Stage 1 Hailey’s Perspective~

~ Hailey's Perspective~

I had heard somewhere that the honeymoon phase, which covers the initial years of marriage, is when everything is beautiful, generally lasts 1-3 years. Did that happen in my case? 

I quickly learned that marriage has many phases, and I had entered the honeymoon phase with my head in the clouds. 

The loud music and crowds of people filled my house from wall to wall. I maneuvered through the chatty, sweaty crowd with a tray of drinks, mumbling, 'Did this man invite the whole town to our anniversary party?' 

"Hey! Hey!  Don't throw up my plants!  Excuse me!  Coming through with more drinks," I shouted into the crowd, pressed together like sardines in a can. When the way got clear enough, I gasped when I saw what all the commotion was about. 

My husband, Rome, stood atop the bar, unbuttoning his shirt while doing provocative dance moves, while girls chanted and screamed.

"Go, Romeo! How low can you go? Romeo!" 

I hated it when women called my husband Romeo. It indicated that they thought of my husband as some impulsively hot and fiery lover. Which was true, but that was for me to know and for them never to find out.

I could hear Rome shout back to the crowd. "How low? Real Low!" 

I pushed through the crowd of girls to get him down from there. His tan skin turns red whenever he drinks too much, and his eyes are cast low. But the way the women were carrying on, you would have thought he was famous. 

There he was, my brand new husband, dancing on top of the bar. He flings off his shirt, tossing it into the crowd of girls, all eyes glued to his sculpted physique, tree trunk thighs, and Capital C butt in those fitted jeans.

"Rome, get down from there!" I shouted even louder, trying to be heard over the music and noise, though I doubted I was being listened to. I was standing right before the bar counter when a female shouted. 

"Hey, can you move! You're blocking hotness!" 

"He's a married man, you know," I shouted back at her. 

"Not for long," she replied, laughing with the others as they continued encouraging Rome to act like a fool.

It's embarrassing to see my husband grinding and humping on the bar as if he were in our bed.

"Rome! Get down from there!" I protested. 

I was closer, and he bent slightly in the middle of a dance move. He smirked at me and puckered his lips as if to kiss me.

Then this girl, who had to be drunk, yells at me,, "Stop trying to block the show. This is the best part of the party." She whined. I ignored her and pushed through the crowd to the DJ booth. I got Jeff's attention, Rome's best friend. 

"Jeff! Could you please come and talk some sense into Rome and help me get him down from there?" I said. 

Jeff, a big, burly guy with muscles, had no problem parting the Red Sea of folks. I held on to his shirt to make my way back to Rome. "Come on, Rome, get down, man. That's enough of the striptease. You have to stop. You are a married man," Jeff said.

"Nothing to see here!" I told the crowd, primarily females, who smacked their lips in disappointment.

The song ended, and the show was over. Rome hops down from the bar top and stands right before me. "Why you always gotta ruin a man's fun," he whined. 

I rolled my eyes at him. "You know you're not supposed to be on top of the bar dancing. Now there will be scuff marks that will take me hours to clean," I said. 

"Baby, just chill," Rome said, looking at me, buzzed. He put his hands on my waist, pulling me toward him as he leaned against the bar. 

"Why can't you just have a good time with your man?" Rome said with a grin. I wrapped my arms around his neck. 

"Because you get out of control, and one of us has to be in control," I said, smiling. 

He bit his lip. "Why can't you be a wild girl?" He asked. 

I laughed and let go of him, moving back.

Rome looked at me, "I'm going to turn you out yet; you just wait and see." 

"Yeah, yeah," I said, waving his comments off. But before I was out of Rome's reach, he slapped my backside. I turned around to look at him, and he winked at me. 

"Okay! The party is over! It's time for everyone to head home! Please make sure everyone has their designated drivers! Thanks for coming to celebrate with us, and please, everyone, get home safely!" I said, holding the front door wide open for everyone to exit. 

Jeff was still packing his music equipment, and Ariel was looking for her purse and shoes. 

