Jerry's eyes softened, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
"But," Abigail whispered, voice breaking slightly, "I also… I want this too." She hesitated, searching for the right words. "I want us to stop feeling like two people forced into something. I want us to… to act like we're really husband and wife. That's what I want."
Her confession hung between them, heavy and raw. The silence that followed felt deafening, her heart pounding so loudly she swore he could hear it.
Abigail's gaze wavered; she looked down, too shy to meet his eyes. "It's… embarrassing to even say this," she admitted softly, "because I don't know how you'll react. I've heard people call things like this silly or even… outdated. I don't want you to think I'm childish."
Jerry took a slow step toward her, his voice steady but curious. "Abigail… what is it you're trying to say? You can tell me. I'm not going to judge you."
