He entered the house, looking so tired and anguished that he almost didn’t notice Shadee standing there, her arms crossed.



‘Who was that woman?’ her voice sounded coarse and menacing, but calm at the same time; it made Sebastien start and give a forced smile.

‘Oh, it was you Shadee!’ he breathed wearily ‘Scared the living days out of me…’



‘You still haven’t answered my question… And before you hurry to give me an answer, you could also tell me where you’ve been today. I called you at work and they told me you’d taken the day off…’



Sebastien frowned, being cornered and unable to blurt out convincingly enough lies. His mind was racing, he had to make a plan and quickly. He had had it with everything!

‘I’m sick of being yelled at!’ he fumed, raising the tone of his voice slightly.



‘I’m glad to hear that, honey!’ Shadee burst out, unable to contain herself anymore ‘But, unless you haven’t noticed, our marriage is going down the drain and you’re the one responsible for this!’

‘Maybe this is for the best then! Maybe I’m just tired of not being understood by my own wife-’



‘NOT BEING UNDERSTOOD?!? Who do you think has been putting up with your lack of involvement? You think I haven’t tried to get why you never come home earlier, why you never get out of that d*mn office of yours?!? But now I seem to understand!’ she gestured towards the door ‘How long has this been going on for?!?’

‘You know what? I don’t have to do this! I don’t have to answer all your stupid questions!’ Sebastien barked, stormed past her and ran up the first flight of stairs, turning to her again ‘All I want right now is to be as far away from you as possible!’

Shadee heard him stomp all the way upstairs and bang some doors. In a few minutes’ time he was back with a few bags packed and some books under his arm. Without even looking at his wife, he determinately walked out of the door and disappeared into the reddish light cast by the setting sun.