Forever

She sighed as she was ignored. Again. It was the third time this week, and it was only Monday. Life had become strained as they became more and more like strangers. Hellos were mere echoes and she only saw him when he came home to sleep. Even then, it was rare since she was normally asleep when he returned and he was gone before she woke. Either that or he was gone on a trip. It seemed as if he was a machine, requiring no sleep and no emotion.

The marriage was straining at the seams. She was still the obsessed girl of high school, but he seemed to have forgotten he was in love with her. It seemed more like a marriage of convenience; she got the guy of her dreams and he got everyone off his back about her love for him. Was that really what she was? A way to stop all the nagging? Was he acting? He was good at everything else. Why would acting be any different? He was closed off enough to pull it off and she could see the pitying looks in his brother's face, long after he had accepted her as a suitable sister-in-law.

She sighed once more, staring at the mirror as the reflection showed her husband packing his bags. He was going on another seminar trip with one of his professors. That was the third this year. At this rate, he wouldn't become a practicing doctor but a person who could give medical seminars in his sleep. He would be gone around a month, the longest yet and he had been ignoring her ever since the family was told yesterday.

She got up and fell on the bed, suddenly feeling very sleepy. The giant dog lying beside her had become her new comfort during the late nights of sleeping alone. She knew the dog's soft fur better than she knew her husband's arms. She was now used to taking up the entire queen bed since most nights there was no one to complain about the lack of space.

She could hear him moving about; drawers opening and the crinkling of clothes as they were folded. She should really have been helping him, but she couldn't. Knowing that she was helping him get ready to leave for a month was going to hurt and she would end up crying. She didn't want him to leave, but her crying might-and that was a really small might- end up with him staying. While she wanted nothing more, he had his life to live and if going to so many seminars was helping him get further down his career path, she wouldn't stop him.

By now she had sighed a third time and closed her eyes, accepting the inevitable fact that being so optimistic was not doing her any good. Sleep was calling and she wanted to give in. There he was with her and there were no seminars. There her life was perfect.

The footsteps stopped near the bed and all was quiet. She opened one eye, expecting to see him staring at her with a frown; she was probably in the way of something he needed...the dog maybe? She giggled at the thought of him wanting the dog. That would have been too cute. The giggle quickly faded as his forehead creased and she realized just how intently he was staring at her.

Suddenly he was close, the bed creaking as his weight was added. She blinked up at him with wide eyes. She couldn't possibly be sitting on that much of the dog could she? There was no lump under her so she was definitely not on the dog...a shirt maybe? But there was no shirt fabric under her from what she could tell. All she felt was the softness of the sheets.

She blinked once more as a frown appeared on his face. She let out a breath, and slumped into the sheets. He was mad and she didn't know what she had done. What a way to say goodbye.

He leaned closer still and she could feel the strength of his stare. And just as suddenly, he kissed her on the nose. It was simple, more of one that was given for comfort and not for romance. But it was enough to leave her dumbfounded. Last she had checked, a kiss on the nose was not something you did when you were mad. She stared as he got off the bed and went back to packing the last of the things.
As if sensing her confusion, he turned around and smiled.

"You looked so sad and confused. I thought that might have cheered you up. I know you hate it when I leave, but I'll to try to come back as soon as I can." She smiled at him. She could sense the underlying meaning of his words, sorry and I love you.

As he climbed in behind her and the dog was moved to the side. She grinned into the night. Things has become strained, but she could feel it start to patch itself up as his arms tightened around her. There was no doubt he loved her and she wondered how she ever doubted him. The soft sounds of his breathing were enough to lull her into sleep with a smile. She knew that things would become strained between them again, it was inevitable, but at the same time, she knew that it would always work out because they were meant to be together.

I can easily do 90% of the things in this world. The remaining 10% that I can't do, she can.