David
The day started well enough. Laura and I had spent the morning visiting her father, who looked stronger than ever. The doctor had said he was ready to be discharged tomorrow, and Laura had looked relieved, maybe even happy.
With her father improving and our time in Kentucky coming to an end, I thought tonight would be a chance to reconnect. But of course, things don’t go as planned in my world.
It began with me deciding to surprise Laura. I waited until we were both back in the hotel room after dinner, and as she sat on the bed scrolling through her phone, I leaned casually against the doorframe, my tie loose, my shirt unbuttoned just enough to hint at the gym hours I’d invested in.
“Laura,” I said, my voice low and velvety, the way I knew usually worked.
She looked up, her eye
