Page 61 of Just Another Silly Love Song

Chapter Thirteen

LORI

“Five seconds . . .” Ben slid on his headphones and pressed the microphone button. “Welcome to another beautiful day in San Diego! Are you ready for another three hours of Dr. Tough Love? Give us a call and let us know what’s on your mind. We’re here for you, whatever your woes may be.”

I laughed. “I have to admit, the wordwoesis starting to grow on me.”

“Wow. I think we’ve had a major breakthrough, folks.” Ben chuckled. “And please welcome my cohost, Lori Martin!”

I stared at Ben, shocked.

He has never called me cohost.

I didn’t think he ever would.

“Lori? I can see you, but your mouth isn’t moving, which is new to me.” He chuckled. “And dead air is not good!”

“Sorry,” I was finally able to say. “I’m recovering from the shock. Thank you. It’s good to be here.”

“She’s alive!” He held up his mocha and grinned. “Thanks again for the mocha. Much appreciated.”

“You’re welcome.”

“If I behave every day do I get a mocha every day?”

“You’re living in a fantasy world.”

Ben laughed. “Well then, let’s get right to the phones because we have a lot of people waiting. Jeremy in Rancho Bernardo, you’re on the air.”

“Thanks for taking my call,” Jeremy said. “Your show rocks.”

“Thank you. What’s going on this morning?”

“I have a problem with my in-laws.”

“You and half the world.” Ben chuckled. “What’s the specific issue?”

“They don’t like me. And they’re dramatic and overly sensitive about everything.”

“Give us an example,” I said.

“For one, they say I don’t spoil their daughter enough. They tell me I’m cheap. They tell me I don’t care about their family.”

“Are any of those things true?”

“I’m not cheap, I’ll tell you that much. The last time they called me that they were specifically talking about the wedding ring that I bought her. It’s a half carat, but they keep telling me she deserves at least a carat for having to put up with me for the last five years.”

“More bling does not make a bad relationship sing.”

“Here we go with the rhymes again,” I said, shaking my head. “Do you see your in-laws much, Jeremy?”

“Honestly, they say so many rude and disrespectful things to me that I make up excuses to skip family gatherings over at their house. And then my wife gives me crap about that since she wants to do everything with them. Just about every weekend they have something going on because her family is huge. Anyway, she says I should ignore her family and go with her because I love her, but then when I go she abandons me and I’m left standing there to take the brunt of insults from her parents and her grandparents.”

“So, your wife never stands up for you in front of her family?” Ben asked.

“No. Never. Whenever we argue, she walks away.”

“That right there is a bigger problem than you not getting along with your in-laws. Your wife is not putting you first in her life. She should be a guide for how they’re treating you, so if she doesn’t have your back, you’re screwed, my man.”