Ethan my husband, he was dressed in his charcoal suit, his tie a perfect Windsor knotthe same routine, the same perfection that usedto make me proud. Now it only reminded me of how far apart we'd grown
I sat there, spoon tracing circles in my untouched coffee, listening to the clink of his silver spoon against porcelain.
He checked his watch again.
It was 8:12 a.m.
He was late.
Always late.
"Are you going somewhere important?" I asked, my voice lighter than the ache in my chest.
He nodded, scrolling through his phone. "Meeting with the board. Then lunch with a client."
Of course.
A client.
Probably ''her"
I smiled faintly, pretending I didn't notice how quickly his thumb hovered over a message before the screen went dark.
I wanted to ask him "Do you know what day it is?"
But I didn't. I wanted to see if he would remember without me saying a word.
Three years of marriage.
Three years since that stormy afternoon when he'd run through the rain just to kneel before me in a soaked suit, promising me a forever I thought was real.
Now, I only had "seven days"
I looked at the envelope on the counter the report sealed again, as if pretending it wasn't there could stop the truth from breathing down my neck.
He finished his coffee and stood.
"I might be home late tonight," he said. "Don't wait up."
The words cut deeper than the diagnosis.
I swallowed hard, forcing a small smile. "Alright."
He leaned down and kissed my cheek a habit more than affection. I closed my eyes, trying to memorize the warmth, the faint scent of his cologne.
When the door clicked shut behind him, the silence rushed in, heavy and hollow.
Slam!!
I turned to the window, watching his car disappear down the street.
My heart whispered what my mouth couldn't say "Happy anniversary, Ethan"
A tear rolled down my cheek as I unfolded the report once more, tracing the date that would soon mark both an ending and a beginning.
In seven days, I would be gone.
But before then… I wanted to remember what it felt like to be loved.
Even if it was by a man who already forgot me.