Nixon sat in his car waiting, he stares at the building in front of him, as thoughts swirled in his mind.
Try as he might, in the past two weeks, he couldn't shake off the feeling of confusion that had settled over him like a fog.
"How do I understand what she wants from me?" he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Shaelyn's accusations echoed in his mind, but he couldn't grasp what she was truly blaming him for.
After their last argument, Nixon had made the decision to give them both some space. "Maybe some time apart will help us figure things out," he had told himself, trying to convince himself it was for the best.
For two weeks now, he had kept his distance from Shaelyn, resisting his urges to call and see her. Each day felt longer than the last as he wrestled with his thoughts.
Thoughts of her broke his already faltering will, and Nixon couldn't fight the urge to hear Shaelyn's voice, he wondered how she was doing and if she missed him as well or if she was relieved because of the distance between them,
Nixon couldn't sit still and despite how late it was decided to drive over to her place this evening, but he couldn't think of a reason and what they would talk about, while he was lost in contemplation, he heard a notification sound from his phone,
Nixon glanced at the notification on the screen, it was about his father's birthday which was just two months away, a significant occasion that always brought their family together.
Mr. Nolan Gray loved celebrating with all his loved ones gathered around him in their vibrant city home. Nixon remembered how it used to be meticulously planned by his mother, with Leyla helping out every year without fail.
But everything changed when Shaelyn entered their lives as a daughter-in-law two years ago.
'She took over everything, Mom doesn't even have to lift a finger anymore.' Nixon thought amusingly, recalling how effortlessly she had stepped into that role after they got married.'
The approaching footsteps jolted Nixon out his thoughts and the sight of the woman he had been thinking about these two weeks had him rushing out of his car,
"Shaelyn! Can we talk?" Nixon asked, his tone tentative, he stood there waiting for a response, at the sight of the bags in her grip he knew she had gone grocery shopping,
Shaelyn paused for a while before responding, "I don't think there's much left to say."
"There's something I have to ask you," Nixon added sighing heavily, "We need to talk in person, it's too complicated, to have this discussion on phone."
"Complicated? Or just uncomfortable?" Shaelyn shot back, dropping the bags and turning to face him,
"Maybe a bit of both," he replied honestly, thinking of the notification he has just seen, he had not decided yet how to remind Shaelyn of the matter,
As he could not believe it had slipped her mind, it was most likely Shaelyn had decided to feign ignorance, and Nixon couldn't help but feel enraged at this thought,
"I feel all this is happening because you're blaming me for something I didn't do!" Nixon exclaimed, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior.
"I'm not blaming you!" Shaelyn insisted, raising her hands in surrender as if trying to ward off an invisible attack. "I just… I need time to think."
"Think about what? About how I've somehow betrayed you and our marriage?" Nixon stepped closer, his eyes searching for answers in her expression.
"It's not that simple!" Shaelyn snapped back before catching herself and softening her tone. "I just don't know how to accept these.....changes in our marriage."
'The changes in your feelings for me.' Shaelyn added in her head,
Nixon looked down at her for a moment before taking a deep breath, his gaze shining with determination, he said, "We're supposed to be partners, right?"
"Even in this.....whatever 'this' is right now, we have to work together." he said firmly but gently.
Nixon felt a slight pang of guilt as he realized how long it had been since he had spoken to Shaelyn this clealry, he had become distant not just physically but emotionally too.
Nixon took a deep breath and said softly, "And I'm sorry for never taking your feelings into consideration."
The tension between them began to ease as they stood there in silence for a moment; both lost in thought about what future lay ahead of their rocky marriage.
Shaelyn finally turned around, walking into her apartment in silence, leaving the door open behind her,
Nixon took it as a sign of truce and sighing in relief, he carted her grocery into the apartment, delivering it to her kitchen,
Walking over to the living room, Nixon decided to focus on the matter at hand, his father's birthday was an important event and usually by this time Shaelyn had already began to set things in motion to make it a splendid occasion for all who attended,
"Shay, my dad's birthday is two months away. You know what this means, right?" Nixon stated as he sat in a chair, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
He watched Shaelyn pace restlessly, her brow furrowed in frustration. "You know I can't just drop everything and go back home," she insisted, her voice rising slightly. "I have decided to live a separate life of my own here now."
Nixon sighed, knowing that despite their current dispute, there was an undeniable truth hanging in the air. "Shaelyn," he began softly, trying to keep his tone calm. "You have to understand that this birthday banquet for the Grays'. It is important to everyone. It's not just a birthday party; it's about family tradition and necessary for the company too."
Shaelyn stopped mid-pace and turned to face him, her eyes flashing with defiance and hurt. "Family? You think because I don't have one, I don't understand what it means?"
"Or is it that you think I'm taking it lightly, because I'm not part of this 'family'? I've been there....for two years! And I've done everything asked of me!" Shaelyn added,
Nixon stood up, moving closer to her. "That's not what I meant," he said calmly. "You know how much they all love you, how much Grandpa loves you. You're practically his daughter."
Shaelyn's expression softened slightly at the mention of Grandpa Gray. Shaelyn had always felt a special bond with him; he had sponsored her when she was just an orphan struggling to find her place in the world.
"I know they care about me," she admitted quietly, glancing down at her hands. "But it feels like every time there's a family event, a lot is expected of me."
"Because they want you there!" Nixon replied earnestly. "Whenever we're all together, it's like you belong with them even more than I do." He paused for a moment before adding,
"And honestly? Sometimes watching you all interact makes me feels like I'm the son-in-law who married into this family rather than you being the one who came from outside."
Shaelyn chuckled lightly at his words despite herself but quickly shook her head. "It shouldn't be that way," she said firmly.
Nixon took a step closer and reached out to touch her arm gently. "But it is that way because of how much they love you," he explained patiently.
"To society, you are an inspiring lady who climbed up the social ladder from being an orphan sponsored by them to marrying their son, and being loved by all members of the household. It's a remarkable journey."
'Loved by all members of the family? You say, does that include you.' Shaelyn thought as she looked up at him then, searching his eyes.
"But to them, you moved from being a daughter they would love to have to actually being their daughter legitimately." Nixon stated,
"To them it's just that simple." Nixon added.