Untitled Story

Chapter Four

Looking up from my laptop, my eyes scan around my apartment. I can't help but feel as if something is missing. I have all the necessary furniture, but it still feels like there's an empty space somewhere. The walls have a normal amount of art or photos dotted around, there are plenty of well-placed ornaments, yet I still can't shake the feeling that there should be something else.

This has been a thought of mine since I sat down, trying to do some work from the comfort of my sofa. Although I don't strictly have to work from home, I enjoy the break from the hustle and bustle of my office when I'm trying to get ahead a bit, but usually I'm more productive than this. I try to zone in my focus on the task at hand - figuring out the best layout for next month's cover. Surprisingly, by sheer determination, I manage to get into a bit of a flow, not only finishing the cover design, but also answering a few of the emails I'd received since I left on Friday.

I'm startled from my thoughts by the sound of a door opening. I check my phone for the time, and sure enough, he's arriving at exactly the time he said he would. I take another sip of my wine as I wait for him to come through to the living room after he's dumped his bags down somewhere. After a few minutes, I'm still alone in the room so I turn to my phone and mindlessly flick through some social media app that I don't use often enough.

As time ticks on near a half hour, I decide instead to go and find him. Placing my now empty wine glass on the table beside the sofa, I untangle myself from my laptop and head first to the bedroom. I spot his briefcase and suitcase on the bed. His clothes are messily thrown around in the now open suitcase and lazily spread across the bed, as if he were looking for something specific. I hear the shower running in the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom, so it's reasonable to assume he wanted to shower after the flight.

I start unpacking his suitcase for him, being much less careless as he had been with his clothes. I determine which need washing, throwing them in the hamper, and folding or hanging the clean clothes. He must have used the laundry service at his hotel, because most of his stuff was clean, and smelling different to how they do with our detergent.

After packing everything away, I close his suitcase and leave it standing up by the door for Tony to put away when he's done. I then take a seat on my side of the bed and wait for the husband that I haven't seen in almost a week.

It's another ten minutes before Tony steps out the shower and is startled when he spots me on the bed. He continues running the hand towel through his dark locks as his gaze meets mine.

"Hey," He offers me, with a small smile that I notice doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Hey yourself." I feel as though there is an awkward undertone to us. As though there is a tension that has been slowly building over months and growing with the distance we find between us on his business trips. "How was your trip?"

"I always forget just how hot Texas is." He chuckles slightly, in an attempt to lighten the mood, I assume. I force a smile and nod slightly. He notices the silence and tries to fill it. "How has it been here?"

I shrug slightly. "The same as always, I suppose."

Another silence fills the air. I find myself looking around the room and disappearing into my thoughts. This room also feels like something is missing. Still unable to pinpoint what exactly, I scrutinise every piece of accessory in view. The bookcase was full enough that I could pick a book with a few options, but not too full, where looking at it you might think you need another shelf to free a fraction of space. The dresser against the wall holds photos of Tony and I, back in the early stages of our relationship, as well as my jewellery box.

The bedside table on my side of the bed has a lamp, my phone charger, and a photo from the engagement party of my parents and I. I don't think that I had ever seen them as happy as that day, or the wedding day. It was almost enough to make up for all that they did to me during college. Almost. But I suppose it was nice to see them happy again.