After finishing cleansing his body and mind, which had begun to be contaminated by the temptation of the past, Kendra went back downstairs for dinner and continued the routine he had always shared with his wife: chatting warmly while watching television. They did that every night while enjoying the snacks Maura had prepared.
That kind of routine had become extremely important and practically mandatory, even if all they did was share stories about what they had experienced during the day. They shared their feelings with each other—sometimes happiness, sometimes annoyance. That was life, after all. Every day would always bring a different story.
Maura didn't teach many classes. She remained more focused on taking care of their marriage. That was why she only spent a few hours on campus. The rest of the time, she preferred staying home, preparing snacks and dinner for her beloved husband. Maura had even refused when Kendra suggested hiring a live-in housekeeper who could be on standby at their home twenty-four hours a day.
Maura only used a house cleaner's services every morning after she left for campus. The helper was responsible for cleaning the house and taking care of the laundry. When it came to cooking, Maura still handled it herself. The helper went home around three every afternoon.
Kendra and Maura really did try to keep communicating so there wouldn't be any misunderstandings. Being sensitive to each other was difficult. It wasn't about whether they loved each other or not. If we never said anything, how would our partners know what we wanted or how we felt?
Especially Kendra, who could be considered just like most men—more oblivious to the situation around him. He wasn't a psychic who could easily read people's minds, either. That was why he wanted Maura to always be honest if something was wrong.
Maura had always been open and honest, exactly as she was, so Kendra never had too much trouble understanding her. Their continued communication had allowed them to make it this far, even without love. Some people simply didn't believe it. They kept insisting that Kendra and Maura had actually fallen in love with each other. They just weren't aware of it.
Whether it was love or not, that wasn't a problem for them. Kendra was comfortable with Maura, and Maura was comfortable being near Kendra. That alone was more than enough. A marriage without arguments. Wasn't that what everyone longed for? And we had managed to make it a reality.
Unlike usual, tonight Kendra interrupted his conversation with Maura by exchanging messages. Alissa truly refused to give up. She kept teasing him. It seemed she was serious about rekindling the romance with that man.
Kendra found it difficult not to play along. Even if faint, those sparks were still there. Besides, this was just texting, Kendra thought. It wasn't cheating. He could consider it a joke, a chance to reminisce about their high-school romance. Puppy love, as people called it.
Alissa's clingy sweetness always made Kendra miss her. Her jokes and sparkling laughter were like an addictive drug that always left him drunk and wanting more. It was completely different from Maura. Kendra and Maura never joked around, much less acted sweet with each other. They only had casual conversations, flat and uneventful. Well, that was what happened when there was no love.
“Why are you smiling to yourself, Honey?” Maura's gentle touch on his cheek brought Kendra back to reality. He had gotten carried away while reading Alissa's messages.