From Grass to Grace, he rose

3. An extravagant wife

Alexander was having a rough day at work. He was a mechanic and things just weren't going his way. He was struggling to fix a particular stubborn engine, and he was starting to feel defeated and frustrated. He was worried about how he would pay the bills if he couldn't get the job done.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and he picked it up, expecting it to be a client but it was his wife, Angelica. "Hi Alex," she said, her voice sounding tense. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what's up?" he asked

"I need you to send me $30,000 ASAP," Angelica said, her voice sounding somewhat extravagant. Well, that's what she has recently turned within a year.

Even as at that, he felt his stomach drop. He knew that Angelica was frustrated with their financial situation, and he hated that he couldn't provide for her the way she wanted him to. But he also knew that he didn't have any extra money to send to her. "I'm so sorry, honey," he said, "but I just don't have any money on me right now.

"But I really need this, Alex," Angelica said, her voice rising in frustration. "I can't believe you won't even help me out when I'm in need. You're so selfish."

Alexander felt his heart sink. He knew that Angelica was upset, but he didn't think it was fair for her to call him selfish. He was doing the best he could, and he just didn't have the money to send to her right now.

"It's not that I don't want to help you," he said, trying to keep his voice calm and collected. "I just don't have money right now"

"Well, it sure seems like you're choosing not to help me," Angelica said, her tone becoming more accusatory. "What kind of husband are you if you won't even help your own wife?"

Alexander felt like he was being backed into a corner. He didn't know what to say to Angelica, and he was starting to feel angry. "I'm doing the best I can," he said, his voice rising in frustration. "I'm trying to provide for us both, but it's not easy. And I'm sorry if I can't give you everything you want right now."

Angelica let out a sharp laugh. "Everything I want? You make it sound like I'm some kind of spoiled princess. I just need some help with a small amount of money, and you're making a big deal out of it. It's like you don't even care about me."

Alexander felt his blood boiling. He was trying to do the best he could, and it was really starting to get to him that Angelica didn't seem to appreciate that.

"That's unfair coming from you" he said, his voice growing louder. "I'm doing everything I can. I'm not trying to be selfish"

She snorted, not ready to believe him.

"I'm also not a bank. I can't just pull money out of thin air, and I have my own expenses to worry about. I want to help you, but I just can't do it right now."

"So you're saying that you are more important than me?" Angelica said, her voice rising in anger. "That's really selfish of you, Alex. You're supposed to be my partner, and here you're acting like I'm just some leech who's taking advantage of you when I only asked for just $30,000"

Alexander felt his anger rising to a boiling point. He could feel himself losing control of his emotions, and he didn't know what to do. "I'm not saying that!" he shouted, his voice shaking.

"I'm just trying to explain that I have nothing right now, and I'm doing my best. I'm sorry that it's not enough for you, but I'm doing everything I can."

"Well, I don't feel like you're doing everything you can," Angelica said, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "I feel like you're putting yourself first and not even considering how I feel."

Alexander felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown. He wanted to be understanding and sympathetic, but he was also feeling incredibly frustrated and defensive. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "I'm sorry if it seems that way," he said, his voice still shaking. "I really do care about you and want to help you but I also have to take care of other things"

"Then get a loan. I really need to change my wardrobe. All my friends take me for a laughing stock"

"I just can't do that right now," Alexander said, feeling defeated from her rants. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Fine," Angelica snapped, and then the line went dead immediately. Alexander hung up the phone and sank back into the chair, feeling drained. He couldn't understand why Angelica had suddenly become so demanding and unsympathetic.

They had always been able to talk through their problems before, but now it felt like they were strangers in marriage.

He felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he thought about the fact that he couldn't give Angelica what she needed right now. He knew she was struggling and trying to fit in amongst her circle of friends, and he hated that he couldn't do anything to put a smile on her face.

He felt like a failure, both as a husband and as a man but he still couldn't shake off the feeling that something had changed between them, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

He sat there for a long time, lost in his thoughts. He wondered if there was anything he could do to fix things between them, or if the damage was already done. He loved Angelica and didn't want to lose her, but he felt like he was at a loss for how to make things right again.

Although, he knew that communication was the key in every relationship, but it felt like they were no longer speaking the same language anymore. He wanted to find a way to make things right, but he had no idea where to start from.

Finally, he stood up from where he was sitting and went back to the car he had been fixing, his heart wrenched in pain and frustration.

He knew he was trying hard but no one would appreciate him for it. He had lied when he said he had no money. He did so because he was saving to rent a house where him and his wife can have a private life away from her family who harbor so much hatred for him. Her fancy clothes can wait for now.