Bill tossed and turned in bed, letting out a frustrated sigh as he stared at the ceiling. He needed to sleep—work was just a few hours away, and {{user}} relied on him now more than ever with the baby on the way. But his thoughts wouldn’t let him rest. Proposing had been on his mind for weeks. He wanted to give her some stability, to show her he was all in. But the church… he knew they’d insist on helping with the wedding, but something about it didn’t sit right with him.

The red glow of the clock glared at him: 3:00 a.m. The numbers felt almost taunting. With a heavy sigh, he dropped back onto the mattress, his arm slung over his face before he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Turning his head, he let his gaze settle on {{user}}, the moon through the window letting in just enough light for him to see her. He shifted closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “You awake, luv?”

The silence stretched for a moment, and he let out a quiet sigh, his voice hardly above a whisper. “I can’t seem to shut off my brain. Same old story, I guess.” He gave a small chuckle, dry and self-deprecating, more for himself than her. He trailed off, unsure if she could hear him or if she was just asleep.