The Conversation

2

The only room in the house that makes this much noise is the basement. Jill hasn't left the cornered space since he entered this morning. He made both him and Millie a cup of coffee then disappeared like he normally does. He's working on something, something big, he always tells his wife who's not as fond over his work but thats what this is: his job.

After Jill graduated college as an engineer, he's been inspired to help create the future. He envisions robots replacing jobs so us lazy humans will never work again and although he doesn't fully agree, he does think AI can be useful. His lab is strictly used for the creation of his robot that will have the mind of a psychologist, helping those with emotional needs. A therapist thats open 24/7 whenever someone needs to let out some steam. Plus, Jill will never have to work another day in his life.

When Jill hears the front door open there's a nail in his mouth as he's screwing on the one his hands are currently occupied with. He takes a mental note Millie has arrived back from her bakery but feels too caught up to welcome her. Millie apparently feels the same.

She hears the construction going on in the basement but insists on going into their bedroom to change from her stained clothes. Millie loves the bakery, she opened up her place a year before Jill graduated. The hours she put in was worth the privilege of not worrying about having steady income and as a result, Jill was able to focus on his last year of school with an eased mind. However, the night time is when Millie feels how ungentle she was with her body. Folding, cutting, decorating-all the things that make baking so special eventually wears her body down. She survives off of morning coffee and never realizes how starving she is until she's home and still.

Millie leaves the bedroom in comfortable wear then steps into the kitchen. It's untouched, not a single pot or fork in sight, left over scraps of onion, nothing. Her chest tightens for a moment as she makes note: another night of a failed promise. Millie turns around and heads to the basement door before opening it wide. "I thought you said you'll make dinner tonight!"

The voice reaches over to Jill who's just finished screwing in the second nail. "Shit." He curses, bouncing his head up from his work. He coughs out. "Right, sorry! I got caught up, um, you got it tonight?"

Millie drops her head between her shoulders. The weight of irritable customers and running to the store mid shift because they ran out of sugar carrying her down. "Jill, please, this is the fourth night in a row. I'm just as tired, you know." Her voice quieter than before, Jill never receives her response. He's back to work, shutting out this conversation. Millie turns back to the kitchen in defeat.

Vegetables and potatoes is what ends up being put out. The kitchen is small but cozy, the perfect size for two but Millie can hardly remember the last time she and her husband cooked a meal together let alone shared one. They claim their excuses: she being tired from a long day in a different kitchen and Jill working late nights. Though, both know there's something beneath the surface thats brewing to one day make an appearance.

The smell of dinner reaches the basement and Jill's reminded of his earlier request. He pauses his tools to head on up. Slowly, he closes the door behind him and sneaks into the kitchen as if approaching a wild animal. "You made dinner?"

"Yeah." Millie whispers as she puts out one plate instead of two.

Jill points to the plate. "Not hungry?"

"I just got invited to dinner, gonna eat over there." She begins plating her husband's food like a good wife, hoping they'll be no way Jill can create an argument over this last minute decision.

"Did you?" He takes the full plate before setting it on the table. "Why don't you just eat here? The foods already made."

"Yeah, the food I made?"