Holly smiled and laid back into Jack’s arms. The kids were finally in bed. They had opened a bottle of wine and had just put a movie on. One of their favourites. One they had watched over and over, but never got bored of.
Finally, they could relax. Constantly exhausted, their evenings had become routine and predictable. Most evenings they crashed out on the sofa watching TV.
Tonight, however, seemed different. They both seemed more relaxed than usual, more than content in each other’s presence. Their children had slept through for a few days in a row. They were returning to having uninterrupted conversations for more than a few seconds. Life as parents seemed to be getting easier.
They had been married for 8 years, together for 15. Their two kids had been their priority for the past 5 years. It felt like their freedom was returning, slowly.
The elephant was still in the room. It had been there for 6 years. They rarely had sex. In fact, Holly couldn’t remember the last time. it made her cringe when she thought about it. Was it a year, two years?