“Babe, have you seen my black hoodie?” he asked me as I stood in the kitchen looking at the disaster I make. I am sure that it is me making all the mess. It has to be me.

“Yes, check the front closet.” I said it like it could be hanging there. I knew that it wasn’t. He opened the door to bags. Trash bags. I could see his face and I wasn’t even in the room.

The tone of his voice told me I was seeing him clearly in my mind. It was like he had stumbled onto a box of skeletons. There was pronounced horror there. “Honey… these are our clothes. Half our wardrobe is in here. What are they doing in trash bags?”

I left the kitchen mess to go stand in the living room mess. I wanted to put it all back in the bag, but he was dumping them out. All of them. There were already many bags and I wanted to make more.

“I can’t keep up with it so I am hiding it.” I announced it like it is a perfectly normal thing for a woman to do.

“Well,” said he, “You could have at least let me know. You’ve seen me standing in the closet looking for clothes that I could swear were missing. They were here all along.”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Who knows how long they’ve been there. Like I said, they were hiding. Maybe they were under our bed for a while. Maybe I have secret mess stashes all over the house. Maybe I am a mess hoarder and you’ve been fooled into thinking I am a wonderful homemaker. Maybe you should break up with me.” I said finally as I threw my hands in the air to go back to the kitchen mess.

He came from the living room mess to smile at me as I slammed dishes into the dishwasher. “Don’t be grumpy,” his sweet and dashing charm was trying to win me over but I was pouting and overwhelmed. I wasn’t going to be able to keep him.

There is no way I have time to build a company and a relationship. I need to focus. I need to focus on my business. I studied his face before surrendering to the snuggle of his chest. The best part of knowing all my plans can fail is this place that is close to him. His warmth lifted my sagging spirit. “You can do better than me.” I said finally, trying to keep myself down to a level that is not inflated.

“I don’t think that is possible,” he said kissing my forehead.

“I’m obsessed,” I said looking up and into eyes that cared to love me despite every weakness. “I don’t want to be cooking fancy dinners and cleaning the house. I want to be working on this business. I don’t want to go to the movies. I don’t want to go hang out and have fun. I don’t even need to eat. Hell, I don’t even need to bathe. Do you understand?” I was pouting again.

He laughed, “You need to eat Amber. I’ll be checking in on you, and please take a shower stinky.” he kissed my forehead again and then my lips. He has always been sweet, like honey drizzled lightly on buttered toast.

“Are you sure you don’t just want to break up with me?” I asked one last time before settling back into happy.

“Yes, dingus.” he was playful. “I’m sure. I am sure I am going to drag your ass out into the woods. Relax. Life is good remember. There is a show that makes me think of us. It reminds me of us.”

“Really?” I was smiling bigger. “What’s it called?”

“Green Acres,” he said before asking. “Have you seen it? You’d probably recognize the theme song.”

I didn’t recall seeing the show, but the song, the song I remembered. 1966. We are indeed a timeless classic. He was right to be reminded. The story is a lot like us. I’ve been writing about New York for some time. My daughter just posted something about the city on her instagram.

I’m sure he shouldn’t break up with me. Our lives are right in line.

FROM DAPHNE:

Amber,

I am so happy you found someone to call you out when you need to realize that life is all around you and it is the people you share it with that make it worth while. Amber I have no doubt your business is going to bloom whether that be in New York or “Evergreen Acres” and that is because of your drive and most of all your talent. You need someone though that holds you close and reminds you that you can have success and happiness from both sides of the coin. Life is too short to just throw into just your business…you once said that you want everyone to think you are magical….Amber its not your business that makes you magical…Its you! Its you sharing that magic with others in your life and by having fun with those who love and care about you. YOUR SMILE shines so bright that the magic of you just shines and its contagious. You are truly amazing and magical. So yes, remember to have fun and enjoy those you love because in the end as much as your business is amazing. ..people won’t care about losing that in the end when life is finally over…they will care about losing the magic that is YOU!