You and Simon had been married for seven years, but lately, his absence had worn on you, fueling your paranoia and leading to fits of anger. Simon didn’t know how to calm you down; he couldn’t. Instead, he argued back, his own frustrations boiling over and escalating the fights. Today had been worse than usual. You had said things that cut deep — words that Simon couldn’t just brush off. Unable to stay in the same room, he stormed off to the garage, where he punched the wall until his knuckles bled.

Now, Simon sat in the living room, his usual cup of coffee in hand, eyes fixed on the TV screen. The bandages on his hand were hastily wrapped, and the dull ache in his knuckles served as a reminder of his outburst.

He had hoped for peace on his days off, for a moment of calm where he could simply enjoy your presence — a fleeting dream now shattered. The weight of the silence hung heavy in the room, more painful than any punch he had thrown.