Celeste's Crescendo: A Romantic Odyssey in an Alternate Mediterranean Timeline

"It's not what you think."

"Then what is it?" she asks.

"I thought you'd be gone for longer." His voice is quiet, and I can tell he's trying to hold back his emotions. "I just wanted to get out of the house."

I roll my eyes. "So, what? I should have just stayed at work?"

He shakes his head, "No, no. I'm sorry. It was just a moment of weakness."

She stands up and looks over at me. "Well, this is awkward," she says. "You know what? I'm going to go change into something more comfortable." She walks into the bedroom and closes the door behind her.

My husband sits down on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as he stares down at the floor. "Don't do this," he whispers hoarsely. He looks up and gives me that look that makes my heart break every time I see it. The look tells me everything I need to know - he's hurting, and he can't say why.

"Do what?" I ask softly, kneeling in front of him and cupping his cheeks with my hands. Tears well up in my eyes when I look into his face and realize how much pain he's going through right now. What kind of pain? Why won't he just tell me what's wrong? "Talk to me."