Three's Company

2. Compromise

His Adam's apple visibly moved as he swallowed, she brought her hands down to pat on his buff chest. "You're quite the romantic with her, my love, which is pretty funny for me since considering between the two of us, I'm usually the one doing the soppy surprises. How lucky is she."

Mona removed her hands from him, and turned back around to finish her washing up.

She didn't want him to ruin her cosy nighttime mood, speaking again. "Look, you don't have to do the whole 'I messed up' spiel because I've known for a while now and I've had the time to process it. I figured it would come out sooner than later, and if you're only confessing now because you want a divorce, then by all means, don't let me stop you."

Once she had finished, she turned the tap off and dried her hands off with a towel.

"Who's a good boy!" She cooed, crouching down to ruffle the soft fur. The excitable dog rubbed his face with hers causing her to laugh aloud and scrunch her nose up.

Much to her annoyance, he was still standing there while she played with Otto.

His presence was unsettling, and putting her in a horrible mood.

"Ugh." She groaned, glancing at him. "Just say what you need to say, Heath. Get it out. This fake depressive episode of yours is ruining my relaxing night."

"Why didn't you leave me if you knew this whole time?" His deep voice was on the verge of breaking, she could hear it.

Though she didn't know why he was hurting when it should've been relieving him of his past guilt.

He was coming clean, isn't that what he wanted?

"Because even though you fell out of love with me, I couldn't do the same thing." She admitted, shrugging her shoulder carelessly.

That was that. Atleast, that was what she thought.

Her nighttime routine didn't falter, she chose to get up and go to their bedroom whilst he followed after her.

Heath was frustrated watching his wife undress for bed and make her way into the en-suite bathroom.

"For goodness sake Mona, you're acting like this doesn't affect you!" He let a trifle more frustration into his tone than he had meant to but really, she'd been so strange. She was being quite impossible.

The shower turned on, and in her naked body went. He didn't waste any time, peeling off his clothes and entering in the steamy area.

She broke out of her revere at his exclamation, ceasing her casual routine before she paused, mid-reach for her loofah.

She turned to face him with a small but genuine smile, aware of how her distraction might appear as disinterest to him.

She let out a long breath and stood with front to him, everything exposed and yet he didn't look at her body once. The drizzle of the spray cascaded down both of their bodies, she blinked. "That's because it doesn't anymore."

With another breath, she said. "Would you rather me sit here and beg for you to stay?"

Nothing. She got back nothing.

"Exactly." She pointed out, then took the blue loofah in one snatch and squirted body wash onto it. "What's the point of me reacting when I know there's no use. I'm naked right now, and you can't even bear to look at me. You love her, and you want to be with her. It's as simple as that."

"I didn't.. I didn't mean..." He stuttered, he said the wrong thing but that was all he seemed to do.

"She wants you to leave me and marry her so that you can give her the house and kids like she dreams of having with you. That's why you're confessing your sins and giving me the whole 'I'm trying to be a honest man' facade."

Again, nothing.

Was she supposed to be surprised.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she tried to not laugh humourlessly but it was impossible when the whole situation was funny.

"I'll sign the divorce papers, but only on one condition."

Mona sighed at his lack of response, men, they could be so obstinate.

"I couldn't give you kids, and once you leave me, I'll have no family or a job of my own. And I don't want to start from scratch when the life I live now is your fault. You made the decision for us that you would work and I would stay home."

He noticed a change in her countenance, they were rarely uncomftable talking to each other and it concerned him. However a small smile started to pull at the side of her mouth and the unsettling fear started to heighten.

She was unnervingly calm. It was terrifying to witness.

He had truly broken her down to this stone cold version of herself.

It wasn't something he had been able to see until right now.

"I get the farmhouse, and you and her move far away from here and start a life where I never have to run into you again."