Later that evening, I found myself in bed, scrolling through old messages on my phone. There was nothing unusual, just the regular exchanges about groceries, school pickups, and the occasional affectionate note. But my mind kept returning to that appointment. It was unlike Alex to keep secrets, or so I thought. I considered bringing it up, but each time, the words evaporated before reaching my lips.
It wasn’t until the following Tuesday, during a lull at work, that I found myself idly scrolling through our shared calendar again. The appointment was still there, a silent reminder. I decided to look for any clues, searching through our shared emails and documents. But everything seemed ordinary, frustratingly so.
When I got home, Alex was already in the kitchen, preparing dinner. « Long day? » they asked, glancing over their shoulder with a smile that seemed to hold a hint of something I couldn’t place.
« Yeah, » I replied, watching them closely. « Anything interesting happen today? »
Alex paused for a moment, their hands stilling on the cutting board. « Not really, » they said with a shrug. « Just the usual. »
« Right, » I said, trying to sound casual. « I noticed you have a recurring appointment on Thursdays. Anything I should know about? »
There was a brief flicker of surprise in Alex’s eyes, quickly masked by a practiced smile. « Oh, just a thing for work, » they replied, turning back to the vegetables. « Nothing exciting. »
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