That night, Justin could not sleep. He kept letting out a deep breath at intervals and changing sleeping positions but sleep evaded him.He kept having different and recurring thoughts. His life at his parent's in law house was not what he wanted but was being forced to accept due to his condition. If he had not listened to Lilly, it would have been another topic on another day as to why their situation was still like the way it is when she had seemingly offered them a better way out.Which was staying with their parents. But he knew better and he told her but he would not know whether it was sentiments that blinded her reason to see what he wanted her to see from his point of view.He remembered the first day there were here and they gave him and Lilly a warm welcome, making it look like all all will be here but instead, the warm welcome was just a precursor to a subtle life of lacing insult with kind words.“I have got it, thank you.” He had said when he stepped into their pristin

That evening, before going to sleep in the night, he had gotten out of bed and gone to have a bath.After taking his bath, he adjusted the collar of his worn out shirt and glanced at himself in the bathroom mirror. The reflection staring back at him seemed older, wearier, the weight of unspoken judgements etched into the lines of his face. Despite his efforts to keep up appearances, the tension in the Tuscons’ home was beginning to chop away at his resolve.As he entered the dining room that evening, the atmosphere was already thick with formality. Mr.Tuscons sat at the head of the table, his posture was rigid and his expression as sharp as the knife he used to slice the evening’s roast. Mrs Tuscons was bustling around, setting the dishes with precision, while Lilly placed the last of the sides of the table.Justin sat on his seat, which was beside Lilly, offering her a small smile. She returned it, but her eyes hinted at fatigue.“Justin,” Mr. Tuscons started talking as the famil

One day, Lilly was sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room, staring blankly at the wall. Justin had gone job hunting as usual and today was her off day from work. The soft hum if the ceiling fan filled the silence in the room, but her mind buzzed with different thoughts she could not take off.She had spent the last few weeks of her life juggling between two worlds, the one in which the love she shared with Justin, and the the one where there is this unspoken expectations of her parents. The weight of it all pressed down on her chest like a huge stone, making it very hard for her to breathe.She was still in the room when her husband, Justin walked in to the room. The shirt he had on was untucked, and he had a weary expression on. His eyes met that of his wife, which was looking at him for some answers and he could only utter some few words as he dropped his bag and himself onto the chair by the desk.“I had a long day”Lilly sighed and asked. “Is there any leads then?. H

The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the quiet room, its monotonous rhythm filling the void of Justin's thoughts. Three years had passed since he and Lilly got married, and moved in with her parents, and each day felt like a slow grind against his pride. Sitting at the dining table, Justin stared at the classified ads on his laptop. His email inbox was full of polite rejections and job listings that offered nothing close to what he needed.“Still looking, I see,” Mrs. Tucsons said, as she breezed into the room with a tray of freshly baked muffins. Her voice was light, almost cheerful, but Justin could not miss the subtle hint of condescension. “Have you tried looking into... simpler jobs? Something less competitive?”Justin swallowed hard, as he tried to keep himself and his tone even. “I am doing everything I can, Mrs. Tucsons.”“I am sure you are, dear,” she said as she placed the tray on the counter. “But sometimes, it is about being realistic. You know, starting small a

One chilly night, Justin was awake, staring at the ceiling in the darkness, his mind racing with all the things left unsaid at dinner earlier in the day. The words "When I was your age..." echoed in his ears, Mr. Tucsons’ veiled criticisms now an unwelcome soundtrack to his life. Lilly stirred beside him, shifting under the covers. She then opened her eyes to see Justin not sleeping.“You are still awake,” she said softly.“Yeah,” he replied her with a strained voice. “I am unable to sleep.”Lilly did not try to press further. Of late, their conversations had become short, punctuated by tension. It appears they were both walking on eggshells, careful not to ignite the powder keg that seemed ready to blow at anytime.She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, getting back to sleep again.Justin noticed it and could only sigh, and resumed his wandering thoughts again.The morning brought no relief. Justin sat hunched over the computer placed in the room, scrolling through job board