The clock struck 11:34 PM.

He stepped into the house, his shoulders slumped, shirt slightly creased, and his tie half-loosened. Another day lost in spreadsheets, meetings that went nowhere, and a traffic jam that nearly broke him. His mind was weary, but the moment he opened the door, the familiar scent of home—the subtle mix of sandalwood and something you were cooking—washed over him.

You were already in the living room, curled up on the couch with a blanket thrown over your legs, a mug of tea in hand. You turned to him with a sparkle in your eye, the kind that made him feel like maybe the day hadn't been all bad.

“Hey! You know what happened today?” you asked, grinning as if you were about to share the most scandalous piece of news in the world.

He felt something ease inside him. The fog of stress and exhaustion lifted, just a little.

"Finally," he thought, "the best part of my day has arrived."

He slipped off his shoes, dropped his bag by the corner, and walked over to sit beside you.

“Yes yes,” he said, his voice low and tired but warm. “What happened?”

And just like that, you were off.

You told him about how the lady next door tried to catch a squirrel that somehow got into her kitchen, about the way the shopkeeper argued with a teenager over expired chips, about how your favorite plant finally bloomed today after weeks of silence. You mimicked voices, laughed mid-story, sometimes interrupted yourself to add a new detail, always animated, always full of life.

He listened—not to the content, really, but to your rhythm. Your voice was a melody, familiar and comforting. The kind that reminded him of all the reasons he loved coming home.

There were no solutions to be found in your tales. No strategies, no action points—just moments. Silly, small, ordinary moments. But to him, they were magic.

He leaned back, watching you speak, letting your words wrap around his tired mind like a blanket.

In your stories, he found relief.

In your laughter, he found rest.

In your gossips, he found peace.

And for a man who fought battles out in the world all day, that peace was everything.