Happily Ever After (Part Two of 'One Last Time')

Happily Ever After

Recently, on weekends, they have this routine on waking up together, making breakfast together, sometimes taking a bath together, afterwards they'll either go somewhere to enjoy their day (either a trip to an art gallery nearby or just watching a movie). Then, they will go home and carry on like usual. It's a tradition that they both made to not lose spark between them, letting them have each other's support always. But...

Why is this happening? We're doing everything right, right? Pacifica clenched her jaw, keeping the screams or possibly the sniffles inside her.

She sat up, her back straight and chin up. She won't cry again. She won't let herself get torn by this again. Despite doing that tradition, it seems more like a routine now than a special something between them. It's more like a hassle than a relief for them. Dipper showing every weekend that he rather sleep in and rest, but Pacifica will always push him to get up and force him to go out with her, afraid that she'll lost him. When she did managed to get him out, he always shows lack of interest or any energy at all.

At first, Pacifica thought that maybe he's just really that tired. She knows how demanding the company is to him. She's the one actually who suggested this job since it pays more than his job as an editor of a paranormal magazine that nobody actually reads for. She's okay with that job but it doesn't pay the bills! That's why she suggested this current job that Dipper is doing. So at first, she lets him rest, lets him sleep in, miss few of their traditions but it only seems to get worse to worse.

Pacifica stands up from her seat and began pacing on her feet. Her bundled hair in a low and messy bun sways as she walks, her chin down and fingers holding that chin. Her mind racing of thoughts and possible solutions to this... problem of their's.

Her eyes gazed at the cold meal, she scowls at it and left the room, feeling nauseated. She passed by the full body mirror. She paused in front of it.

Pacifica stands tall, her composure still yet exhausted. She expected to gain a few pounds yet gotten lighter due to stress. Her hair messy and disorientated just like the features of her face. Her complexion paler than usual, wrinkles showing through her make up, visible dark circles under her eyes and chapped lips. Her body lean and thin, that was once beautiful but now fragile and sick looking. Especially with her purple shirt and long pale violet skirt that ends below her knees. She only now noticed that her dirty apron is still tied above that skirt. She couldn't stand tall anymore.

She lets out a shaky breath, hesitantly, she raised her left hand and placed it against the cold exterior of the mirror. Oh, this is still me, she depressingly thought. She hoped. She hopes. That this was just a picture or some kind of illusion. Oh, but she is so wrong. She gritted her teeth as her eyes flared against the glass.

"This isn't me. This isn't me. Why am I not happy? Why am I not smiling?" Her voice cracked in the heavy silence that seems to envelope her. She hates this silence. She hates this body. She hates herself.

She expected tiredness on this part of life. She expected arguments, fights, and petty misunderstandings. But how come whenever they try to reconcile or talk, it wasn't the same anymore? How come whenever she tried to do things the right way, it wasn't enough anymore? Why is she so angry, so frustrated, so sad, to the extent she wanted to do anything to bring back the life she had back then? The life that was full of life and surprises from her husband. The life that seems doesn't tie her down into the ground and let her rot in that place because of some stupid ring---

Her gaze hardens when she saw that golden band around her ring finger.

It was because of this stupid marriage. It was because they left their single lives and joined together a tad bit early. It was because Pacifica gave it her all but Dipper couldn't seem to do the same for her. For his damn wife. He couldn't seem to let go of his wistful thinking of mysteries to enjoy a romance drama that they will binge watch for weeks. He couldn't let go of those teasing insults when they were teens. He couldn't hold her like he used to when they were just childish lovers. He couldn't seem put out his heart anymore to only notice that his heart is gone and--- in ashes.