Marital Affair by Jasmine Black

Chapter 1
    “ The test came back negative.” More
bad news from Dr. Wendell.
    Lucas Sinclair turned to his wife, Colleen,
sitting in the plush leather chair next to him. The
when-is-it-going-to-happen look was plastered all over her face;
blank eyes, lips neither smiling nor frowning, and pale cheeks. He
grabbed the tissues from the inside pocket of his suit coat and
handed them to her. Her cold hands trembled.
    “ Why can’t I get pregnant?” Colleen
turned her head away, wrapped her arms around her empty belly and
rocked.
    Lucas rubbed her back and she flinched,
letting him know his touch was unwelcomed at this particular
moment.
    Dr. Wendell fumbled with the chart on his
desk. “You’re a real estate agent, correct?”
    When Colleen refused to answer, Lucas
offered the information. “Yes, we both are.”
    “ How many hours do you work in a given
week?” Dr. Wendell looked at him.
    This was the part of the visit where Colleen
clammed up and refused to participate.
    “ Fifty to sixty.”
    “ Uh hum.” He jotted a note down. “And
the new house, are you settled in?”
    “ We still have some unpacking to do,
but the worst part is over.”
    Dr. Wendell turned to Colleen. “Mrs.
Sinclair, are you eating healthy? Getting enough sleep?”
    “ Why does it matter? You’re acting
like this is my fault, like I can just will myself to get pregnant.
Well, I can’t. I’ve tried.” She stood and walked to the wall of
windows overlooking the city. “Nothing I’ve done has
worked.”
    “ Colleen, we’ve been through this, no
one is blaming anyone. I’ve run the test on both of you. Twice.
There is nothing physically wrong with either of you, so at this
point we need to evaluate the stress of your lifestyle. That’s
all.” Dr. Wendell pulled out a calendar. “You need to plan
intercourse when you’re ovulating, eat healthy, exercise. Those
sort of things for the both of you.”
    “ We’ve been doing that for two years.
I don’t need another chart. They’re all over the house now.”
Colleen grunted as she shredded the tissues in her
hands.
    Dr. Wendell set their file down and took off
his glasses. “I know I’ve asked you before, but would you be
willing to talk to my colleague? She’d be happy to help.”
    Colleen spun around and glared at the
doctor. “Colleague? You mean a sex therapist. Someone to tell me
how to have sex. Please my man. What, I don’t eat right, sleep
right, work right? Now I don’t fuck right?”
    “ Honey, please.” Lucas went to her and
wrapped her in his arms. She stiffened at his touch, but he had to
keep trying to get through to her. “No one is saying that. I’m not
saying that.” He looked into her eyes. “Please, let’s just give it
a try.”
    “ Fine,” she huffed as if she’d been
worn down, but he could see the resignation in her eyes.
    “ Great. I’ll go get her.”
    “ Right now?” Colleen asked, but like
speed lightning, the old doctor had already took flight and
disappeared from the office.
    Lucas led his wife back to the leather chair
she’d abandoned. They’d been trying to have a baby for five years
and it seemed like it would never happen. The months had dragged
out to years and with each passing month, Colleen pushed him
further and further away.
    The door opened and a woman in her
mid-forties with short red hair wearing too much jewelry came in.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Downing.” She shook both of their hands, bracelets
clanging. “Well now, Dr. Wendell tells me you’re a bit uneasy
talking with me.” She rolled the tall leather chair from behind the
desk closer to them.
    “ A little bit.” More like a whole lot,
but if she could help them, he would willingly go through some
embarrassment for the love of his life. Anything to make her smile
and laugh again.
    “ There’s no need to be. Couples have
trouble conceiving all the time. Sometimes the smallest things can
change that.” She patted Colleen’s knee.
    “ I’ve changed my diet, sleep