June lay awake in bed. It was probably around four a.m. Todd hadn’t come into their bedroom yet so it had to be before five. She could hear the rhythm of Jared’s positive pressure air device he used to prevent sleep apnea. June thought about Sunday and how Jared’s attitude had changed once he knew she might be quoting him in her short stories. It seemed for the first time he saw himself as she’d been trying to describe for so long. Always before it seemed to bring out defensiveness and blaming. This was the first time she’d seen such a dramatic and immediate change. Maybe there was hope for them, after all. She decided to go freshen up.


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June felt a peace over her as she sensed Jared’s relaxed form next to her. She waited to hear what he wanted to talk about.

“Honey, remember the other night when you said you wanted to tell me something that had upset you? What was it?”

Sure enough, just like the marriage counselor, had tried to teach her so many years before, men need sex before they can listen. It’s just the way they are wired. When would she ever get that through her head? June was afraid she would never think like a man so she was bound to keep making this mistake. Hopefully, though, she would make it less and less.

June explained about the thread that had been started on her favorite songwriting web site. It was supposed to be a classic song that most writers would have been familiar with. The webmaster had bumped the lyric to the top asking for people to critique so she had. She didn’t know it was a famous classic song. So, she'd surely looked like a fool talking to this guy like he was the author.

Jared's voice was tender now. "So this is what you wanted to tell me about the other night when I wouldn't listen?"

"Yes." June would leave it at that. It wouldn't be right to burden Jared with any more from her troubled soul. God would be her confidant. He hadn't turned his back on her and He would get her through the months and years ahead. Reputation was no longer her god. She was free to be herself without fear, now that she'd lost what had been a major source of pride. Never before could she identify so easily with Darla and Liz, the infamous step sisters June rarely admitted she had.