Instructions: Read the short story and once you’re done (scroll to the end of the story) VOTE on whether this story should be turned into a novel or novella. And if you don’t think the author should keep going, we have a choice for that too.

Love, Angel

Dear Journal,

As I sit here and think upon my life, the first word that comes to mind is… grateful. I’m doing what I love, living in a house that feels like home, with a man who adores me.

Yeah, life is great, but has there been space created for other things? Something better is always possible, right? It’s the beauty of life. Don’t get it twisted, I love my life and it’s exactly how I imagined it…. yet, I still have this empty, gnawing feeling of wanting more…needing more.

At night I close my eyes…. dreaming of two little ones running around that are the spitting image of their father and finally having something to call my own, hoping my father will smile down from the heavens as a witness.

My definition of more in a nutshell.

How I wish my husband felt the same as I do. We’ve talked about it… and talked about it… yet his vision of more lies with just fatherhood and mine with a family and stability. The one thing in life that’s the hardest to maintain. I want a family too but why can’t we have it all?

Trey doesn’t think so. Not right now means never if you ask him. I’ve told him otherwise, but he doesn’t believe me. To him, it’s one or the other, your family or your career. I love him more than anything in this world, but my independence is embedded in my DNA and it’s not something that’s just gonna disappear.

It follows me everywhere I go. So here I stand, asking myself the question what’s stronger? The relationship I have with myself, or the one I desire to have while building a life with Trey? Until I can answer that, I’m always going to feel… stuck. Love, Angel.

She placed her pen down, closing up her journal hearing the front door slam, signaling her husband’s arrival from work. She prepared herself for the worst about his boss Tracy who secretly wants him, his current stubborn client, followed by his monologue about them being the only couple in their friend group without kids.

Fifteen years of marriage secured, going on sixteen. Angel never liked Tracy from the start; she knew a snake in the grass before it appeared. She’s the type of woman that Angel would never associate with. The ones who will smile in your face while plotting all the ways to take your place.

Home-wrecking hoes. Vindictive. Sneaky bitches. Her thoughts run wild as Trey rushes through their bedroom door, throwing his suitcase on the bed, walking to her side, leaning down to her face planting a kiss delicately on her lips. Long days like this require a shower soon as he steps foot inside the house.

Trey works for a law company named Tracy Children’s Rights & Family Common Issues. He and Angel both graduated from USC together where they first met. He went to law school in Atlanta and his dedication doesn’t do him justice for all of his hard work. He’s been working with Tracy for almost nine years.

Angel works for the richest woman in the city, Sienna Parker, as a marriage/family house therapist. Trey pokes his head out the bathroom door, giving his wife a quick wink. He makes his way to her, towel wrapped around his waist, gliding on the bed with ease as his fingers glazed over her lower back.

“Woman of mine, watchu doin?”

“Wrapping up my journal entry” She responds, intercepting eye contact.

“And how was that?” Trey answers whilst softly kissing her shoulder. “Better than my day at work that’s for sure” “I’m sure yours was better than mines” Trey replies unenthusiastically.

“Why, more sexual advances from your boss?”

“Baby!” “Quit the theatrics you know your boss” Giving him a knowing look while her brows wiggled. “That was a long time ago, at the beginning of my time working with her. We’ve been over this already”

“Long time or not, I still don’t trust the bitch” Angel quipped.

Trey turned her head, tilting her chin. “I only have eyes for you” He gazed into her pretty browns, finding her mouth again. She leaned into it slipping her tongue in, holding the side of his profile. They got lost in one other’s touch until their lips parted for an split second.

“I know.” She pecked his lips.

“So, what went wrong today?” Angel questioned him continuing the previous conversation. “Nothing went wrong, it’s just this case, it’s the hardest one I’ve had in a long-time babe. Our client isn’t making it any easier on us either.”

“I thought your client was ready to settle?” “He was, but more things were brought in and now he’s having second thoughts” She pulls him in closer running her fingers through his hair sensing his frustration.

“Well it’s never fun when that happens but you’ll find a way to make it work. You always do” “Thanks baby. What about you? Anything interesting happen?”

“Mm not really. Sienna talked to me about an potential new client” “That’s great babe, have you met them yet?” Trey’s thoughts wandered.

“Nope, but their supposed to drop by the office tomorrow. Hopefully, they keep their appointment with me” “I’m sure they will” He kisses her nose. “Have you given any thought to what we were talking about the other night?”

“Baby please don’t start; can I just get one night off from this?” She sighed heavily. “You really don’t want us to have a family of our own?” “Of course I do. I just think we should wait.”

“Angel, we’ve talked about this already, don’t you think we’ve waited long enough?” Air blew from her lips.

“The timing isn’t right.”

“Timing may never be right but if not now than when? Remember the day we first met? I knew you were going to be my wife and the mother of my children. I’ve never wanted nothing more than I wanted that. One of them I already have, and I need the other to make me complete” Trey explained slowly backing away from her.

Her orbs grew into an softness, scooting herself across their bedframe to lift his chin up, meeting her eyes. His vulnerability touched her heart in a special way, because it’s confirmation on how deep his love and care went for her.

“Sweetheart look at me. I understand everything your saying and I want more than anything to have your child. But we don’t have to rush it, there’s still things out there that we both want to do before bringing a kid into the world.

Listen, you know you’re the love of my life, there is no me without you, Rey. I’m just asking for you to give me a little bit more time to get to where you are”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

She leaned in for a hug and he held her tight around her waistline, her arms circling his neck. “I guess there’s a bright side to you not being pregnant right now.”

“Oh really, and what is that?” Her laughter graced his ears.

“More time to practice.”

She giggles as he licked her neck playfully. She started to pull away and he grazed her cheek, again and again, finding his way back to her lips. His mouth softly closed on hers, coaxing, coercing the lips apart as his arms enfolded her, wrapping her in his warm embrace.

Her hands fisted his hair while her mouth grew feverish against his, consuming him, taking over, relishing the feel of his tongue against her own.

Their tongues maneuvered in sync as he proceeded to remove her blouse, button by button. He moved his way from her lips down to her neck, and then her breasts. They moved on the bed together as he positioned himself to his knees. She mirrored his stance as he continued to devour that pretty mouth of hers.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Eliciting a moan from her lips.

Angel slowly removed his shirt, placing kisses all over his chiseled chest. He ripped her shirt off, slowly removing the bra with his teeth. He aggressively grabbed Angel by her hips, and lifted her ass off the bed, with her thighs cloaking around his torso. He tossed her on the bed bringing her down to his level as their comforter covered their naked frames under the silky sheets.

Dear Journal,

Don’t be ridiculous, I wasn’t expecting that. Make you blush though, right? Yeah, it did. Its moments like this that bring me back to all the times we shared in college together, assuring me I had nothing to worry about.

Still, moments of insecurity fill me. Despite the ending to this night, I didn’t get a chance to say what I wanted to say about my own practice, but I’ll table that for another day. The night can wait, and tomorrow is a new day. Another day to get it right.

Love, Angel.

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