Remy sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone, while Drea moved around, putting away dishes. The silence between them wasn't the usual comfortable one they shared; instead, it felt thick, like a storm was about to hit.
"Babe, did you remember to call the contractor about the bathroom?" Drea asked, her voice soft but with a hint of tension.
Remy looked up, confused for a second. "Uh... no. I forgot. I had that meeting with Chrome 23, and then Brielle was fussy. I'll call tomorrow."
Drea's hands paused on the plate she was holding, and she let out a sigh. "You said you were going to call two days ago."
"I know," Remy said, trying to sound calm. "I've been busy. I'll get to it."
"Busy, huh?" Drea muttered under her breath as she put the plate down a little harder than she meant to. The sound echoed in the kitchen.
Remy frowned, hearing the frustration in Drea's voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Drea turned around, crossing her arms. "It means I feel like I've been reminding you about this over and over, and it's always 'I'll do it later' or 'I forgot.' It's like I'm the only one worrying about these things."
Remy leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow. "Hold up. Are we seriously going to fight about a phone call?"
Drea took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her cool. "It's not just the phone call, Remy. It's everything. I feel like I'm always the one keeping track of things. I'm the one who remembers Brielle's doctor appointments, the one who makes sure the house is running smoothly. And yeah, you're busy with work, but I'm busy too!"
Remy shook her head, feeling the heat rising inside her. "I help! I've been working on Chrome 23, running my businesses, and still trying to be here with you and Brielle. Just because I didn't call the contractor doesn't mean I'm not doing my part."
Drea's eyes narrowed. "Really? Because it feels like I'm doing the bulk of everything around here. I didn't think this was going to be like this. I didn't expect to feel like... I'm doing it all by myself."
That hit Remy hard. She stood up, her voice rising a little. "You're not doing it by yourself, Drea! I'm here, aren't I? I'm trying! Just because I forget a couple of things doesn't mean I'm not involved."
Drea's face softened for a second before the frustration crept back in. "It's not just a couple of things. It's everything. The other day, Brielle needed more diapers, and I told you we were running low. Did you remember to grab them? No. So, I had to go out and get them after a long day of work. I shouldn't have to remind you of every little thing, Remy. We're a team, and I don't feel like we're working as one right now."
Remy rubbed her hands over her face, trying to think of the right words. "I'm doing my best, Drea. I've got so much going on, and I'm trying to balance everything. But it feels like no matter what I do, it's never enough for you."
Drea's eyes flashed with hurt. "That's not fair. I'm not asking for perfection, Remy. I'm asking for help. For us to be in this together. You can't just pick and choose when you want to be involved."
Remy clenched her fists, trying to keep her cool. "I'm not picking and choosing! I'm here every day, trying to make things work for us. But I can't be everywhere at once. I'm doing the best I can!"
The room fell silent for a moment, the only sound was the soft hum of the refrigerator. Drea took a deep breath, her voice quieter now but still filled with emotion. "Remy, I know you're busy. But we're married now. This is a partnership. I need to feel like we're in this together. Right now, it feels like I'm drowning, and you're barely holding on."
Remy's heart tightened at Drea's words. She didn't want to admit it, but maybe Drea was right. Maybe she hadn't been as present as she should've been. But still, the weight of everything she was juggling felt overwhelming.
"I get that," Remy said, her voice softer now too. "I get that you need me to step up more. But it's hard, Drea. I've got so much going on with work, and sometimes, it feels like I can't win. If I focus on the business, I'm not helping enough at home. If I focus on home, I'm letting my work slip."
Drea's eyes softened, but the frustration was still there. "I'm not asking you to do it all, Remy. I'm asking you to show up when it counts. When I need you to call the contractor, I need you to actually do it. When Brielle needs something, I need you to be on it. It's the little things that matter."
Remy sighed, feeling the weight of Drea's words sink in. She knew Drea was right, but admitting it felt like admitting she'd failed in some way. "Okay, I hear you," she said finally. "I'll do better. I'll try harder."
Drea looked at her for a long moment, her arms still crossed. "I need more than 'I'll try,' Remy. I need action. I need to see that you're committed to this marriage, to this family. Words are nice, but I need to see you step up."
Remy felt a lump form in her throat. She hated feeling like she was letting Drea down. "I am committed," she said, her voice a little rough. "I love you and Brielle more than anything. I don't want you to feel like you're in this alone."
Drea nodded, but there was still a sadness in her eyes. "Then show me, Remy. I'm not saying you have to be perfect. I'm just asking you to be present. We're both tired, we're both juggling a lot, but we can't let that tear us apart."
Remy took a step closer to Drea, reaching out to touch her arm. "I don't want that either. I don't want us to fight like this."
Drea's shoulders relaxed a little, and she let out a long breath. "Me neither. But we need to figure this out. We're still figuring out how to be married, how to be parents, and it's hard. I just don't want us to lose sight of each other in the process."
Remy nodded, understanding what Drea was saying. "You're right. I've been so focused on everything else, I haven't been paying enough attention to what's happening right here, with us. I'm sorry."
Drea looked at her, the tension in her face easing just a little. "I don't want you to feel like you're failing, Remy. I know you're working hard. I just need you to be here too. To be present with me and Brielle."
Remy swallowed hard, feeling a mix of guilt and determination. "I will be. I promise."
Drea uncrossed her arms and took a step closer to Remy, finally allowing her to pull her into a gentle hug. They stood like that for a few moments, the weight of their argument still lingering but slowly melting away as they held each other.
"I love you," Drea whispered into Remy's shoulder. "I just don't want us to drift apart."
"We won't," Remy said, her voice soft but firm. "I love you too. And I'm going to do better."
Drea pulled back slightly, looking up at Remy with tired eyes. "We'll figure it out. We just have to keep communicating, okay? I don't want things to build up like this again."
Remy nodded, understanding the truth in Drea's words. "You're right. We'll talk more. I don't want things to get to this point either."
Drea gave her a small smile, still tired but no longer angry. "Okay. Let's just take it one day at a time."
They stood there for a moment longer, the weight of the argument slowly lifting as they both calmed down. The tension wasn't completely gone, but they were on the same page now. They knew that being newlyweds wasn't easy, and they had to work through their problems together, not against each other.
As they headed toward the living room, Brielle's soft cries echoed from the nursery. Remy and Drea shared a look, both of them smiling a little despite everything.
"Guess she's reminding us what really matters," Drea said with a sigh, shaking her head.
"Yeah," Remy agreed, her voice lighter now. "Let's go take care of our girl."
