The Black Sheep #3 Fire Me! Series - ON HOLD

21

Marriage counselling

Stefano

I knew why I was doing this. I was doing this to get our marriage back on track and our relationship back the way it used to be before our youngest daughter was born. I hate how everything has changed over the years. It feels as if we've grown apart. And I don’t know how to fix it. Last week was an eye opener. It had been the first time in sixteen years I had hugged and kissed my wife or shown her any affection.

I wanted to show her that I still loved her no matter the s**t we were going through. What I didn’t expect was her to flinch at my touch. I was taken back, she had never been so cold towards me before, but I guess I can’t blame her after being a complete doc towards her for the past sixteen years when all she’s done is sew us back together and I have pushed her away at every chance even knowing the truth.

She looked up at me. “Are you ready to go Ry.”

She nodded.

“We’re going to get through this. We’re going to make this work. I want the old us back.”

“I’ve wanted that for such a long time, Steph, but I don’t even think it’s possible anymore.”

“It is, believe me.”

“I wish I could.”

“It is.” I said entwining our hands.

I half expected her to flinch and pull away but she didn’t. I felt relaxed as I gripped tightly into her hand leading her out the house to the car where the driver was waiting for us. I closed the door locking up and led her to the car we slid in and the driver pulled away. Her hand was still in mine as we drove to the counselling offices. “This is a new beginning for the both of us Ry.”

“I hope so.”

I smiled. I hoped so too.

The driver pulled up outside the building and got out the door, closing the door and walking into the building and up the stairs to the marriage counselling offices. I gave them our names and the receptionist smiled and booked us in telling us to take a seat and the councillor would call us in.”

We sat down and I continued to clutch Ryleigh’s hand in mine sitting in a killing silence. The door creaked open and a woman in her fifties opened the door. Great, she looks no older than me. How the hell is she expecting to help us?

“Mr and Mrs Moretti-Tanner.”

“That's us.”

She smiled brightly. “Please come in.”

We stood up and followed her into a medium sized room with a chair and sofas felt more homely than an office should. She closed the door. Please take a seat.”

I nodded, pulling Ryleigh with me over to the sofa. The councillor sat on the chair so we took the sofa. “My name is Sofia Gaddis, I am a marriage counsellor. I have worked here gone twenty years. I am the best in my profession. I have managed to put back over sixty percent of marriages that are on breaking point. I hope I can help the both of you fix what is broken. First I would like you to introduce yourselves and tell me a little about yourselves. You go first.”

I nodded. “My name is Stefano Moretti Tanner. I have worked in my fathers business since I was twenty. I am the CEO of Blackwood Inc.

She nodded and looked at Ryleigh who had been quiet up until now. “What’s your name dear?”

She looked up and straight into the concellros eyes. “Ryleigh Moretti Tanner. I used to work for Stephano at Blackwood Inc as his PA when I turned twenty one.”

“Interesting a office romance.” She buzzed. She coughed. “So we’ll start on that first. How did you feel about working together?”

I grinned remembering the first day she showed up to work late. “I was angry that she had tuned up ten minutes late, but forgave her for using initiative for getting me coffee and doughnuts.” I laughed. “She was the perfect P.A. I couldn’t fault her.

She nodded. “How did you feel working for Mr Tanner Ryleigh?”

“I was angry I had no intention of working for a man whose father had taken my fathers life line away from him. My father had sold the company to Stefano’s father Aubrey Tanner. Well not all of it he had shares in it. But I was still angry at him and so was my sister. I thought it would be a good gesture to buy him coffee and doughnuts. I failed to remember that the coffee shop was packed that time of morning so I was really late. I apologised and he told me to use the cafe at the offices in future so I did.”

“So you didn’t regret working for him?”

“No my anger for his father taking my fathers company dissipated and we worked well together.”

“When did your relationship click together?”

“When we were on a business trip. We got closer and we descended to take it further.”

She smiled. “When did you tie the knot?”

“Twenty two years ago.”

She smiled brightly. “Ryleigh I would like you to tell me when you think the marriage started going wrong?”

Ryleigh

I sighed I knew this was coming. I had dreaded this moment the moment I would have to bear my soul and my darkest fears when I knew the reason why it all went wrong. One call he’d missed and a million voicemails he failed to listen to. “Ever since I gave birth to Morgan nothings been the same he changed overnight like the weather. One minute he was all loving with me the next he wouldn’t even touch me. I know I had a traumatic birth but that was no excuse to back away. I understood at the beginning he was giving me space to recover, but as the weeks went on it got worse he ignored me totally and my needs. He was never home; he would rather work than be in the same place as me. I thought he was having an affair. I confronted him and he told me he would never do that to me. He loved me too much. But it never felt like that. It felt like I was drowning and one day I wouldn’t breath and choke to death.

I tried so many times to get him to recognise me the way he had the first day we had met but nothing. He wouldn’t even kiss me good morning or goodnight. Nothing, it’s gotten that bad the kids are noticing.”