The Space Between Us

Peter climbed the stairs slowly, the weight of confusion and something far more unsettling pressing on his chest. Selena's words echoed in his head like a haunting tune. 'I agree. Let's do it.'

What the hell did that mean? Did she find another man in only one night?

He reached the bedroom door, which was half-closed, and nudged it open quietly. She was already in bed. Still wearing her dress, sprawled across the covers like she'd collapsed from exhaustion. Her hair splayed across the pillow, makeup faintly smudged, lips slightly parted. She sleeping peacefully.

Peter leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, just watching her for a long moment. His instincts wrestled with themselves. He was not sure of his own feelings, was he angry? Guilty? Afraid? He didn't know.

He sat down in the armchair across the room and waited. The hours crawled by. She shifted once or twice but didn't stir. Afternoon light slid across the walls and then slowly faded. The house was too quiet. No sound but the occasional groan of the wooden floor or the hum of the air conditioner. Finally, as the sky turned pale orange, Selena stirred.

She blinked a few times and turned on her side, her hand resting near her face, before her gaze settled on him.

Her eyes were a little puffy, but clear, "…You're not working today?" she asked, voice soft and scratchy with sleep.

Peter stood. "No."

She yawned, turning onto her back and stretching, the red dress riding up slightly on her thighs. She didn't seem to care that she hadn't changed. Didn't seem fazed that he'd been sitting there for God knows how long.

"Why not?" she asked again.

He stepped closer. "Because my wife disappeared last night, didn't answer her phone, and then came home with some guy dropping her off in a car I don't recognize."

Selena sat up slowly, pulling the comforter over her legs as she leaned against the headboard. She met his eyes calmly. "Why are you surprised?"

Peter's jaw flexed. "Selena, just tell me where you were. Who was that man?"

She tilted her head. "Is that a rule in our open marriage? We have to report where we sleep at night?"

"I didn't think you'd actually go out and—" He stopped himself. "Not like that. Not the very next day. We don't have the agreement yet. We don't even reach the word agree yet."

"I thought you wanted honesty," she said, voice neutral. "That's what this was about, right? No lies. No secrets. Mutual freedom."

Peter looked down, hands on his hips, silent for a beat.

"Selena, are you serious about this? Is this really what you want?"

She let out a slow breath, then pushed the comforter aside and got out of bed. She walked to the dresser and poured herself a glass of water, her back still to him, "I don't know what I want, Peter. Not yet. But you're the one who opened this door. Not me."

He moved closer. "So… what? This thing you did last night. Was it to get back at me?"

She turned around and leaned on the dresser, arms crossed over her chest, "It wasn't about you," she said flatly. "It was about me. For once."

He winced slightly at the sharpness in her tone.

"And you're sure?" he asked. "You're okay with this? With me seeing other people? With you seeing other people?"

Selena tilted her head. "You're asking the wrong person."

Peter's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You're the one who researched this, remember?" she said, her voice calm but clipped. "You're the one who read the articles, not me, Pete!"

Peter's face twisted with frustration. "I thought it could help us. That it might give us space. A chance to… find our way back to each other."

Selena let out a dry laugh. "Right. Because nothing screams reconnection like sleeping with your secretary."

Peter flinched.

Selena didn't stop. "Don't pretend this was for us. This was about you. Your guilt. For your convenience. Your fear of divorce."

"I didn't want to lose you."

"Also, you don't want to lose the chance to sleep with your secretary."

The silence that followed was thick, bitter, and long overdue.

Peter sat on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped, head in his hands.

Selena leaned against the dresser again, her expression softening just slightly.

After a moment, he lifted his head. "So… now what?"

Selena was quiet for a long beat. Then she shrugged, "Now we see what this really means."

"You think this will break us?" he asked, his voice quieter now. Less defensive. More human.

She met his eyes and held his gaze, "I think it's already broken."

He didn't answer, and she didn't push.

The air between them was colder now. But clearer.

Peter finally stood and walked to the door. "I'll give you space."

Selena nodded, then looked away. When the door closed behind him, she finally exhaled. Her eyes stung again, but she didn't cry.

She just walked back to bed, sitting there with empty eyes locked to the wall.