Sweetheart Do You Love Me?

DO YOU LOVE ME?

Jill and Mason had just finished making love for the second time of the night. They lay back and enjoyed the afterglow. Mason was startled by what happened next.

Jill asked sheepishly, "Mason, do you love me?"

Mason sat up on the bed and looked at her. "Really? You're asking me if I love you?" He got up and headed for the closet.

"Mason, what are you doing? Aren't you coming back to bed?"

"Nope."

"Why are you packing?"

"I'm leaving."

"Why? Just because I asked you if you loved me?"

"It is because of what that question means."

"I don't understand."

"For you to ask if I loved you must mean that you are not sure of my love. Somehow despite my saying I love you almost every day in our lives, despite providing you with the home you wanted, despite making love to you anytime you wanted; if none of that means 'I love you' to you, I give up. I don't know what I could do to show you how much I care.

"Since I can't do enough to satisfy you of my love for you, I'm giving you the chance to find someone else who can. I give up. I'll see a lawyer tomorrow."

"A lawyer? You're not going to divorce me just because I asked if you love me, are you? I just wanted to hear you say it."

"Right. You wanted to hear me say it because you are so insecure that I could never make you believe me. If you don't believe me, you can't trust me. I have stayed faithful to you. I doubt you believe that because you don't trust me. I can't live with a woman who doesn't trust me."

"Well, you work around so many beautiful women. I just know some of them would love to sink their claws in you. Deny that."

"I don't deny it. Several attractive women have made it clear that they were willing and ready to have an affair with me. But do you know what I have said to them?"

"You have a wife, and you can't cheat on her, I hope."

"Exactly. What has happened that you no longer believe I am still saying that? You are so fragile that I can't take it anymore. I would just as soon drop you, let you break, and let some other man put the pieces back together."

"Mason, please don't go. Give me a second chance. Don't I deserve that?"

"I'm not thinking of what you deserve anymore. I am thinking of what I deserve. I tell you what. I will move out for a couple of weeks. There will be no contact between us. After that time, we will meet and talk about whether or not we stay married."

"I don't need two weeks to know that I want to stay married. I'll do anything to not be divorced. Stay and let's work this out."

"I'm sorry. I need to get out of this house."

"Counseling. What if we go to counseling? Maybe that would help keep us together. Please."

"I don't need counseling. You can go if you want to."

"Okay, I will if you give me enough time to see if it works. Can you do that? Please give me a chance to win you back."

"Jill, I'll give you a chance to change, if you can. Right now, however, I need to leave."

"Mason, I'm scared."

"What now?"

"I'm afraid that if you leave, you will never come back again. I'm afraid of what I will do if you leave."

"Not the 'threaten suicide' gambit. Jill, that's pathetic. Do you really want to only hold onto a husband because you said you will kill yourself? I know I don't want to stay with you wondering if I might do something that prompts you to commit suicide."

"I didn't say that I would commit suicide. I said I would be afraid if you left. I would be because I would be scared sleeping here without you. I would be wondering how I could support myself without your income. I would be worried if everyone finds out that you divorced me. You are the one mentioning suicide. Does that mean you want me to kill myself to get rid of me without a divorce?"

"Jill, when you do die of old age, leave your brain to science." He walked to leave.

"Mason?"

"What?"

"Do you hate me?"

"AAAWWWGGGHHH!!!"