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He brings up the movie on the screen.
“Of course! I’ve been wanting to watch this one. Everybody at work who’s seen it said it was good.”
“Great,” He hits the play button, and I stay snuggled up against his side.
Even though I pretend to watch the movie, I can’t get into it. Instead, my thoughts stay scattered.
Later, as the credits roll down the screen, I blink as I don’t even realize the movie has ended. I couldn’t even tell you what the movie was about.
I look over at Chase, “Man, that was a good movie. Don’t you think so?”
“Yeah, all that action. It was great.”
I must have sounded convincing because Chase doesn’t seem to notice anything amiss.
“Damn, I forgot I needed to take some things out of my truck. I’ll be right back.”
Then he’s gone. I walk around the apartment, straightening things up. I try to keep my mind blank. For some reason, I feel numb. Like someone’s died, and I know if I think about them, I’ll start crying. Maybe it’s hope. Hope is dying; at least, that’s what it feels like.
I have to stop this moping! I’m going to ruin my time with Chase if I keep thinking about this. And I don’t want to waste a single moment.
I walk outside, “Chase? I thought you might need my help.”
“Thanks. Do you mind holding this?”
He hands me some type of tool that I’m not familiar with.
“Not at all.”
We work together in companionable silence until everything he had stashed in his truck is now in the small storage shed in the backyard.
“That’s the last of it. Thanks for your help.”
“I didn’t mind.”
“What would I do without ya, Val?”
He wraps his arm around my shoulders as we walk back into the house.
Chase looks around the living room and then looks over at me.
“Val, are you feeling a little closed in? This apartment seems a little too small lately, have you noticed? Like the walls are closing in on us? That storage shed is awfully small, too.”
“We can buy a larger shed, but um... Why? Are you feeling hemmed in?”
“Yeah, just a little bit. Why the frown? I guess you really like it here, right?”
“Yes. I’m content. I haven’t been feeling stifled at all.”
“Okay, no worries. It was just a thought. I need to go take a shower after hauling that stuff to the shed.”
I nod and go back into the living room. I suddenly have a pounding headache.
Is Chase feeling hemmed in? Does he feel like the walls are closing in on him? I grab two aspirins out of the cabinet and wash them down with a drink of water. Then I press the cold glass against my forehead.
Is it starting already? Is Chase getting bored? Is our life together just not exciting enough? This is me. It’s who I am. I feel that first crack in my heart. My eyes start to water. I blink furiously, trying to keep the tears from falling.
What is that saying? Oh yeah. The honeymoon is over.
