The room next to yours has been empty for months. Until a few weeks ago, an ordinary couple came, but I often only saw the wife walking the dog or running errands.

On Saturday, the autumn breeze blew through the leaves and the garage was open. You can see Bess concentrating on applying the plastic sheet while listening to the music and humming.

*She saw your figure through the mirror and seemed frightened by your sudden arrival. *

"How is this going?"

"Ah, good afternoon!" she chirped before realizing her mistake and turning a light shade of pink. "Er...good morning! I'm not used to seeing anyone else up at this time except for the mailman." She cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. "I was just getting ready to start on my gunpla collection in here. It should be nice having someone around who can appreciate them."

As she spoke, she gestured vaguely toward a corner of the garage, where several boxes were stacked haphazardly beside her workbench. A few tools and paints lay scattered about as well, waiting for someone with more skill than her to put them to good use.

She paused for a moment, visibly taken aback by your question. Her cheeks flushed even deeper as she stammered out an answer. "Erm...no, not exactly. We've never talked about it, but...well, I suppose he doesn't mind me having my own interests. It makes him feel less guilty about ignoring me?" She let out a bitter chuckle at that. "He has his online friends and video games, and I have my hobbies. We just try to stay out of each other's way."

She glanced over at you again, her expression uncertain. "I hope I'm not being too forward or rude. It's just that...well, it's been a long time since I talked to anyone about these kinds of things."

She froze for a moment, her breath catching in her throat as she tried to process your words. She felt a wave of panic and anger surge through her chest before it was quickly replaced by shame and embarrassment. Her eyes darted away from you and down to the floor, where she focused intently on wiping a bead of sweat that had formed on the concrete.

"I-I'm sorry if that was none of your business," she stammered quietly. "It isn't...it shouldn't matter." She forced out a brittle laugh, hoping to mask her discomfort. "I just try to make the best of things, I guess. And sometimes that means doing things I might not ordinarily do..." Her voice trailed off, and she seemed to sink deeper into herself with each passing second.

She glanced back up at you, searching for some sign of understanding

Tears welled up in her eyes as she swallowed hard, struggling to hold back the sobs that threatened to break free. "It's...it's been a long time since I felt loved," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own heartbreak. "I used to think Liam was the one, but..." She trailed off, shaking her head as more tears spilled down her cheeks.

"It's silly," she continued, trying to find some semblance of strength in her words. "I know I should be grateful for what I have. He's not a bad man, really. He just...he just doesn't see me anymore. And sometimes..." She sniffled and wiped at her face with the back of her hand, her body trembling as she fought to maintain composure.

"Sometimes," she said finally, her voice barely

Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper as you wiped the tears away from her face. "It helps...to know that someone else understands." She sniffled and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "It's just been so lonely these past few years. Liam...he used to be different. He used to care about me. But then he just sort of...grew up and forgot about me." Her bottom lip trembled as she thought about the way her husband had changed over time.

"I don't know what I did wrong," she confessed, the words spilling out of her in a rush. "I try so hard to make him happy, to keep things running smoothly at home...but it never seems to be enough. And now..." She trailed off, not sure where else to go with that thought.

"Anyway," she said with

"I don't know how you did it," she said softly, her gaze drifting off into the distance as she thought about your words. "It must have been so hard at first...to lose someone like that and then find them again in a different way." She sighed and shook her head, the tears starting to dry on her cheeks.

"I don't know if I could do something like that," she confessed, feeling another wave of sadness wash over her. "I just want...I just want Liam to see me again. To love me like he used to." Her voice broke at the end of the sentence, and she fought back more tears.

"It's stupid," she muttered, trying to sound strong despite the quiver in her voice. "I should be grateful for what I have...but sometimes it just feels so empty." She paused, looking up at you with a mix of hope

Maybe...maybe you're right," she said quietly, feeling a small knot forming in her stomach at the thought. "It doesn't seem healthy to just...keep doing this." She glanced back down at her workbench, her fingers drumming idly on its surface as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"I don't know," she said with a sigh. "I never really thought about not being with Liam. He's my husband; we're supposed to be together forever." She shrugged helplessly, feeling lost and confused by these unfamiliar feelings of doubt and longing.

"Maybe..." she started, then trailed off, hesitating for a moment before meeting your eyes once more. "Maybe I should try...I don't know, doing something different or something." She grinned awkwardly, not entirely sure what exactly she meant by that.

The thought settled heavily on her heart, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at the realization. Maybe she hadn't been trying hard enough to show Liam how much she loved him, to make herself indispensable in his life again. It was a sobering thought, one that made her wonder if she had somehow failed as a wife.

With a sigh, she looked back up at you and forced a small smile. "Well, I guess there's always hope," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "And maybe it's never too late to try new things, right?" She paused, then added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Especially when it comes to hobbies and interests."

Your response made her smile widen, and for the first time in months she felt a spark of genuine warmth inside her chest.

I can't believe you just did that! You really are something else," she exclaimed with a laugh as you pulled her into a hug. It was such a small gesture, but it felt so warm and comforting that tears welled up in her eyes again. "Thank you." She returned the embrace, savoring the closeness for just a moment before letting go.

"Well, it was nice meeting you," she said, feeling strangely at ease around you despite not really knowing much about you. "If you're ever in the neighborhood or see me online or something...feel free to stop by and say hello!" A shy grin spread across her face as she extended her hand, hoping against hope that maybe you'd take it and let her know that she wasn't alone after all.

Another week had gone by since you'd visited the garage and left me with such fond memories. In that time, I found myself thinking about our conversation often, wondering if it was all just some fleeting moment or if there might be more to it than that. As much as I tried not to hope for anything, part of me couldn't help but wish that we could meet again and continue where we left off.

In the meantime, I'd made an effort to apply your advice in my life. I started taking up new hobbies, reached out to some old friends from college, and even joined a book club at the local library. It felt good to finally be doing something for myself, to make time for things that brought me joy instead of just trying to keep everything afloat around Liam's schedule.

As I sat here now, enjoying a cup of tea on my small patio garden, I found myself gl

Oh! Hello again, you...you familiar stranger. It's good to see you back here. I was just enjoying my tea and reflecting on how much things have changed in the past week. Have you been well?

Oh my goodness! That's so exciting! I hope it went well for you. Being able to find a hobby that you're truly passionate about can make such a big difference in one's life, don't you think? It's inspiring to hear that you found something like that.

Anyway, I should probably be getting back inside before my tea gets cold. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with the rest of your competition!

Oh really? Well, that's wonderful news! Congratulations on your victory - I'm sure you must feel quite proud of yourself. As for my relationship with Liam...it's still complicated, to say the least. We've had our ups and downs, but we try to make it work. It helps knowing that there are others out there going through similar things, even if I can't talk about them too openly. Thank you for asking, though; it's nice to know someone cares. Take care and enjoy the rest of your day!