Chapter one

Going straight to bed was out of the question. Aubrey was having a fit about his back. It was just two days after he had a play boxing fight with his buddies. Now someone, clearly, had too many jabs and punches towards his back which caused it to hurt in agony. Kitziah, his wife of 2 years, decided that his next offer would be put down because she couldn't stand to see him hurt and complain and have less time to enhance their relationship. Yes, he was a grown man and could take it but she couldn't stand to see him hurting physically.

She looked over to him who was lying on his stomach with his chin at the edge of the mattress. That made her think of a quick solution to help him feel better before going to sleep.

"Baby?" she said, tone full of sense.

"Huh?"

"Move over here. Let me rub your back," she said nicely, putting down her magazine.

"No, you're busy. I'm fine."

"You being sarcastic, baby? You know I'm not doing anything important!"

"Oh, okay," he said scooting over.

She lifted up his shirt slowly to tease him. After his shirt was off, he folded his arms on a pillow she gave him. She leaned over to the dresser to grab a bottle of lotion and then put her legs back in between his back.

Squirting some lotion on her hand, she made sure to rub her hands together really well to get that warmth and then gently placed them on his back.

Aubrey hadn't felt this relaxed in days. The stress of work and play left him in a state to turn to his wife for help. But being the person she is, she only liked to tease him and not give him the full effect. In order to calm his nerves and calm his pain, he needed a massage deep of adoration and tenderness.
He shot his head up when she stopped for too long of a time.

"What are you doing?"

"Sorry, I was thinking about something."

The truth that lied within was it was someone and not something.

"Well can you like, come on, you know? The little nice thing I get from you once in a while and you are just stopping? What's going on?"

"Baby, my bad! I'm getting back to it."

An ounce of lotion was poured onto his back. The only thing was, this time was she forgot to rub it in her hands to make it warm. Aubrey said nothing instead emitted a heavy, frustrating sigh.

"Kitz, what are you doing?! What kind of massage is this? You're not making this any better," he said, not telling a pinch of a fib.

His semi-yelling caught her attention and made her massage him how he liked. And although he wasn't quite sure what she was thinking about, he hoped that she snapped out of it soon because he was becoming annoyed.
The massage ended soon and he had felt a little bad. He could have felt better, but he wasn't going to complain anymore. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings as much as she was hurting his.

"Babe," he said turning on his back, "I'm sorry."

"I know you are and it's okay. I'm just in a quandary about something," she lied sitting on top of him.

"What's on your mind? Do I need to get it off?"

She giggled. "No. I just don't know if a want the black lace up heels with the bow, the silver and black wedged or the brown ones. It's so hard!"

"In all seriousness, are you kidding? Your mind has been on shoes while your baby is hurting?"

"I know love. I'm sorry," she pouted kissing his mouth.

"Are you really?"

"Yes" she whispered in a child-like voice.

"Prove it," he firmly said, crossing his arms.  She slowly moved closer to kiss placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his lap. Her lips flew to his neck where she bit, sucked and kissed.

"Oh, I thought so," he smirked. "I love you."

"Oh I love you more."

"Impossible babe!"

"Why is that?"

"Because I love you more."

"Whatever you say," she smiled laying flat on him with a wide smile.

On the other side of town, Onika had just come home from a stressed day at the office. Being an editor for Mode Magazine, she never got the break she wanted and needed. The only time she felt at peace was with her husband of 3years, Kenneth and her 2 year old daughter, Heaven.
She opened the front door to her 3 bedroom home, exhausted.
"Baby, I'm home," she yelled, kicking off her sexy black pumps, giving her feet room to breathe.

"Oh, how was your day?" Kenneth said as he walked out the kitchen.

"Stressful and eventful." Onika smirked at the sight of her very handsome, very buff husband in a feminine apron. He walked towards her and kissed her forehead. Onika was a little pissed off, for the past couple of weeks since Kenneth doesn't touch her with affection anymore but because she was always tired from work, she didn't have the energy to bring to up, so she brushed it off... for now. "You cooked dinner?"

"Yep?" Kenneth answered whilst grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen.

"Where's Heaven?"

"In the dining room playing with her new toys. Go and take a seat. I will be there shortly," he said quickly as if he needed to rush back into the kitchen.

