She walked in through the door and heavily plonked herself on the mattress where he was reading his book. He didn't respond. He knew she had had a long day. But he felt no sympathy or pity. He didn't want to tear the world apart to make it all better for her. He wasn't a hopeless romantic. He was a die hard pragmatic. So he looked at her, she gave a weak smile, he reciprocated and went back to his book.

After a few silent moments, she went for a shower. She came out fresh and clean and smelling divine. On her way back to the mattress, she detoured to the kicthen and picked up a wine glass and a coffee mug. She gestured to him, asking him which one he would prefer. He motioned to the mug. She went back to the kitchen and made 2 nice big mugs of cappuccino. He in the mean while called in for some food. He didn't ask her what she wanted.

And they sat there, each with their own book, own mug of coffee and silence. The only thing they had in common, was the blanket keeping them warm, that breezy winter evening... and their hands held tight under it.

They both had had a long day. They had both fought, with each other, with other people, with circumstance and with the world in general. They had no energy left to fight any more. They couldn't look at each other, they did not have anything reassuring to say to each other. So they sat there, in their silence...

Dinner came and passed while some movie played on the television. Every bone in her body hurt and she wanted nothing more than for her nerves to suddenly stop feeling anything at all. Every bone in his body ached for something to do. She envied his pain and he hers. On days they took that jealousy well, on others, they fought. Today was the other day....

After dinner they both slid into bed. He returned to his book. She slid closer to him and rest her head on his chest. He held her, tight. She felt a kiss on her forehead. She reciprocated on his chest.

Within moments she was in deep slumber and his eyes were surrendering to sleep. He shut the bedside lamp curled his other arm around her. And they slept. Sound.

And that, for that one moment, all the fighting they did, to stay together, was worth it