An Open Window

Chapter 16: Fighting 4 Us

The subtle cracks in their relationship were becoming more noticeable to Marcus. They were small at first, like splinters in a plank of wood—barely visible but undeniably there. Over time, though, those cracks began to widen. It wasn't that Marcus didn't love Kayden. On the contrary, he loved him deeply, but the constant feeling of being an outsider in Kayden's life was starting to take its toll.

It began with Kayden's little sister, Shantell. Marcus, with years of experience working in education, had offered Kayden advice on how to help her navigate her school struggles. He knew how critical this time was for her development, but whenever Marcus tried to share his insights, Kayden shut him down. Every suggestion was met with a dismissive, "I've got it handled," or a curt, "She's my sister, I know what's best."

The rejection stung, especially because Marcus cared about Shantell like she was his own family. He wanted to help, but Kayden didn't seem to want his input.

The tension came to a head when Kayden told Marcus they'd need to amend their plans for his birthday concert. Months ago, Kayden had promised Marcus a special night with great seats to see one of Marcus's favorite artists. But now, Kayden's sister's favorite girl group was coming to town on the same night, and Kayden decided he had to prioritize her.

"Look, I know I promised you front-row seats," Kayden said, avoiding Marcus's gaze, "but I think we should downgrade our seats so I can afford to take Shantell to see her favorite group. She's been wanting this for a long time."

Marcus stared at Kayden, feeling the familiar ache of disappointment in his chest. He wasn't upset that Kayden cared about his sister—he loved that about him—but it always seemed like Marcus came second. Whether it was Kayden's sister, his mother, or even Kayden himself, there was always someone more important than Marcus.

Still, Marcus compromised. He always did. He told himself it was out of love for Shantell, but deep down, he knew it was because he didn't want to rock the boat. He didn't want to lose Kayden.

But things only got worse when Kayden's mother decided, at the last minute, that Shantell couldn't go to the concert after all. The expensive tickets they had bought were wasted. To make up for the disappointment, they took Shantell to SeaWorld instead. The day started off fun, but as storms rolled in, Marcus suggested they leave early for safety.

"We should go," Marcus said, watching the dark clouds roll in overhead. "It's getting dangerous."

Kayden, as usual, brushed him off. "It's just rain, Marcus. Relax."

As the rain turned into a full-on storm and the rides were shut down, Marcus's anxiety grew. "Seriously, we should leave. It's not safe to stay here."

Kayden's response was sharp, his tone dismissive. "You're always so dramatic. I'm not going anywhere just because you're scared of a little rain."

The disrespect in Kayden's tone hit Marcus like a slap. He shut down, retreating into silence for the rest of the day. Even at the restaurant where they had lunch afterward, Marcus barely spoke. He was tired of feeling ignored and dismissed, tired of always being the one to compromise.

Despite everything, Marcus wasn't ready to give up. He had invested so much in this relationship, and his heart was still firmly attached to Kayden. So, in a last-ditch effort to salvage things, Marcus planned an expensive cruise to the Bahamas as part of Kayden's birthday celebration.

The trip was beautiful—the sun, the sea, the white sandy beaches—but even here, Kayden's selfishness was hard to ignore. Throughout the trip, Kayden took dozens of photos with his Polaroid camera, capturing picturesque moments of himself and the scenery. But Marcus? He wasn't in any of them. It was as if Kayden was curating a version of his life that didn't include Marcus, at least not in the way Marcus had hoped.

Every time Marcus suggested they take a photo together, Kayden would brush it off, too busy snapping solo shots or calling his mother to update her on every little detail of their trip. Marcus felt more like an accessory than a partner, someone who was just there to fill the gaps when Kayden needed him. The constant phone calls to Kayden's mother only made Marcus feel more invisible.

Still, they managed to salvage some enjoyment from the trip. They took a cupcake-making class together, spent time on the beach, and even hit the clubs at night. But no matter how many fun activities they did, the nagging feeling that Marcus wasn't a priority in Kayden's life remained.

The following month brought more challenges. A hurricane hit, canceling the concert Marcus had been looking forward to for months. Despite the cancellation, Marcus still wanted to go to the city where the concert was supposed to take place, since they had already booked a hotel and train tickets.

But the night before the trip, a fight broke out. Marcus had called Kayden, as he always did before bed, but something felt different. The usual background noise—the comforting sounds of Kayden's TV or music—was missing.

"Why is the phone on mute?" Marcus asked, his voice calm but concerned.

"It's not on mute," Kayden snapped, clearly irritated. "Why does it matter?"

Marcus, taken aback by the tone, explained quietly, "I'm just used to hearing the background noise. It's how I fall asleep with you on the phone."

Kayden sighed dramatically. "Does it really matter?"

"It does to me," Marcus said softly. "I'm not trying to argue. I'm just telling you how I feel."

But Kayden didn't seem to care. They bickered for a while longer before Marcus, tired of fighting, let it go. He didn't want to turn this into a bigger argument, so he swallowed his frustration and went to bed with a heavy heart.

The next morning, Marcus was twelve minutes late getting outside to meet Kayden for their drive to the train station. He apologized profusely, but the tension between them was still thick. They arrived at the station with thirty-five minutes to spare, but Kayden couldn't figure out where to park. Despite booking the tickets himself, Kayden seemed lost, and when Marcus tried to offer directions, Kayden didn't really listen.

In the end, they missed the train.

Once again, Marcus stepped up to fix things. He paid for additional tickets, even though he was the one who had been hurt by Kayden's disregard. They argued throughout the trip, but Marcus, ever the peacemaker, took the high road. He apologized, even though he knew deep down that he had done nothing wrong.

That night, they made love, trying to patch up the wounds with physical intimacy. But for Marcus, it was a bittersweet experience. He loved Kayden deeply, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was always the one making sacrifices, always the one compromising. It wasn't fair, but Marcus believed in their future together, even if the cracks in their relationship seemed to widen with every passing day.

In a final gesture of love, Marcus started working on increasing Kayden's income, trying to help him feel more secure and less dependent. He wanted Kayden to feel equal in their relationship, to never feel "less than," but as much as Marcus gave, it still seemed like Kayden took more.

No matter what Marcus did, Kayden continued to put himself and others above him. Yet Marcus couldn't let go. His heart was captured, and no matter how many times Kayden hurt him, Marcus stayed, holding onto the hope that one day, things would change.