Page 7 of Broken Vows

The sound of the front door opening sends a jolt through me. I quickly wipe my hands on a dish towel and head to the living room.

“Hey,” I say as he walks in, his pant buckle already loosened. “How was your day?”

He grunts in response, hanging up his hard hat by the door. “Long. Exhausting. The usual.”

I bite my lip, watching as he collapses onto the couch, eyes already fixed on his phone.

“It’s almost 10. Where were you?”

“Took longer than usual with some power lines.”

“Want to watch a movie tonight?” I ask. “Or just talk for a bit? Since it’s a Friday, we could stay up late?”

He looks up, his brow furrowing. “Alexis, I’m beat. Can’t we just have a quiet night?”

Something in me snaps. “That’s all we ever have!” I yell. “I just want to spend time with you! Even if it’s just a movie in our bed!”

He sighs angrily, his face hardening. “I don’t even have time for myself! I don’t have time for anything anymore!” He kicks the empty soda box we left on the floor, sending it skidding across the room.

I feel the burn of tears welling in my eyes. This isn’t how I wanted this to go. It never is, but somehow, we always end up here. “We‘ve barely spent any time together,” I murmur, sinking onto the sofa.

He doesn’t respond. He just sits there, staring at the wall, jaw clenched. The silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating.

“It’s almost eleven.” I say, standing up. “I’m going to head to bed after finishing cooking.”

As I walk toward our bedroom to grab a hand towel from the clean laundry basket, I hear him padding behind me. I pause atthe doorway, turning to face him. His eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see a flicker of something—regret? Sadness? Before I can decipher it, he steps forward and wraps his arms around me.

I stiffen at first, surprised by the sudden contact, but then I melt into his embrace. We stand there for a long moment, neither of us speaking. There’s still so much unsaid between us, so many issues to work through. But for now, this quiet moment of connection feels like a lifeline.

He pulls back slightly, his hand cupping my cheek. “I’m sorry,” he places his hand on my shoulder. “I know I’ve been distant. It’s just… work has been”

I place my finger on his lips, silencing him. “I know,” I say softly. “We can talk about it tomorrow. For now, can we just… be together?”

He nods, the corner of his lips turning up.

I let go and give him a kiss, and head back into the kitchen to finish up dinner.

Chapter Five

Jeremy’s at work,and I have nothing much to do aside from binge-watching some dramatic romance movie or taking a walk around the block. I might even go to the park.

But that’s just me procrastinating more than anything. I should sit down in front of a blank canvas, painting or drawing, but I’m stuck. I have no inspiration or motivation unless it’s one of those spur-of-the-moment things. I might feel okay for the first few minutes, maybe an hour, and then I lose the spark. I guess my life at home is boring.

I twist a strand of my hair around my finger, glancing at the half-finished sketch on the table. It’s been staring at me for days now. I know what I want to create, but the energy isn’t there. The idea of picking up the brush or a pencil feels heavy, so instead, I shift in my chair, letting it squeak as I swivel back to face my computer.

My phone buzzes, interrupting the silence, and I see Lilly’s name pop up on my screen.

Lilly

Coffee tomorrow?

Me

Sure. Noon?

It’s easier to agree to plans right now than to sit alone in this quiet house with my thoughts. Lately, it feels like Lilly’s the only person who understands that something’s been off with Jeremy and me.

I push my chair back and wander into the kitchen, pulling open the fridge. The cool air hits my face as I stare inside at the leftovers of last night’s spaghetti and some salad from earlier in the week. Jeremy’s been working late a lot. I used to make a point of cooking something special for him to come home to, but lately, I can’t even bother to reheat what’s already there.

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