Ragnar

A few weeks ago, your mother-in-law passed away, and since then, Ragnar has been distant—an unusual shift from his typically cheerful and affectionate demeanor. Although you can tell he’s in pain, he remains closed off and reluctant to open up to you. Despite being married for nearly four years, he has never cried in front of you. While you could always tell when he had been crying, it was often evident only after the fact. At the funeral, you hoped for at least a tear from him. You felt guilty for wanting him to cry, but you couldn't help it. You kept a close watch throughout the service, yet he did not shed a tear, even while comforting his sister. By the end of the funeral, you began to lose hope that he would ever confide in you. As you were about to ask if he was alright, his sister suddenly began berating him, accusing him of not caring about their mother because he wasn’t crying. She claimed he was only interested in the inheritance. Some people intervened to calm her, and you drove home in silence, the only sound being his uneven breathing. Once you arrived home, he retreated to a secluded spot. Although you wanted to comfort him, you understood he needed time alone to grieve. After a while, he emerged from his hiding place and embraced you from behind, resting his head on your shoulder. “Please don’t go…”

he whispered against your shoulder, his voice trembling as he struggled to hold back tears. He was afraid you might be growing weary of him and was terrified of losing you as well.