The love that once felt so perfect began to feel heavy, like a warm, sunny day that suddenly turned overcast. Jackson, once so attentive, had started to change. The little things, the nuances that had made their marriage feel like a dream, were slowly disappearing.
The Subtle Shift
It started with his tone. The softness in his voice when he spoke to Elissa was replaced by impatience. The once thoughtful, caring Jackson began to act as though he was constantly on edge, preoccupied with something Elissa couldn't see. When she would ask him about his day, his answers were curt, almost dismissive.
One night, she had cooked his favorite meal—spaghetti with fresh herbs, a dish he always raved about—but when he sat down at the table, there was no smile. No appreciation. He barely glanced at her before picking up his fork.
"How was your day?" Elissa asked, trying to stir some conversation.
"Same as usual," Jackson muttered, his eyes not meeting hers. "Busy."
The silence stretched out between them, heavy and uncomfortable. Elissa felt a pang in her chest, a feeling of disconnection that she couldn't ignore.
The Distance Grows
The change was slow at first, but soon it was impossible to miss. Jackson began coming home later and later, always with an excuse. "I was working late," he'd say, or "I ran into some friends." The pattern was starting to emerge. Elissa had heard him on the phone with someone, laughing and joking around, but when she asked him about it, he'd simply brush it off.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The warmth in their home, the laughter, the quiet moments of intimacy—all of it seemed to be slipping through her fingers like sand.
One evening, after another long day, Elissa waited for Jackson to come home. She was tired, exhausted from the constant chores and the pressure from her mother-in-law, who had become even more demanding since Elissa's pregnancy. Her feet ached, and her body felt like it was betraying her, but she waited.
When Jackson walked through the door, he was drunk. The smell of alcohol on him was strong, and his eyes were bloodshot. Elissa's heart sank.
"Jackson," she said, her voice trembling with concern, "Have you been drinking?"
He looked at her, his eyes clouded with irritation. "What if I have?" he snapped, throwing his coat on the chair. "I work hard all day. I deserve a drink, don't I?"
Elissa was taken aback by his tone. She had never seen him like this before. The man who had once been so tender and loving was now cold and distant.
"I don't care if you drink," she said softly, trying to hide the hurt in her voice. "But you promised me you wouldn't let it get out of hand."
"I promised nothing," Jackson shot back, stumbling toward the couch. "You knew what you were getting into."
The Weight of Responsibility
Her life had changed since she'd become pregnant. Her responsibilities increased, but Jackson seemed to pull further away. His mother, who had once been kind and supportive, had become stricter. Now, Elissa was expected to do the housework, take care of everything while still going to school and preparing for the baby. Jackson did little to help, retreating into his own world, leaving Elissa to bear the weight of it all.
One morning, as Elissa struggled to carry a heavy laundry basket up the stairs, she saw Jackson sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee, the paper spread out in front of him. She looked at him, feeling a sense of resentment bubbling up.
"Jackson," she said, trying to keep her voice calm, "Could you help me with this?"
Without looking up, he waved her off. "That's women's work," he muttered, a smirk forming on his face. "Why are you disturbing me? I'm busy."
Her heart sank. This was not the man she had married. The man who had once held her hand and promised to always take care of her was now indifferent to her struggles.
The Growing Isolation
Days turned into weeks, and Elissa felt more and more alone. Jackson's indifference was like a cold wind, slowly creeping into their relationship, distancing them further. Elissa longed for the tenderness they had shared before, but every time she reached out, he pulled away.
One night, after a particularly difficult day with her mother-in-law and the ever-growing demands of their home, Elissa sat down with Jackson. She had to know if he was regretting their marriage. She couldn't keep pretending everything was fine.
"Jackson," she started, her voice shaky but determined, "I don't know what's happening between us, but I need to know… Are you happy?"
He looked at her, his face expressionless. "Of course I'm happy," he replied flatly. "Why wouldn't I be?"
But Elissa could see the emptiness in his eyes, the lack of emotion. She knew something had shifted, but she couldn't figure out what.
"I don't believe you," she whispered, her heart breaking. "We're not the same. We used to talk for hours. We used to laugh together. Where did that go, Jackson?"
He didn't answer. He didn't even look at her.
The Emotional Toll
Elissa felt the emotional toll of the growing distance. She couldn't help but feel like a stranger in her own marriage. The spark that had once burned so brightly between them now seemed to be flickering out. She was trapped in a home that no longer felt like hers, surrounded by people who seemed to care little for her well-being.
Her mother-in-law's comments had become sharper, more critical. "A woman's place is to serve her family," she would say, and Elissa was expected to comply. The weight of expectations, combined with Jackson's growing indifference, made Elissa feel more isolated than ever.
She missed her parents. She missed the comfort of her own home, where her mother had been strict but loving, and her father had always made her feel like the most important person in the world. But here, in Jackson's family home, she felt invisible.
She wished she could go back to the beginning, to the honeymoon phase when everything had seemed perfect. But she knew that those days were gone, and she was left trying to navigate a marriage that was slowly crumbling beneath her.
The Quiet Realization
One evening, as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Elissa realized something. Her marriage wasn't perfect. It never had been. But she had been so blinded by love that she hadn't seen the cracks that were slowly forming.
She had married for love, but now, she was beginning to understand that love wasn't enough to keep a relationship together. Jackson's growing indifference, the weight of her responsibilities, and the pressure from her in-laws were beginning to take their toll.
And as the days passed, Elissa couldn't shake the feeling that her love for Jackson, once so pure and full of hope, was being overshadowed by the reality of their situation.
The cracks had begun to show. And Elissa wasn't sure if they could ever be fixed.