she stood, "Anything I say now will be my opinion. You need to alone with your thoughts to decide what you want. I will leave you with one piece of advice. Be direct, tell him what you need and want. Robbie is a wonderful man, a brilliant detective but when it comes to you…"
"When it comes to me what?"
Jean shrugged, "He's often at a loss. You've always supported him unreservedly. Maybe he assumed you would do it again."
"So I'm not supposed to support the man I love?"
Touching Laura's cheek softly, "Not when it means you lose yourself in the process."
Laura nodded, turning into Jean's hand, "I am lost."
"Now find yourself. And remind Robbie Lewis exactly what he might be throwing away."