I nod slowly as I stare out into space. “I know.”
And that’s the problem. I know it all too well. That knowledge is an ugly thing, a weight settling deep into my bones, festering with dread as I keep wondering:
Am I the only one between the two of us who knows?
Am I the only one who cares?
Chapter 8
Karan
The old sink groans as Will and I wrestle it free from its mounting. My shoulders burn from the awkward angle, but we manage to lift it clear without anything catastrophic happening.
“Not bad for two guys who spend their days in front of a computer screen,” Will chuckles, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
I can't help but laugh. “Yeah, who knew all those hours spent writing code would translate to actual manual labor? To be fair though, you do way more than stare at a computer screen all day.”
On top of his work at a business consulting firm for small businesses, Will helps Sophie run her party planning business.
“Same shit, though. None of this.” His eyes gesture to the sink as we both grab hold of it.
We set the old sink carefully against the wall, and I take a moment to stretch my back. The bathroom is small, and it makes every movement feel confined, especially at my size.
Kind of like my life lately.
Will’s already examining the new fixture, but I can tell by the way he keeps glancing at me that he has something on his mind. That’s the thing about Will. He’s been my brother in law for so long that he’s gotten terrible at hiding his thoughts from me. Rachel's the same way.
Rachel.
My chest tightens at the thought of my wife. Last weekend, we moved her sister into our guest bedroom. The move went fine, and if I’m being honest, it’s sweet to see how happy the boys are to have their aunt with us.
The issue isn’t Océane, though. It’s the way Rachel seems to be icing me out.
“Hey, Will?” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “How do you and Sophie make it work? With the crazy schedules and everything?”
I don’t mention the three kids. They may not be Will’s children, but they might as well be, with the way he’s been stepping up.
“It just seems like your life has been chaos for the past year,” I add.
Yet, despite the chaos, he and Sophie are still going strong. After more than a year, they still look at each other like they did in those first weeks.
Will straightens up, his expression turning serious. “We make time. Even if it’s just fifteen minutes of actual conversation while brushing our teeth.”
Make time.
That simple statement hits me like a truck.
I grab a wrench for the sole purpose of having something to do with my hands.
He pauses, studying me. “Everything okay with you and Rachel?”
“I don’t know, man. Something’s off.”
Will frowns. “Off how?”
“I don’t know, but it’s like… she doesn’t talk to me like she used to.”
I think back to the last conversation we had that lasted more than five minutes that wasn’t about the kids or the minutia of running the house.
