The Distance Between Us

Something was wrong. The day blurred into evening as doubt consumed me. Every unanswered call to John deepened the weight in my chest, his absence growing louder with each passing moment. I couldn’t bring myself to leave another voicemail; the words stuck in my throat.

When John finally answered, his voice was calm, steady—too steady. He spoke about work and dinner as if nothing had changed, but every word felt heavy, laced with suspicion. I listened, my heart pounding, unable to ask the one question that haunted me. The ring’s secret lingered unspoken, widening the distance between us and feeding fears I couldn’t escape.