Chapter One
Mary-Beth’s POV
“Let’s start with our usual process,” our marriage counsellor Whitney says.
I’m not in a happy marriage. Two months ago, I was finally able to admit that out loud when my youngest sister Lainey found love with Jasper, Terry’s foster kid.
All three of my sisters, Terry, Matty and Lainey had all found these amazing guys. Guys my dad loved. Guys that my other sisters like.
It’s when I took a good look at Samuel and thought to myself Have, I fallen out of love with him?
I met him when I was seventeen. I was at a sleepover with my friend at the time Louisa and we snuck out to get ice cream. Samuel was there with a bunch of guys from his debate team, and he came over and we started talking.
Then we started dating.
He was so charming, and he brought me things and he called me beautiful every day. I forgot the last time he did that.
We did the long distance through college. I had suspicions that Samuel was being unfaithful, but I didn’t prove it, so I thought I was paranoid.
Long distance was hard, and I did confide in Matilda that I may break up with Samuel. 10 days later Samuel was proposing to me. Young me thought this is what I wanted. I just needed to know he was all in on this and so I said yes.
A year later we got married. I was married at 22.
The first year was great, Samuel and I were both concentrating on graduating. I was still spending time on the ranch too and that caused our first fight as a married couple.
Samuel didn’t understand why I would want to spend my time there now that I live in the richer part of town. I told him that it was my childhood home and my family was important to me.
Samuel never got that.
I was always closest with Terry growing up, but because of Samuel, we grew apart. I spoke with Matty the most these days.
Samuel was to blame for my falling out with Terry. Especially after Jasper’s 19th birthday dinner. He and Callum, Terry’s fiancé at the time and now husband fought because Samuel was yelling at Jasper.
Samuel was jealous of Jasper because I spent time with him. Also, because Jasper was supposedly in love with me.
It was a crush.
Even Jasper said so. What he has with Lainey is love. Me, I was just the first woman to show him affection and that imprints you know. I take the blame for that.
And now we are here. After many arguments, Samuel wanted us to try marriage counselling to give this another shot.
“Mary, you go first,” Whitney says. “Name one thing Samuel did nicely this week?”
“He uh took the bins out when I asked,” I answer. “Didn’t make me hound and hound him, till I did it myself.”
Whitney hums. “Samuel? What about Mary?”
“She made dinner every night,” Samuel supplies.
“Is that something you expect her to do?” Whitney asks. “Or do you cook dinner too?”
“My job has me doing all kinds of hours,” Samuel states. “So yeah, I would like to come home to a meal.”
“You’re an on-call vet Mary?” Whitney questions. I nod. “So, you would do unexpected hours too?”
“Yeah,” I answer. “I get a call; I have to go you know.”
“I think this is our next step,” Whitney says. “Samuel, I want you to cook dinner for Mary.”
“I don’t know how to cook,” Samuel grunts. “I’m not a woman, why would you expect I learnt how to do that?”
Whitney’s face nearly shows how she feels about that comment, but she remains professional. “I’m expecting good results,” Whitney says. “Now what else is on for this week?”
“I am babysitting my niece and nephew,” I tell her.
“Well, that’s perfect,” Whitney gushes. “That is something you guys can do together.”
“No thanks,” Samuel says.
“Mary, your family is important to you right?” Whitney asks.
I nod. “They are.”
“And Samuel, a few of your marital problems are the fact that you do not get along with her family,” Whitney points out. “I think the two of you should do this together.”
“The kids have nothing to do with this,” Samuel argues.
Whitney quirks her eyebrow at me in question. “What do you think Mary?”
“I think it’s a good idea,” I agree with her. “Matty might warm up to Samuel if he puts an effort in with her children.”
“Then it is settled,” Whitney says. “Your homework Samuel for this week is to cook Mary dinner and to help her babysit.”
“And what’s Mary’s homework?” Samuel quips.
“Do you have something you would like to share?” Whitney asks. “Maybe something Mary can do better to support you in any way?”
“No, but I don’t think it is fair that all the homework is for me,” Samuel states.
Whitney clasps her hands and sits them on her lap. “I am here to assist in rekindling the love between you two,” Whitney says. “And to me, it seems like the problems are only one-sided.”
“Well, then why can’t Mary just be happy with who I am?” Samuel asks. “I have never been any different.”
“When we first started dating you used to always call me beautiful and talk to me like I hung the moon,” I argue. “I can’t even remember the last time we made love.”
“Yeah, well I have always hated your fucking family,” Samuel says.
“They have done nothing to you,” I growl.
“Uhh that is so not-”
“YOU TALK DOWN TO THEM!” I scream. “I am the same as them and you talk down to them.”
Samuel scoffs. “You aren’t like them anymore.” Samuel crosses his arms. “You don’t even go to dinners anymore.”
“Because of you,” I cry.
I burst into tears and Whitney passes me over some tissues.
“This isn’t working for me,” I croak. “He wants to work on us but isn’t willing to put in the effort.”
“I am here, aren’t I?” Samuel growls. “I am paying this bitch $150 an hour!”
Whitney glares at him. “You’re paying me, but I won’t hesitate to kick you out of my office if you keep using that language.”
Samuel rolls his eyes. “Fine I will do all the stupid shit,” he says.
