The Six Month Contract

Don't Fall In Love

I rest on our bed, tucked under the blankets watching TV. I'm bored but I don't tell Rocky that. Every few minutes, my eyes go away from the TV and towards Rocky who has turned our bedroom into a makeshift office so he can keep an eye on me.

I had told him I would be fine. We were still in the same house and he could always come up and check on me but he refused. He said he needed to watch me every second — that minutes and hours were too long.

I watch him use the coffee table where the lounge is, his back bent over to focus on his laptop.

"That's bad for your back," I say and that draws his attention.

"My back is not your concern," he says with a wink. "We're supposed to be focused on you."

"You're my husband after all," I tell him playfully. "I should be..."

I catch my tongue and freeze. I told myself when Rocky was bringing me home that I would walk away from this marriage because it was over at the end of the six months anyways. There is no point flirting with him, it'll make it harder.

I see the look on Rocky's face as if he's about to question why I stopped mid-sentence but that is exactly when my phone rings. My face loses all colour when I see 'Dad' show up on the screen.

Rocky notices my hesitance and looks down at the phone. He picks it up and holds a finger at his lips telling me to be quiet.

"Hi Dad," he says against the phone. "How are you?"

I frown. I don't like that he addresses my father as his dad. That is exactly the kind of thing that'll make walking away so hard. How could Rocky make a six month contract. How could he be okay with it ending if he claims he liked me...loved me even.

"Sky is just having a shower but I can let her know to give you a call when she's done."

When I snap out of my thoughts, I watch Rocky say goodbye and place the phone on the bedside table.

My parents don't know about the accident. Rocky insisted I tell them but I couldn't bring myself to do that. They would panic and I wouldn't have coped. Every time they ring, Rocky makes an excuse as to why I'm not answering the phone. He knows if I pick up, I will blurt out the truth and break down over the phone. They've even insisted on visiting us but Rocky lied that he was out of town for a conference and that I tagged along. There isn't much more lying we can do, and I know for a fact that the next time they call I will have to answer the phone.

"You should tell them," he says by the side of the bed. "They have every right to know, they're your parents."

I shake my head but that gesture sends a pounding through my head. "No, they won't be able to handle it."

Rocky frowns but drops the topic. He pulls me forward as he fluffs my pillow and leans down to kiss my forehead. I, however do not let him. Before his lips touch my forehead, I push myself back and lean against the pillow.

He watches me for a second and then gives my hand a squeeze instead before heading back to his laptop.

Why couldn't there be an easier way to create distance. Why must I have been such an idiot to have allowed myself to fall in love with the Rocky Hamilton. My mind goes to unsolicited thoughts. He is rich, powerful and successful — he could get any girl. That's probably why there is a six month contract. Call one a wife and get bored and move on. That's all he needs, a new wife every six months. That's exactly what I am. Rocky doesn't love me, I'm just his temporary wife.

I shake my head, disgusted in my thoughts. Rocky isn't like that, and trying to think like that won't make the pain easier once I leave. It still doesn't take my mind off why this contract was only for six months.

————————

*One Week Later*

I hold the teacup to my lips as Daniella draws an odd shaped cow on the whiteboard.

Rydar jumps up and down in his seat. "A spaceship. Daniella, I swear that's a spaceship."

She shakes her head. "No it's not," she says pointing at the board. "How on earth is that a spaceship?"

Rocky smiles besides her. "It kinda looks like a spaceship."

Daniella smacks Rocky's shoulder before continuing to draw.

I laugh. "It's a cow."

Both the boys snap their heads in my direction and then back at Daniella for confirmation. "It's true," she says.

"Bullshit!" Rydar shouts. "You're just saying that so she can get a point considering she's on your team."

"Show us the paper," Rocky says.

Daniella leans forward and grabs the folded up paper and hands it to Rydar, who immediately frowns when he in fact sees the word 'Cow' on the paper.

Rocky looks at me. "How on earth did you get that?"

Before I can answer, Daniella jumps in. "Because she's the best sister-in-law and we can read each other's mind."

I frown. Another thing I will have to leave behind, the relationship I not only built with Rocky but his family too.

I secretly tilt my head and wipe at my tears as they bicker amongst each other.

"Your turn," Rydar says at me.

Rocky stands and holds my hand. He pulls me holding at the edge of my waist to avoid my wound. He then helps me over to the whiteboard and the idea of it all makes me a little upset. I hate that I'm so reliant on him. I hate that I cannot do something as simple as standing and walking over to the whiteboard without him having to helps I hate feeling so helpless.

He leans me against the board and slips an arm around my back for support.

"I'm good," I tell him as indication that he can sit back down but he doesn't. He merely looks at me and says, "I know."

Daniella hands me the crumpled paper and Rocky tilts his head away from me so I can read the word privately. Spaceship.

A small smile plays on my lips and then I look at Daniella. I give her a subtle nod and she nods back, s smile now appearing on her lips.

Rydar gets up. "No hints," he says. "That's cheating and I can see you gesturing one another with your faces."

Not to brag but I'm a great drawer. Although right now in order to overtake the boys, we need one more point. I'm not about to draw a really well spaceship, they'll guess it immediately. What I am about to draw is an odd shaped cow.

As I start, both Rocky and Rydar tilt their heads to the side and give each other a questioning look. "I thought you were a good drawer," Rydar says.

Rocky nods. "Well she was."

Daniella and Rydar laugh at that. Was. As if I'm no longer good but Rydar and Rocky don't know that's coming to them.

Rocky laughs when he sees the drawing. "That must be a cow," he says just as Rydar jumps from his seat and shouts, "cow. It's a bloody cow."

I smile as Daniella shouts "Spaceship," behind them.

They turn and watch me and I nod. "It's a spaceship."

Rydar watches me and then Daniella before turning to Rocky. "Your girl just played us."

Rocky looks at me proudly. "She sure did."