Part 2: “People at the office.”

Part 2: “People at the office.”

Alyssa nodded, but the word stayed with her.

A few weeks earlier, Franklin had gotten a new position at a real estate development company downtown. Better pay. Better office. Longer hours. At first, Alyssa had been proud of him. He had worked so hard. He deserved to feel successful.

But success changed him in pieces.

A new bottle of cologne appeared on the bathroom counter. He stood in front of the mirror longer before work. He checked his phone during dinner and smiled before turning the screen face down.

One night, Alyssa came home and found him in the kitchen wearing one of the new shirts.

“You look nice,” she said.

“You think?”

“Yeah. Are you going somewhere?”

“Company dinner.”

“You didn’t mention a company dinner.”

“Found out this afternoon.”

He kissed her cheek, grabbed his keys, and left.

Alyssa stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the half-finished pot of spaghetti on the stove.

When Franklin came

home that night, he smelled like cologne and restaurant air. The next morning, Alyssa found a receipt in his pocket from a restaurant in Brickell.

Two dinners. Two drinks.

She stared at it for a long time.

Then she threw it away.

Because when you have loved someone since you were sixteen, you do not want to become the kind of woman who searches pockets, checks phones, and measures lies by the smell of cologne.

You tell yourself there is an explanation.

Maybe it was a client. Maybe a coworker forgot her wallet. Maybe you are tired. Maybe you are insecure. Maybe love means giving someone the benefit of the doubt one more time.

So Alyssa gave Franklin one more time.

Then another.

Ten another.

He missed Sunday dinner twice in one month.

The second time, Lorraine looked at Franklin’s empty chair and frowned. “That boy better not be dead.”

“Mama,” Alyssa said.

“I’m serious. Franklin has never missed my peach cobbler two Sundays in a row.”

Miss Evelyn adjusted her glasses. “Something’s off.”

“Nothing’s off,” Alyssa said too quickly.

Marcus looked at her from across the table. He did not say anything, but Alyssa could tell he did not believe her.

At home, Franklin still sat beside her on the couch. He still asked if she wanted takeout. He still kissed her goodbye in the morning.

But somehow, he felt farther away than people who lived in different states.

One Thursday night, Alyssa muted the television and turned to him.

“You okay?”

Franklin did not look up from his phone. “Yeah.”

“You don’t seem okay.”

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

“You’ve been tired for three months.”

He let out a breath. “It’s work, Liss.”

“I know it’s work. But you barely talk to me anymore.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then look

at me and tell me what’s going on.”

For a second, she thought he would.

His eyes met hers.

Then his phone buzzed.

He looked down too fast.

Alyssa felt something cold move through her chest

“Who was that?”

“Nobody. Work.”

He stood. “I’m going to take a shower.”

He walked away before she could answer.

That night, Franklin slept facing the wall. Alyssa lay awake beside him, staring at his back in the dark. The streetlight outside drew a pale line across the bedroom. She could hear his breathing, familiar and steady.

But for the first time in sixteen years, Alyssa looked at the man lying inches from her and felt like she did not know where he was.

A week later, Miss Carla from the neighborhood stopped Alyssa outside a beauty supply store.

“You and Franklin doing all right?” Miss Carla asked.

Alyssa’s stomach tightened. “Why?”

Miss Carla looked away. “I don’t know if I should say this.”

“Say what?”---

I’ve updated the post with the FULL STORY. If you can’t see it [the blue text], try this: In the comment section pick "Most relevant" and switch it to All comments - then see 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭—𝐭𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐭 and it will take you to the full story. Enjoy the read!