EMILY AND ALEX TALKING

Emily sat at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea that had long gone cold. She stared at the empty space, gathering her thoughts. The house was quiet, the calm after the storm of yet another argument with Alex. She knew things couldn’t go on like this. She needed to talk to him, really talk, and find a way to make things right.

As if on cue, Alex walked into the kitchen, rubbing his temples. He looked as tired as she felt.

"Hey."...Alex said to her, walking towards the fridge.

"Hey. Can we talk?"

Alex sighed, but he pulled out a chair and sat down across from her.

"Yeah, we need to."

Emily took a deep breath, her heart pounding. She had rehearsed this conversation in her head a hundred times, but now that it was happening, she felt unprepared.

"Alex, I’m tired of all the quarrels. I know we’ve been through a lot, and I’ve made mistakes. I just want us to live peacefully. The silent treatments are really getting worse. I am truly tired."

Alex raised an eyebrow, lean