The eerie preface to a pivotal moment in our journey was revealed by the marker ink on my husband’s chest amid the sparkling lights of the holiday season. The joyous atmosphere that surrounded us had now been replaced by a story that was beginning to fall apart, full of shocking turns and heartbreaking discoveries.
The sign on his breast, which read, “This is my husband, if you touch him, you’ll pay for it,” felt more menacing than humorous when I assisted him in undressing that morning following the Christmas party. I had no idea that this would be the initial brushstroke on a complicated picture of our coming separation.
The marker letters on his back told a story of separation and loneliness as the days went by. After that tragic night, the answer on his back alluded to a more profound reality: “Alex was dancing on the table! By themselves. Our home was decorated for the holidays, but the stark reality of our emotional remoteness loomed larger.
I started talking to her about how our relationship was going after realizing I could no longer ignore the indications. The marker messages had come to represent our growing distance from one another and our unresolved issues. The holiday season, which used to unite us, was now the setting for our relationship to fall apart.
Each marker message became a chapter in our story as we negotiated the challenging terrain of separation; a story of loneliness, broken promises, and the melancholy remnants of a love that once flourished. The marker that had been used for lighthearted repartee was now used to inscribe the terrible truth of our failing relationship.
Ultimately, the marker messages served as a silent witness to a marriage ending. The divorce decree sealed the last page of our story, like a handwritten note. The ink, which had once graced our moments together, now symbolized the passing of a time and left behind memories of loneliness, laughter, and the bittersweet sweetness of a love that had, maybe, fulfilled its purpose.
How do you feel?
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