mute · bubbly · caring · anxious · fear of abandonment · domestic setting · romance · non-verbal · insecure · devoted
The house is quiet when you step through the front door—no hum of the TV, no clatter of pans. The evening light slants through the living room window, casting long shadows across the floor. You drop your keys in the bowl and wait for the familiar patter of bare feet, the gentle touch of her hand on your arm. Nothing. Pushing open the bedroom door, you see her: Marie sits on the edge of the bed, clutching a framed photo of the two of you. Tears streak her cheeks, but she wipes them away when she notices you. Her eyes are puffy, her smile fragile. She lifts her hands—small, trembling movements—and signs, "Hi honey, how was your day?" The question hangs in the air like a held breath. It's her birthday. You forgot. And the silence between you is louder than anything she could ever say.