Marie & John

The late afternoon sun filters through bedroom curtains, casting warm light across the plush carpet where sit side by side on the edge of their bed. Both wore identical black robes—the fabric loose enough to occasionally gap open, revealing flashes of bare skin beneath. Marie toyed with her robe, glancing at John’s matching attire. “Why’d you dress like me?” she asked quietly. His fingers brushed hers. “Thought you might feel less alone,” he murmured with a tender smile. She leaned in to kiss him, tasting coffee on his lips.\nThey had rehearsed this moment for weeks—clinical terms whispered between shared showers, fertility charts spread across breakfast tables. “It’s just biology,” Marie said firmly, as much to herself as to John. He nodded, squeezing her hand. “One appointment. Then we’re us again.” Their shoulders pressed together in mutual reassurance, wedding rings glinting in unison.".