The State of Us (2/3)

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 19th June 2025

Characters: Coran, Relea
Description: The pair discuss the state of their marriage and what to do going forward.
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 19 of Turn 12
Notes: This continues "The Unwanted Sister" https://triadweyrs.org/series.php?sr_id=9

Relea

When he returned, breakfast had been cleared away. Relea stood,
washing the dishes, needing something to do. Even so, her mind
continued to whirl, and her emotions continued to rage. She didn’t
realise Coran had returned until he approached. As his shadow fell
across her, she glanced up, but with the dishes in her hands, she
continued in her task rather than ‘talking’ to him. Perhaps she
didn’t know what to say. Or perhaps she had too much she needed to
say. Either way, she gave herself more time by diving into the chore.
Her gaze fell to the dishes, and her hands worked slowly, bubbles
clinging to her skin. His presence hung heavily upon her, and tears
stung at the backs of her eyes, though she fought desperately to rein
in any tears that tried to escape.

She wasn’t the only one at a loss for words. Coran fell into place
beside her, taking the dishes from the rinse pile and drying them with
a cloth. It was an old habit. Something they had done every day
together for several Turns.

She accepted the assistance. A plate upon which pieces of food clung
soon found itself sparkling, and she passed it along to him. After
that, a small bowl. Then a cup. Then a spoon. One by one, they
worked together to clean the used dishes, and all too soon, they were
done. As they finished and she passed along the final saucer, Relea
stood there, her hands wet, wrinkled from the time in the water. She
glanced down at them, studying the temporary folds that marked her
skin. Some day, those folds would form and remain permanent marks and
reminders of the turns she had lived, the joys she had experienced,
and the trials she had endured. She just hadn’t ever thought those
trials would include a struggling and broken marriage.

Relea didn’t look at him, couldn't look at him, but sought out
something, anything for her eyes to seek that didn’t require his face
or form. Finally, she made a quick motion with her hands, still
unable to meet his gaze. [I’ll make some tea.] More dirty dishes,
but did it matter? Their lives were already soiled; what difference
would a couple of teacups make?

Coran dried the final saucer before placing it in the cabinet where it
belonged. While she worked on the tea, he took a seat at their kitchen
table. His eyes traveled over her familiar figure and then settled on
the swell showing beneath her dress. Their child. How many ways had he
failed as a father and as a husband? Too many.

**How did I become this person?** he wondered. He had never imagined
that he would one day be one of _those_ men. The kind that wrecked
their marriage and tore their family apart. This wasn’t what he’d set
out to be. And it wasn’t a lack of love. He had loved Relea more than
life itself. Still loved her. Yet, it hadn’t been enough to keep him
from screwing up.

[Thank you,] he said with one hand while taking the cup of tea she
placed on the table.

Nodding, Relea turned to pour herself a cup, then returned to the
table. Lowering herself at the opposite end, she took a sip of tea,
more to steady herself than anything. She had thought he had gone,
and that since she hadn’t signed the documents, perhaps they could try
again. Perhaps they could heal that marriage. If she had signed
them, then surely the Harper Hall would have sent him an official
letter, and so he would know by the lack of one that they were still
married. That made his second betrayal sting all the more.

Her hands began to shake, and she quickly lowered them to place the
cup on the table lest he see it. Her eyes stared into the dark pool
of liquid in the cup. It could do nothing to soothe the ache in her
heart. Gaining some control of her lips, she lifted her hands again
and signed, [I will pack up our things and leave you be.]

Coran visibly blanched. “No,” he said it without his hands. [No more
leaving, for either of us.]

Last updated on the June 23rd 2025

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The State of Us (2/3)