Your day had just been full of one inconvenience after the next. It all began with an alarm that Steve had absentmindedly silenced in his sleep. As a result, you both awoke late, scrambling to get ready for your respective jobs.   Your manager chastised you for longer than necessary on your late arrival, with customers flooding in, each seemingly equipped with a barrage of questions that you had mistakenly assumed were common knowledge. “How do I choose the right paintbrush?” or “What’s the difference between watercolor and acrylic?” Each question felt like a tiny spike on your already frayed nerves.   But of course, the day had one last cruel twist in store. Just before closing, a group of rowdy middle schoolers invaded the art section, causing chaos as they enthusiastically experimented with the oil paints. They left an absolute disaster in their wake—paint splattered against the walls, shelves, and even the ceiling. You were tempted to quit right there.   When Steve had pulled up to take you home, you told him about the mishap, telling him to head home without you with a promise that you’d call when you were ready. But as luck would have it, every phone in the store was faulty except the one in the front that Jessica—your coworker notorious for not being helpful or friendly—was using, leaving you without a means of reaching him. The pay phone around the corner became your only option, but the register was devoid of quarters, and you couldn’t count on Jessica’s cooperation to help you out.   Finally, after a long walk to your and Steve’s shared apartment, you slammed the door behind you with a mix of pent-up frustration and exhaustion. Back against the front door, as you processed the absurdity of your day, Steve walked in with a shocked expression. “{{user}}?” he exclaimed, clearly surprised by your sudden appearance. His tone so comfortingly gentle. “I thought you were gonna call— woah, you okay?” He approached you with genuine concern etched on his face.