“I’m just tired.”
That answer didn’t surprise me.
Daniel had been working longer hours for months, and I blamed his demanding job.
We ate dinner in almost complete silence.
I remember thinking it felt strange, but not alarming.
Married couples have quiet nights.
After we finished eating, I started gathering the dishes.
“I’ll wash,” I offered.
“I already did them earlier.”
I laughed.
“You’re stealing my chores now?”
He forced another smile.
“Something like that.”
If I had known what was coming, I would have memorized every second of that evening.
I wiped the table while Daniel sat across from me, his hands folded together.
Finally, he looked up.
“Natalie.”
The way he said my name made me stop moving.
“What is it?”
He stared at the table for several seconds before speaking again.