"Hey Jeff, please lock the door behind you when you leave." I requested. 

"Sure thing, Hailey." He replied.

I grabbed Rome by the hand so we could get away from our friends, and I took my husband up the stairs. 

He looked back and made a joke to one of my friends. "Ariel, you want to join us?" She stood there, her cheeks flushed, blushing from ear to ear.

My eyes narrowed at him and squinted even smaller at her. My facial expression said it all. The look I gave her caused Ariel to scramble to put on her shoes and leave my house at the speed of light. Generally, I was used to girls being attracted to my husband and finding him irresistible, but he got a kick out of it and encouraged it.

"Boy, stop being silly; why would you say something like that?" 

He throws his head back in laughter. He looked at me like that was the funniest thing in the world.

"It isn't funny, Rome. You know that kind of joking makes me very angry with you. You clown too much, I'm. Going to bed without you." 

He chased up behind me, wrapped his big arms around me, and fit my hips into his.

"Ah, baby, come on. I'm teasing. You know I find you hot and sexy, and I value you. I wouldn't damage the life that we have created together. Come on, Hailey. Kiss me, kiss me like you mean it."

"The sex is amazing! Make-up sex is extremely gratifying sex.  Everything is forgotten when we engage in what is amazingly enjoyable sex. It's tough to explain till you experience it! I feel more loved by Rome during make-up sex because I know that no matter what happens, our love will survive it."

Okay, I agree that Rome’s joke crossed the line, but what's a joke or true intent when you’re in the honeymoon phase? Yes, the lines were blurred constantly with Rome. There were so many little quirks I was familiarizing myself with, such as loading the dishwasher in a precise fashion, gargling noisily with the mouthwash, or the off colored jokes, they're all perceived as adorable and charming. I was wearing my rose-colored glasses, and I could see the stars in his eyes when he looked at me. All I have to do is say the word, and he is ready to right his wrongs.

When my husband whispered, "Baby, making you happy is my greatest desire," my anger melted away, replaced by pure arousal. Rome has a remarkable ability to show me through his words and actions; Rome has an incredible talent for using his words and actions to make me feel utterly cherished and adored.

I was caught up in feelings of happiness and passion. I didn't see how my husband had woven small acts of unfaithfulness into our marriage. If you weren't paying close attention, as I wasn't, it might have gone unnoticed. I was too focused on the bonding, closeness, and trust we built, enjoying those warm moments together. I connected with Rome in ways I didn't expect.

He shared my interests, enjoyed the same music, and loved dance, art, and books. Rome is a complex mix of sweetness and slyness, attentiveness and neglect. At home and in public, he is sweet and attentive. Still, he also makes sly remarks behind my back to our friends, makes financial decisions without consulting me, is lazy about work, and breaks promises. Soon, the clouds turned to rain, and the pain left a stain in my heart I had no idea how to remove. But cloud nine is where the honeymoon phase began for everyone after uttering the words, "I do."

I was a good wife, which didn't mean I was a fool. But when I confront him, his response is always the same. 

"Seriously, where are you hearing all this? Hailey, it's time to cut off those negative influences. You know, beneath it all, many of your friends envy what we have. They'd give anything to be with someone like your man." His words, a subtle manipulation, always leave me questioning my judgment.

When I think I've got a handle on him, he says something that leaves me confused, struggling to find the truth in his words. 

"You think you know? Think again, baby. You clearly can't see the treasure right in front of you." With a heat radiating from his body, Rome leans in close, his scent mingling with the air in an intoxicating blend. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me tightly against him, and whispers into my ear, biting gently. "Don't buy into what your friends say. They don't want to see you find your happiness with me. I may not be flawless, and I definitely have my moments of reckless fun, but deep down, you know I care for you. I need you to remind me how to be good, too." His presence surrounds me like a storm, making it nearly impossible to think straight.

I turned around in his arms, and he kissed me senselessly. Dinner is put on hold.