Jimmy and Zoe were now the proud parents of two gorgeous boys. Matthew and Mark were generally well behaved.
With the birth of their babes, Jimmy had convinced Zoe to let her hair grow.
"You don't have to keep cutting it you know. Your hair is quite beautiful, esp. with the perm."
Zoe followed on, and got a nicer lipstick, contacts, and a decent blush. What she couldn't work out was why, when she looked better - that Jimmy was taking less notice of her.
Jimmy spent all his waking thoughts on his boys, and loved looking after them, even the nappies! Fortunate for Zoe, who hated nappies, and washing her babies. She'd do it but hold her nose.
But she wouldn't have minded holding Jimmy if she'd been given the chance.
"Dina!" Zoe finally called her friend in frustration, "My husband is paying NO attention to me! It's all on the boys!."
"Sounds to me like you need to seduce the man." Dina said, "or look elsewhere. Those boys of yours aren't going away, and if your man wants them more than you - then it's his loss. Pack up your bags and leave!"
"Hang on Dina - I love my boys too! I'm not going to walk out on my marriage, just like that!"
"Then I'd suggest you go for the seduction idea. Get some new clothes. Do you really need to be wearing that suit all the time?"
"By the Way Dina, when are you going to come visit? I hardly see you anymore."
"When your babies are past the eternal need phase, and start to be interesting. You know I'm allergic to kids!"
"Don't say that too loud Dina - it could be your turn next, you know!"
So Zoe tried to engage her husbands attention.
She hired a nanny - who didn't turn up.
She made a dinner for two, and got some new clothes.
Half-way through the meal the boys needed to be fed and changed, and the mood was killed.
"Jimmy love, ", Zoe caressed his face across the table "Maybe it's time we should go to bed."
Jimmy yawned. "Yeah I think so too." They climbed the stairs to their bedroom.
'This is more like it!' thought Zoe.
He gave her a brief kiss on her cheek - stripped down and into his pyjamas, and promptly started snoring.
"but, but...." Zoe pulled out a box "I got new sleepwear - look it's got woo-hoo hearts all over it. "
Jimmy replied without opening his eyes "That's nice dear....... Good night"
"Good night." Zoe sat heavily on the bed and held the box. This was just soooo unfair!!
Jimmy was bonding with Mark and Matthew, and they grew into toddlers who just loved following their dad around.
It was Jimmy that taught them both to use the potty, to walk and talk.
Mark's first word was 'Daddy'.
Matthew's first word was 'Daddy'.
Zoe's only thought about that was ... fine. ok. Though the look on her face was that it was not fine, and not ok.
Jimmy was oblivious to his wife mounting frustration.
Holding down a job, looking after two kids was filling his time and thoughts.
Zoe on the other hand, did love her boys. She was there for their important events - like when the boys turned from babies to toddler, while Jimmy was at work.
Jimmy might have taught them all the fun bits, but it was Zoe that fed them, made sure they had their naps, changed their nappies and generally did it all on her own while Jimmy was at work or asleep.
And then when he was home.... nothing. Neither her boys or her husband took any notice of her.
As long as the dinner was on the table ready for them, she might well have not existed.
Zoe ate another piece of chocolate. "It's just not fair!"
Chocolate and the Yummy channel were her main sources of company and enjoyment nowadays. She wished Dina would at least visit her.
Jimmy spent a lot of time trying to get ahead at work.
"Wedding photography is so passé, Zoe. I want to get my hands on some really creative work."
"There's some creative stuff you could do at home you know," Zoe said suggestively.
"I know - the boys are wonderful aren't they!!"
Zoe sighed. Later on she ate. and ate.
All too soon for Jimmy, and not soon enough for Zoe, the boys grew up into their childhood. Extremely good looking boys - taking the best features of both their mother and father.
Zoe hoped that once the boys were off to school, that Jimmy would pay more attention to her. She was looking forward to being able to watch the soaps and put her feet up for a while.
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