Give me something to look forward to, he whispered. A surprise when I come home at night, smiled. It’s been a long time. Hasn’t it? she nodded. We don’t even hold hands anymore. Seldom do we kiss. We barely talk. Right? she looked away. What happens to people? They just get tired of each other. Don’t they? Forever and ever Amen, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Blew the gray smoke up in the air. Tilted his head toward her. Leaned in. I’m no longer in love, he said. We’re no longer in love.

She looked at him with those pretty green eyes. The kind of eyes that make a man do crazy things. Like climb trees in the middle of the night to sing to them. Buy rings and dresses. The kinds in those magazines. Makes you settle down. Staying home at night and give up control of the remote- control. Your only solace is a bar you hit on the way home from a job you hate, and it’s just for one beer. Telling your friends, I gotta go. Get home to the boss. She had become his boss.

There was no need for a word to be said by her. All she had to do was look at him. Her eyes said, you ain’t going no where. We got bills to pay. Kids to raise. You’ll leave when you’re told to. Try to and I’ll lasso you.

The price we pay, he said. There’s a cost to everything. How’d things get so crazy? he asked. She threw back her red hair and took a sip of wine.

Kids will be gone soon, she told him. They’ll be gone, and you can leave. Take your truck and just go. But, there’s a price for that too, she said. A big price. A payday. And I intend to get mine.

I’ll bet you do. I’ll bet you do.