I folded my arms.
“Then explain why you think this is a good idea.”
He gave me a speech about honesty, freedom, and experimentation. He insisted that it would only last seven days and that everyone would agree to the same rules.
He even said it might bring us closer together.
I wanted to believe he was simply having an absurd midlife crisis.
But the more he explained, the more uncomfortable I became.
He had clearly thought about this before.
He had considered the logistics, the schedule, and even the possibility that I might object.
This wasn’t an impulsive joke.
It was a proposal he expected me to accept.
I went to bed that night without giving him an answer.
He fell asleep within minutes.
I lay awake for hours.
And sometime after midnight, a question began to take shape in my mind.
If this was really about saving our marriage, why did it feel as though I was the only person trying to protect it?
