Three years of marriage should be enough to tell you all about your beloved partner, shouldn't it?
In Tiffany Langford's case, it wasn't. She was engaged to be married at the age of nineteen to her highschool sweetheart.
Ryan Langford had met Tiffany Billard on the soccer field. A cliche highschool couple was a perfect way to describe them. A cheerleader and a captain, perhaps peer pressure got them talking but affection came in soon enough.

They dated for years even after his proposal before her departure to an Ivy league. Six years to be exact and then it was time to walk down the aisle.

In Tiffany's mind, all was well till then. She had heard that couples separated for long time had trouble falling back in pace with each other but never experienced it. Their honeymoon stage unlike other couples lasted two years, and then came the problems.

Maybe they had turned a blind eye to it all till then but when he came home to find an office colleagues seated in their living room, things took the turn for the worst.

"What is he doing here?" He questioned having pulled his wife to the kitchen.
"Jason is my friend and I invited him over for dinner along with a few other colleagues but only he could make it."
"You think it was fit to have him home without me here?" Tiffany frowned at that, Ryan was not the jealous kind, something told her it wasn't jealousy that was speaking.

"Yes." She taunted him, staring him right in the eye as he got even more frustrated.
"Talk to me after he has left." Even though Tiffany could sense his anger, she made no effort to hurry Jason.
At quarter past nine, Jason took his leave and Tiffany realised she had to face the storm.

The recent times had been such that they hardly saw each other. Ryan's job pressure had increased manifold in the past month, there were days when Tiffany stayed up till two waiting for him to return home.
Maybe it was the work life that put too much pressure on them and forced them apart, at least that's what she believed.

"Ryan?" She didn't put much emotion behind her words as she entered their bedroom.
"I think it's high time we have a talk, baby." He looked distort at his own thoughts, Tiffany could see his inner turmoil but didn't say anything to ease him.

"I agree." Both of them could see the end of their relationship but none wanted to be the first to admit defeat.

Eleven years of history cannot be forgotten between enemies and they were lovers, sharing a soul for nearly a decade.
She silently went and sat beside him on the bed, the entire time questioning whether she wanted to end her marriage or just enter a couples therapy.
Her parents were strongly against the latter, the whole treatment frowned upon by society. She never understood why; their relationship being saved should be a happy story, right?

"I don't know how to approach this." He told her with distant eyes.
"I wish I could help you." Knowing him for this long came short at moments like these, did he want this to stop or to go on?

"I love you. I have loved you since I was eighteen. Marrying you is still my most prized decision," He paused, perhaps wandering how to let her down easily.
"Recently, I don't feel like we're connecting the same way. It's ju- Baby, don't cry." Had he not pointed it out, Tiffany wouldn't have noticed the blurry vision and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I knew this. I-I did." She fumbled over her words, hiccups accompanying her sniffles. He showed no hesitation to hug her close.
"What should we do?" Her teenage heart wanted him to bend down on one knee and say he'd fix everything but her adult mind agreed that it was better to separate paths.

She was thankful that Ryan had another plan.

"I want to try once more. One week. One week let's both try our best to make time for each other. We've gone through so much, these are just waves in an ocean." She hugged him tighter at his words.
"I love you." She said in a muffled voice in his shoulder.
"I love you too."

So, the married couple attempted to salvage their love. On the fourth day, they sat on the couch together, wine classes in their hand and their favourite movie playing.

"You're so beautiful." He said, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. She just laughed, she wore her hair in a messy bun and dressed in her pajamas sat lazily beside him. Beautiful was probably not what she'd refer herself as at that moment.

"You're so charming." She mimicked him and placed a kiss on his cheek as well, lingering at the feel of his skin on her lips.
"Baby. What do you think of this week?" An immediate smile played on het lips at the mention of the last few days. Instead of going overboard, they spent a humble amount of time with each other, working around their schedules to make time. They both agreed that having another honeymoon was not what their dying relationship demanded, it needed nurturing to stand again.

They talked over dinner, just discussing each others day. Some days he'd come late but wake up with her to see her off to work.
"I think it's working. You?"

"I think I love you." It didn't matter how much he said it, how many times he said it, she wanted to hear it over and over.
She kissed him, showing her husband what he had been missing out on for the entire night.

The seventh day came soon after but rather than feeling sad about it, Tiffany found herself looking forward to spending the rest of their life together.
The last day of rehab week was a Sunday. Tiffany was called to office for a few hours much to both their disappointment.

Tiffany was quick to finish her work and hurried home, having seen the message from Ryan claiming today was going to surprise her.
She entered their apartment with a smile but gasped at the sight that was before her.

Soft music played and her husband stood with an apron on looking at her lovingly.
The lights were dimmed and white flower petals were covering the floor.

"Ry, what is this?" She couldn't keep the grin off her face as she tip toed on the petals towards him.
He placed his hands on her waist as she neared and kissed her deeply.

"Wow." She panted out as they separated.
"I know we agreed on a normal week but I want to spend special days like this with you normally." She interrupted his monologue plenty of times, kissing his lips.

Over the week they faced problems, sure, but they figured out to work with it. Relationship take a lot of effort, there isn't a song that eases from one milestone to another. It's hours, days and years of ups and downs. But don't we live for the one good moment between the million?

********
Thoughts?
Love,
Rojesta.