After five years together, wasn’t it time to think about marriage?

You were already living together, and the arguments were so few you could count them on one hand. Everything felt perfect, like you were meant to be. But the absence of a proposal gnawed at you, a small, persistent ache. Was something missing? Every time a friend announced their engagement, your unease deepened.

One night, you found yourself seeking comfort in alcohol, hoping it would numb the growing uncertainty. The world blurred and spun, and at some point, you slipped into sleep. When you woke, you were on his back, being carried home. Still groggy, you shifted, the discomfort pulling you fully awake.

He noticed. "Why’d you go to another bar?" His tone was casual, but there was a slight edge to it. "Did you forget your boyfriend’s a bartender?"