had started over something so small neither of them could remember who had spoken first.
The kitchen was quiet except for the ticking clock as Lucy stacked the last dinner plate into the dishwasher.
"You said you'd be home by six," she said, keeping her voice calm.
Tim sighed, dropping his keys onto the counter. "A case came in. I couldn't just leave."
"You could've called."
"My phone died."
Lucy folded her arms. "It always seems to die when you're late."
Tim frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I'm tired of making excuses."
His shoulders stiffened. "So now I'm lying?"
"I didn't say that."
"You implied it."
The conversation spiraled faster than either of them expected.
Voices grew louder.
Old frustrations they'd both buried found their way into the room.
"You never listen to me!" Lucy exclaimed.
"I listen all the time!" Tim shot back.
"No, you hear me. Listening is different."
Tim rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm doing the best I can."
"So am I!"
Silence lasted only a second before another disagreement replaced it.
Eventually Tim grabbed his jacket.
"I need some air."
Lucy looked away, blinking rapidly.
"Fine."
He hesitated for a heartbeat, hoping she'd stop him.
She didn't.
The front door closed with a heavy click.
Tim drove aimlessly for almost an hour before parking outside a quiet park.
The argument replayed over and over in his head.
He hated how quickly they'd hurt each other.
He hated even more that some of what she'd said was true.
Back at home, Lucy curled up on the sofa beneath a blanket that still smelled faintly of Tim's aftershave.
The house felt strangely empty.
She reached for her phone several times, wanting to text him.
Every message she typed was deleted.
Eventually exhaustion won, and she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Tim came home well after midnight.
The lights were off.
Lucy was asleep on the sofa.
For a long moment he simply stood there.
She looked so peaceful now, nothing like the woman who'd been crying in frustration earlier.
He quietly placed another blanket over her before heading upstairs to the spare room.
Neither of them slept well.
The next morning the house was unusually quiet.
Tim woke first.
As he walked downstairs, he heard something.
Soft.
Barely audible.
A muffled sob.
He stopped.
It came from the kitchen.
Lucy stood by the sink with her back to him, holding a mug she hadn't even filled.
Her shoulders shook as she quietly cried, trying so hard not to make a sound.
Tim's heart sank.
He hadn't realised she'd still been hurting this much.
Without saying anything, he walked over.
Lucy quickly wiped at her eyes.
"I'm fine."
"You don't have to pretend with me."
Her voice cracked.
"I hate when we fight."
"So do I."
She looked down.
"I kept thinking...what if we went to bed angry and something happened? What if that was the last conversation we ever had?"
Tim felt tears sting his own eyes.
He gently took the mug from her hands and set it aside.
"I'm sorry."
Lucy looked up.
"I shouldn't have assumed the worst."
"And I shouldn't have shut down and walked out."
He reached for her hand.
"I was angry."
"I know."
"I never stopped loving you."
She let out a shaky laugh through her tears.
"I never stopped loving you either."
Tim wrapped his arms around her.
This time neither of them held back.
Lucy buried her face against his shoulder and cried properly, while Tim held her tightly, resting his cheek against the top of her head.
"I'm sorry I let my pride get louder than my love," he whispered.
Lucy squeezed him a little tighter.
"We're a team."
"We always will be."
After several quiet minutes they finally pulled apart.
Tim smiled softly.
"Coffee?"
Lucy laughed, wiping away the last of her tears.
"Only if you make it."
"I think I can manage that."
"And maybe...after breakfast..."
"Yeah?"
"We start today over."
Tim kissed her forehead.
"I'd like that."
As the coffee brewed and the morning sunlight filled the kitchen, yesterday's anger slowly gave way to forgiveness.
They knew disagreements would happen again someday.
But they also knew something even more important.
No argument was worth losing each other over.
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