𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈

𝑠𝑖𝑥

The world stopped spinning. Time, suspended, simply ticked the clock's hands for show.

It taunted Juliette. Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick—

It had been a little over seven months now. Without a call or text. Neither had contacted a divorce lawyer. Sent over papers. He had left without a word the morning after she told him she wanted to separate. Things have been on standstill ever since.

It was haunting, being in this house alone. Bought on paper by the newlywed Mr. and Mrs. Caesar, it was really a birthday gift from his parents. It was embarrassing to Juliette, who had to explain to her parents how her law practice hadn't been going well and that she and a freshly graduated college professor without savings couldn't afford a house. She worded it as a "sponsorship" but could never forget the look of disappointment in their eyes.

Marcus was used to being babied by his peculiar parents. Juliette found it stifling every dinner party the Caesars and Carters got together.

Marcus's parents were two Oxford professors still madly in love after getting married in their 40's, both second marriages. It was a nauseating sight every Christmas to watch the short, bald Art Caesar recite Shakespearean to his towering wife, who always made a show of blushing and joyful tears.

And they always made a show of it. It took a migraine and a half to stop Juliette from rolling her eyes, to force that smile and clap as they embraced each other. She wondered how her parents did it.

The Carters were career politicians. A federal judge with his congresswoman wife made a run for politics and got elected as governor. It was all a great story for the papers.

In reality, the political marriage was arranged by a third party. They signed a detailed and invasive contract and had Juliette as a result.

That didn't mean they didn't love their child, but Juliette always had the childhood fear that if she didn't prove herself useful to her parents, she would be thrown away. She had watched first hand the extremity of a career in politics and knew in her heart that if she had been caught in some scandal, she would've been shipped to a mental institution for "her wellness and treatment", and that they probably would've broken the horrible news to the press by announcing a new pregnancy.

They already proved they weren't above having a child for a bump in the polls.

Sometimes it scares Juliette how well she took it all, even as a child. She was a natural at the picture-perfect politician's smile and knew just how to pose for Daddy's reelection campaign. She walked the tightrope of managing public and private her whole life, helping her parents while maintaining just a low enough status to not throw mud onto the Carter image.

It worked, didn't it? She got her law degree, started her own practice, got married to a nice, photogenic man. The politician's life scared Marcus, so they never did go into that field, but they could've. She proved her use to her parents.

They never liked him, to be fair. They still showed up to all the family events, laughed at the Caesars' jokes, made for lovely conversation at the dinner table. But they didn't like how idiosyncratic they were, having a child at 42, how they didn't care for appearances, how Marcus didn't teach law but English Literature. What good would that be for a politician?

Juliette couldn't imagine their reaction to her separation. Approval? Disappointment? Would they be eager to push another marriage candidate onto her or would they want her to reconcile with Marcus? What would be easier to spin into a fairytale? Ruminating about it made her head hurt.

She hated being alone. She hated the fact that she missed Marcus more. Sometimes she can't remember why she wanted to separate. All Juliette could hold onto was the feeling of isolation. This big house. So picturesque.

She wanted a condo. Somewhere closer to her firm downtown, where she wouldn't have to drive two hours through traffic.

Marcus had tried to brush her off when his parents offered to gift a house to them as a wedding gift. It won't be too bad, this way we'll have a place to call our own! What nonsense.

"God..." Juliette muttered as she looked in the mirror. Her hair wet from the icy rain, her eyes sullen and sunken, her pale fingers. She always made Marcus cook because she couldn't be bothered. Now, without him, she'd lost considerable weight and looked as thin as a sheet of paper. She hated how he teased her back rolls, but she knew he loved her body all the same. He could say whatever but she could always see him glancing her way, the attraction in his eyes apparent.

They were good in bed. Hell, Juliette thought they were great at sex. It was the only stress reliever she had after a tough day in at the firm.

She still finds herself wondering when they stopped talking. When did he stop asking about her day? Why did she stop running her hands through his hair and joke about him going bald? When did the laughter and the soft conversations completely disappear?

It was late.  Juliette had work in the morning. She still hadn't finished drafting the contract with AOW, and their lawyers asked to have it by Tuesday.

She couldn't concentrate. It's winter break, all the teachers must be at home now, with their families. How was Marcus? Did he still bother to cook now that Juliette wasn't there?

It was pure impulse that led her to grab her keys and purse. She was still in her work attire, soaked badly from the rain. She hasn't even had a moment to shower and change. It didn't matter—she was so sick of coming back to this empty house.

She's had enough of it.