Chapter 20

Jerry paced back and forth in his apartment, frustration and sadness building up inside him. He had been trying to call Vivian for hours now, butshe wasn't picking up. He had a sinking feeling in his gut that she had finally left him, after months of tension and arguments.

His parents had urged him to reach out to her and try to reconcile, even bringing in Mrs. Rose,the woman who had taken care of Vivian when she was a child. They had all noted how unhappy Jerry had been without her, and they knew that deep down, Vivian was still important to him.

"We'll speak to her, Jerry," Mr. Will had said firmly. "We can convince her to come back to you, but on one condition."

Jerry had looked at his father quizzically. "What condition?"

"You need to treat her like a wife," Mrs. Rose had chimed in. "No more of this treating her like a roommate or a fling. She needs to feel like a partner, like she's loved and valued. And if you can't give her that, then it's better that she stays away from you."