That evening, when he came home, I heard it before I saw it—the unmistakable sound of a large box being dragged through the doorway.
I turned around and there it was. A brand-new washing machine.
When he finished, he finally looked up. His face was sheepish, his voice low.
“I get it now.”
I watched him for a moment, then nodded. “Good.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I, uh… should’ve listened to you sooner.”
“Yeah,” I said, crossing my arms. “You should have.”
He swallowed, nodded again, then grabbed his phone and walked away without argument or justification. Just acceptance. And honestly? That was enough.