"Dreams do come true," Emma said to herself as she smiled down at the bacon she was making.
It was for her husband, the love of her life and the one that made her dreams come true save for the part where their children would be running around the garden with their dog playing.
But she wasn't worried. They had only been married for a year and had plenty of time to have kids.
Emma told herself as she quickly flipped the last piece of bacon, not wanting to ruin the breakfast she was making for her husband.
Thinking about it, she smiled to herself, thinking of how lucky she was to have a beautiful house, a husband who provided for her, and the life she'd always wanted.
But as she reached for a plate to serve breakfast, a shadow of doubt crossed her mind as she thought about how Jake seemed to always be busy and did little of what they used to do together in the past.
The way Jake no longer took her to events like he used to, the way his kisses had grown cold, and the way he always seemed preoccupied with thoughts of work even when she wanted to strike up a conversation.
She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. It's just work stress, she told herself. Jake had been working harder than ever, trying to secure his place in the competitive world of real estate. She couldn't blame him for being tired or wanting to rest whenever he returned from work.
"Besides," she thought as she set the table with care, "we've only been married for a year. Every relationship has its ups and downs."
Her hand lingered over the empty chair across from hers and she couldn't help but imagine Jake sitting there, smiling at her like he used to.
"Maybe things will change when we finally have a child," she told herself, the thought bringing a warm glow to her chest.
She'd always wanted to be a mother, to create the kind of loving family she never had growing up since she had been an orphan.
A quick glance at the clock told her that Jake would be coming downstairs any moment so she hurriedly arranged the food, making sure everything looked perfect.
She smiled and hurried to the hallway when she heard Jake descending the stairs. "Good morning, babe!" she called out, her voice filled with the kind of cheer that only true love could muster.
Jake got down, dressed in a crisp suit that emphasized his tall, athletic frame. His blond hair was combed back, and his sharp blue eyes looked her over.
Emma smiled widely as she looked back at him. "Breakfast is ready," she said, her tone hopeful. "I made your favorite. Bacon and eggs," she said and Jake glanced at the table, his expression unreadable.
"I'm not hungry," he replied curtly, heading for the door.
Emma's heart sank as she followed him. "Again? Why? You don't have breakfast anymore," she said softly, trying to keep the disappointment from creeping into her voice.
"What is going on, babe? Did I do something wrong? You don't have breakfast anymore even though I make it every day. You used to love my bacon and eggs," she said and Jake paused, barely hiding his irritation as he turned to her.
"I'm no longer having breakfast because you don't prepare it fast enough and staying to eat it will get me late," he said, his tone clipped. There was an edge to his voice that Emma didn't miss.
She sighed, her heart breaking. She didn't like it when he talked to her this way. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for whatever I did that's getting you upset with me every time. And I promise I'll make breakfast quicker going forward," she said wanting to end this whole thing.
Jake didn't respond as he merely stared at her. She wanted to say something, to break through the wall that seemed to be building between them, but she didn't know how.
"I'll be going out later," she said before he could walk out on her.
Jake barely looked at her. "Where are you going?" he asked, his voice lacking any real interest.
"To the hospital," she said, forcing a smile. "I've been feeling a bit down lately. I told you two days ago," she said, wondering why he would've forgotten something like that.
He nodded, but it was a distracted gesture, his mind clearly elsewhere. He started towards the door, not even looking back.
"Jake?" Emma called after him, trying to keep her voice light. "No goodbye kiss?" she asked and Jake stopped in his tracks, his shoulders stiffening, trying really hard not to lose his temper with her.
Taking a deep breath, he turned, forcing a smile. "Of course," he said, but there was no warmth in his voice. He walked back to her, leaning in to plant a kiss on her cheek.
It was a perfunctory gesture, devoid of the passion and tenderness that used to make her heart flutter. His lips barely grazed her skin before he pulled away.
"Goodbye, Emma," he said, already halfway to the door again.
Emma smiled, her heart warming at the thought that he hadn't completely forgotten. "Goodbye, Jake. Have a great day at work!" she called after him, her voice filled with genuine affection.
He gave a non-committal wave and stepped out, the door closing behind him with a quiet click.
For a moment, Emma stood there, staring at the closed door, the smile fading from her lips.
The house suddenly felt too big, too quiet, the warmth of the morning sun unable to chase away the chill that had settled over her heart.
She shook her head, trying to dispel the unease that gnawed at her. It was nothing. He was just always tired and always had a lot of work to do. She told herself as she went to have breakfast so she could prepare and leave for the hospital.