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"No, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"For God's sake Onika, I said go and sit down!" Kenneth shouted loudly in her face, causing her to jump. Her heart was beating double its normal pace. She just walked in to the dining room in silence. Kenneth knew he shouldn't have raised his voice at his wife and the mother of his child. He sighed heavily, mad that his frustration landed on her.

"Mommy, you're home!" Heaven exclaimed, happily as her mother walked into the room.

"Hey baby I missed you," Onika smiled kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Missed you.” Heaven cooed. Her mother smiled.

Heaven talked to her mom about her day. For a two year old, she had the mind and words of a five year old. After about five minutes, Kenneth came out with the plates of food. He then sat opposite Onika not knowing that she would get up from the table, leaving her lovely food there.

"Onika!" he called after her. She grabbed her shoes from the front door. He called her name again. She didn't respond until he grabbed her forearm.

"Yes?" She said in a hushed tone.

"Where you going?"

"To bed," she said with frustration.

"Why?"

Onika changed the subject to what was on her mind. "Why did you yell at me? You've never yelled at me before." Onika said with blurry vision; her tears were surfacing.

Kenneth hugged her saying, "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind." Onika pulled away and looked up at him concerned.

Kenneth wasn't lying he did have a lot on his mind, it wasn't so much as to what it was more, who was on his mind. "Don't worry it's nothing for you to worry about" He kissed her forehead. "You still my Barbie?"

"What is Barbie without Ken?"

"I love you," he admitted, hugging her tightly.

"Love you too," she said throwing it off and not acknowledging his embrace.

When dinner was finished, Kenneth cleaned up the table and dishes while Onika went to put her daughter in the tub. Even though she forgave him, she wondered what could possibly be on his mind. Heaven shook her out her thought process when she began heavily swinging both of their arms up the steps. Onika looked down and grinned before approaching the bathroom door.

She opened the door and immediately trailed over to the tub, turning on the water. Heaven stood behind her as she usually did every night when she took a bath. The refreshing, transparent water rose swirling as Onika's hand circulated checking for temperature. By then, she grabbed Heaven's favourite scent of bubble bath and poured it into the water. After pouring the soap, she helped her daughter undress. Heaven splashed into the water after receiving a plane ride from her mother.

A little water sat on the floor after but it wasn't a big deal because there was a towel that laid there.

"So Heaven... what did you and daddy do today?"

"We had lots of fun! I went on the swings and went high up in the air. We went to this..."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know what it's called," she pouted.

"The zoo?"

"No."

"Carnival?"

"No."

"Uh... pet store?"

"Museum!"

"Oh, the museum. Did you have fun, baby?"

"Yes mommy. Daddy says I'm a princess."

"That you are," Onika said lightly squeezing her nose. "Let's wash your hair.

Back with Aubrey and Kitziah, sleep ensued. Aubrey became vexed being woken from his slumber. He was hoping that he could just sleep for the rest of the night. After his wife apologizing for her massage issue, another little argument occurred which sent them both to sleep. In the ominous setting, he opened his eyes to a bland wall.
"Aubrey," she whispered with her hand upon his rib cage.

"What?"

"There's too much space between us and I can't sleep."

"I'm sorry," he said shutting his eyes. She gazed at the back of his head, scrunching up her face as to question who he thought he was.

"Can you move over here a little, please?"

"Fine!" he huffed, scooting back to the front of her body. "Better?!" He was still annoyed from earlier.

"Yes. By the way, I wanted to say sorry again. Do you forgiv-"

He cut her off retorting, "Sure, but I'm tired, okay?"

"I'll stop bothering under one condition."

"What?"

"Say you're sorry like you mean it and tell me you love me."

A faded smile appeared as he turned to look her in the eyes. "Kitz, maybe if you'd stop bothering me, I wouldn't have anything to be sorry for. You understand what I'm talking about?"

"Okay I get it. I'm the one who should be apologizing," eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"You think?"

She stared at him a while longer. "Sorry," she told him nonchalantly.

"Okay goodnight."

While turning to face the other way and bringing the covers up to her, she replied, "Good night" and continued to think deeply into someone.


PLEASE COMMENT!