𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝔽ℝ𝕆𝕄 𝔸 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝔻 ～ 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘤𝘈𝘷𝘰𝘺

67 - [JM] Hypercritical

H Y P E R C R I T I C A L
adjective [hahy-per-krit-I-kuh l]

Excessively or meticulously critical; overcritical.

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The car ride back home was way too tense for your liking... for anyone's liking, you were sure of that.

His lifeless prolonged staring towards the road ahead as his foot was steadily pressed down on the pedal and his hands tightened around the steering.

Nothing had happened between the both of you today, unlike any other day with arguments and tears glistening both of your eyes. You and your husband are going through a rough patch, and it'll blow over right?

You hoped so.

You reached to open up the window but James raised an eyebrow at you. "The AC is on," He stated flatly and you watched him awkwardly.

"Okay..." You mumbled then he rolled your eyes discreetly. He switched the air conditioning off rather harshly and you reached to roll down the window halfway without making any extra movements.

You and James have been having some miscoordination between your lives. Sure, spouses have their privacy but this is something different.

James is out of the house most of the time, and so are you, with neither telling the other of their whereabouts. You were busy attending some form of therapy or just a coffee-meetup with a few other people to discuss things like books or routines or reflective topics. You found yourself describing your personal situation through an analogy of a book you read a couple years ago, with updating the story every week.

You just... wanted to talk to someone and feel like you weren't left to be alone. Normally that role would be held by James but, you didn't really want to talk to him these few days.

"Are you okay?" James questioned without showing any sort of empathy. It was more of a statement than a question of concern.

You scoffed, "Am I okay?! Well, I should ask the same thing to you, James."

You noticed him react negatively to you calling him 'James' from the corner of your eye. You started to boil with irritation. His attitude towards you was getting on your nerves.

And just as you were about to ask him something else, he abruptly stopped the car on the side of the road. Thankfully there was a lack of traffic on the road.

He pulled the handbrake up and looked at you with a smile of mockery. "Yes, do you have any other doubts on your mind [y/n]?" He snapped and you squinted your eyes a little. This first name basis was starting to grow uncomfortable.

"Why are you treating me like this?" You responded with sadness, "I haven't done anything wrong James... why are you mad at me?"

He sighed then looked ahead with guilt, "I just... I'm not mad at you, I'm disconnected."

You shook your head slowly, "Where do you go every other day in the afternoon?"

"N-Nowhere, I-"

"Are you cheating on me?" You questioned suddenly, "Is it why you barely talk to me anymore? You're seeing someone else and you want nothing to do with me?"

He scoffed and ran a hand through his hair, "You have to be kidding [y/n]. You seriously think that I'm-"

"YES James, I do. Can you blame me for thinking that way?" You said with heartbreak in your voice.

He clenched his jaw and stared straight into your eyes. "Stop interrupting me," He growled and you glared at him, "Look me in the eye and tell me that you believe that I could ever cheat on you. Look at me and say it [y/n]!"

You watched him for a prolonged moment then raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn't be surprised if it was true."

James shifted in his seat then rested a hand under his chin as his elbow was placed against the armrest on the car door.

"Where do you go everyday huh?" He interrogated, "I know well enough that you don' stay locked up at home all by yourself."

"N-Nowhere I-I-I," You mocked his previous statement and he looked at you with disbelief.

"You're really pushing it [y/n], don't test my patience," He threatened and you genuinely felt terrified. He wasn't joking, he wasn't reacting dramatically... he seemed to mean it.

There was a ringing silence echoing within the car. You looked out of the window to hide your tears forming in your eyes then broke the silence, "S-So are you cheating on me?"

"For the love of God NO I'M NOT [y/n]!" He yelled and you flinched as you turned to look at him, "I go to visit Earl at the hospital every other day. He doesn't have anyone left after his divorce and h-h-he's... He's terminally ill [y/n], he's got a few months left and I can't-"

He pursed his lips and looked out of the front windshield, tears glistening his eyes. You gulped, feeling awful about the words you said. James wasn't lying, you can tell when he is.

"He was my only friend and I don't want to let him g-go," A tear rolled down his cheek, "A-And seeing him without his family makes me realise that I can n-never lose you." He reached out to touch your cheek softly as you joined him in the melancholy.

"Why d-didn't you tell me Jamie?" You cried and he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"You were drifting away from me and I didn't want to make us worse," He answered then smiled through his tears, "I feel s-so alone and Early just... being around him makes me feel b-better."

You frowned. You didn't realise that he could feel the exact same way you could. Being with the other people at the coffee-meetup you attend comforts you.

You felt useless. You were supposed to be a loving spouse, there whenever your husband needed you but you failed to deliver.

James wiped his eyes and you placed your hands in your lap.

"I-I go to this group meeting thing while you're out. There are about ten members and we discuss books and news and cooking and crafts and create skits," You explained, "Sometimes we talk about reflective things like our lives... I tell them about this book I had read two years ago about this country girl who fell in love with a successful businessman. Their life was perfect but then things changed and they didn't see eye to eye anymore. From lovers they... became strangers."

James sulked, realising the analogy that's applicable;e to your lives. You burst into tears, as the idea of losing James ached your heart. "B-Being with them makes me h-happy, just like Earl m-makes you happy," You wiped your cheeks.

You both sat in silence, unable to say anything that would make the situation better.

"I-I guess..." You wiped your nose then took a deep breath, "I haven't been a good spouse."

"That makes the two of us," James breathed out, "We're supposed to be there for each other; what's the point of marriage then?"

"I'm sorry," You both said in unison then smiled. You looked at him and bit your lips, then quickly leaned in to plant a kiss on his cheek.