It was almost midnight when I finally lay down in bed.
My whole body felt like it was made of stone.
Another long day at work, another round of dishes, homework, laundry, and pretending I wasn’t exhausted. I slid under the blanket and turned onto my side, facing away from the lamp. Beside me, Adrian was still awake, the blue light from his phone glowing across his face.
I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep, the way I sometimes did when I was desperate for him to pull me close like fir he used to.
He didn’t.
The room was quiet for a few minutes. I could hear the soft hum of the air conditioner, the occasional car passing outside, the faint tapping of his thumb on the screen.
Then he stopped.
I heard him take a deep, shaky breath. Not the sigh of a man tired from work… the sound of someone who’s been carrying something too heavy for too long.
