It’s my birthday when I realise. Standing at the sink, wrist deep in washing up water, hands pink from the heat.
He doesn’t love me anymore.
It’s not just a thought, it’s the knowledge of it, a feeling in my chest as if I’ve my lungs are sinking to my stomach, my heart deflating, turning wrinkled and soggy like a week old balloon.
‘You putting the kettle on?’ he calls from the front room, TV blasting the theme tune to one of the American murder mysteries he likes, the sort of show where the worst of life’s trauma’s is solved in an hour.
I click the switch on the kettle, rinse out two mugs, dry my hands on the tea towel.
‘Just making it now,’ I say.
I crouch by the washing machine, tugging shirts free from the knot of linen. I put the iron on and wait for the kettle to boil.
Written for The Daily Prompt. Today the would is REALISE. See here to join in and to read the other posts.
So sad and so real. Well done Lynn.
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Thank you lovely 🙂
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Hugs and prayers to you Lynn. Do not allow yourself or anyone else to live in bondage 🙂
#theprolificupliftr
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Thanks so much for your kind comment. Don’t worry, though – this is fiction only. My husband still loves me very much – the mad fool that he is 🙂 Thanks for reading
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I liked that one a lot. Wee bit of a kick in the crotch, that one.
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Thanks Bill – love to be responsible for the odd kick (in a good way of course) 🙂
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Isn’t that just the way of it, though? You realize something horrible and terrifying, and in that moment realize it’s been creeping up on you for so long while you couldn’t force yourself to acknowledge it. And now there it is. But the everyday world filled with routines and habits just keeps going, as it’s been going this whole time, when it was already true but you hadn’t realized it yet. Such powerful realism in this one, Lynn; I was really touched.
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Thanks so much Joy. I’m glad my intentions came across so strongly. The end of love comes slowly, over years and may never end in separation or divorce. I’ve known couples who have stayed together and though time, a shared life and shared experience bond them, there is little affection left. Sad but realistic I think.
Thans so much for reading 🙂
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Agree with those who’ve already commented. This one packs the punch of truth.
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Thanks so much Walt. Always happy to hear kind words from yourself 🙂 Thanks for reading
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Nicely written, Lynn
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Thanks so much Chris 🙂 And thank you for reading
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That is the quiet, little tragedy playing out all over. You’ve rendered it so well.
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Thank you Mary. Yes, a little domestic sadness – more realistic than most of my shorts! Thank you so much for reading – you’re very kind 🙂
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It’s a joy to read your work. Sorry I’m not around more regularly… life ousdie the screen gets in the way. :o)
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Yes, it can be very hard to juggle blogging with home, family, work and everything else that we’d like to do with our lives. But we continue to try. And again thank you – the support from fellow bloggers such as yourself is the best thing going. 🙂
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You must have seen a lot to know a lot ! Very well written
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Very true 🙂 Thanks for reading
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Hi Lynn,
Great drama here. Shows how insight can hit at the most unexpected moments. And how quickly our defences pop up again to protect us. Well done.
Maureen
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Thanks Maureen. Yes, there are odd moments, when someone does something seemingly small and you put two and two together. And many people stay together when the love has gone, or so it seems from the outside. Though I have to reassure folk this is fiction only 🙂
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Her aching was painful to read…the numbness of, then, just moving on for the moment. Her emotions are so well described
Ellespeth
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Thank you so much Ellespeth! What a lovely comment. I’m glad her feelings came across clearly. Thanks so much for reading
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