What pleasures curiosity brings! A naive tiptoe and a heart thumping like a 70s rock band’s drum solo set the whole thing off. I heard those timeless muted tones emanating from the living room as I stealthily slipped inside the house. A mixture of curiosity and fear made me want to unleash my inner detective. My heart almost stopped when I saw my husband slouching wretchedly on the couch with his face buried in his hands, like if he were trying out for a tragic soap opera.
I choked out, “What’s wrong?” trying to ease my way into whatever drama was unfolding. My husband and his parents would have been the first in line for awards if there were any for shocked faces. Their heads whirled up as quickly as owls in shock.
Red and filled with tears, his eyes met mine. With the least convincing tone ever, he murmured, “It’s nothing, sweetheart.”
Oh, please. As if anyone was going to overlook it. You could cut the atmosphere with a butter knife because it was that thick. I pleaded, edging closer like a detective sniffing out a major lead.
He sighed, and then came the confession: “I can’t keep pretending everything is okay,” his voice wavering like a flickering candle in the wind after what seemed like an eternity during which you could have heard a pin drop.
Hold on, are you acting? What type of soap opera had I just entered? “Acting fictitious? What are you trying to say? I succeeded in choking out, my heart thumping around inside my chest.
His mother said, “Honey, we were just having a conversation about your well-being,” her words dripping with concern as his parents shared an all-knowing look.
His tremulous breath caught as he fixed his gaze on mine. The crucial moment had arrived. He said, “I’ve been struggling, but I love you.” And here’s the really good part! “I feel like I’m drowning in responsibilities,” the speaker said. It was like someone ripped the earth out from under me when his voice broke.
As his words hit, my heart twisted into an excruciating knot. My eyes welled up with tears—oh, how wonderful, we were crying together now! I pulled him into an embrace that was as close as our current emotional bond—full of drama—would allow. I muttered, “I had no idea you were feeling this way,” as my own feelings started to surface.
His face sank into my shoulder, clutching to me like I was the last piece of equipment keeping the ship afloat. His voice, muffled and laden with sorrow, said, “I’m sorry.” “I apologize for worrying you.”
A heads up: the part where they apologize? All of it was made worse by it. Even though my heart hurt even more, I could not allow him to torment himself in this way. As I tightened my grip on him, I said, “You don’t have to apologize.” “With each other, we’ll overcome this.”
And there we were, a sobbing, heartbroken mess, clinging to each other as if we were the two last humans on the planet. And in that intensely honest moment, I came to a priceless realization: love endures more than just happy times. It withstands the floods, storms, and emotional ups and downs. Love guided us through the murky seas like a lighthouse. And no matter what, we would face it all together, hearts entwined and resolve unshakable.
