The clatter of dishes in the kitchen was a familiar soundtrack as I opened my laptop at the dining room table. I was supposed to update our shared calendar with the kids’ school events, but something else caught my eye. There it was, a recurring entry, every Thursday at 3 PM, labeled simply as “Appointment.” I hesitated, the cursor hovering over the entry. My partner, Alex, had never mentioned any appointments. I clicked to see more details, but it was locked, requiring a password. The quiet of the house seemed louder in contrast as I sat there, staring at the screen.
From the living room, I could hear Alex speaking softly on the phone, a tone reserved for conversations I was not meant to overhear. The walls felt like they were closing in, each word from the living room muffled, leaving only my racing thoughts. I knew I needed to ask, but I wasn’t ready for what the answer might be. The mystery lingered, a quiet presence in the room, refusing to be ignored.
“Hey,” Alex’s voice broke through my thoughts, standing at the kitchen’s threshold with a casual smile. “Dinner’s ready in fifteen.” I nodded, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
“Okay,” I replied, my voice steady. “I’ll be there in a minute.” As Alex turned away, I glanced back at the screen, the calendar entry still glaring at me. The number 3 loomed large, an anchor for my growing doubts.
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