Wide Awake Without You
At a party, my fiancee lost a round of Truth or Dare. Someone egged her on to list ten good things about my best friend.
Olivia didn't hesitate for a second. "Outgoing, good-looking, fit, knows how to make you feel special. Always smiling, emotionally smart, capable, has great taste. And—he really knows how to brighten up a room."
Next round, Dylan grinned and tossed the question back at her. "Alright, so what about Ethan? What's good about him?"
Olivia turned to me, paused for a few seconds. In the end, she only came up with two words. "He's steady."
Someone laughed, trying to smooth things over. "That's it? Anything else?"
Olivia furrowed her brow, like she was actually giving it some real thought. But she couldn't come up with a second one.
In the awkward silence, I suddenly felt exhausted. Olivia and I had been together for seven years. Our wedding was scheduled for next week. And yet, after thinking so hard, the only good thing she could find in me was that I was steady.
This time, I didn't want to be the steady guy anymore.