Lucy leaned against the kitchen counter, staring down at the half-empty glass of wine in her hand. The room was dim, the only light coming from the soft glow of the baby monitor sitting on the counter. Emma had finally fallen asleep after a particularly difficult night, and Tim was still at the precinct working late.
The wine had become her comfort lately—just one glass to take the edge off after the long, exhausting days. At first, it had been harmless. A way to relax after Emma was down for the night, to unwind after dealing with the endless demands of both her baby and her job. But as the weeks wore on, that one glass had turned into two, and then into three.
Lucy had always prided herself on being strong—mentally, emotionally, physically. But lately, she felt like she was barely holding it together. Her return to work had been harder than she'd anticipated, and balancing the high expectations of her career with being a new mother felt impossible. She was constantly exhausted, constantly doubting herself, and constantly overwhelmed. The wine made it easier to ignore all of that, if only for a few hours.
She swirled the wine in the glass, staring into the deep red liquid. It wasn't a problem, she told herself. She wasn't drinking during the day, and she wasn't getting drunk. It was just a way to relax, to cope with everything she was dealing with.
But deep down, Lucy knew something wasn't right. She had always been careful—about everything. Her job required it, and she had always prided herself on being in control. Now, though, she felt that control slipping away, one glass at a time.
The sound of the front door opening pulled her from her thoughts. Tim was home. Quickly, she set the glass down and moved to the sink, rinsing it out before he could see. She didn't want him to know. He was already worried about her, and the last thing she needed was him thinking she couldn't handle things.
"Hey," Tim called as he walked into the kitchen, his face tired but relieved to be home. He leaned down to kiss her, then glanced at the sink. "Late night?"
"Yeah," Lucy said quickly, turning away so he wouldn't see the tension in her face. "Emma's been fussy. She just went down a little while ago."
Tim frowned, clearly noticing something was off, but he didn't press her. "Long day at the precinct too?"
"Yeah," she replied, her voice tight. "Just a lot going on."
Tim wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "I know it's tough right now. But we'll get through it. We always do."
Lucy nodded against his chest, but the guilt was already gnawing at her. He didn't know. He didn't know how hard it really was for her, or how much she was struggling. And now, with the alcohol creeping into her routine, she felt like she was hiding more from him than ever before.
