Dave fumbled around for his keys, looking around his dimly lit living room. Someone was at the door.

********

Ever since he and Suzie separated four months ago, he was trying to find his groove again. It wasn’t some big fight, or someone cheated, or something dramatic like that. They just woke up one day, and looked at each other. He could still remember how it went.

Suzie reached out her hand to touch Dave’s face, and he sighed. She didn’t look disappointed. They looked at each other and saw strangers living two completely different lives who happened to share a bed.

“Are you having fun?” She asked him.

“Are you?” He offered.

“No.”

He paused for a moment, desperately looking for a reason to not say it, but found none.

“Me neither.” He replied

“Remember what we said?”

“Yeah, let’s have fun together, forever.” Dave said, looking out the window, focusing on the tree outside. It had grown flowers over the spring.

Suzie giggled. “We did have a lot of fun. No one can deny that.”

Dave smiled, trying not to look her in the eyes. She still had the eyes of a woman he fell madly in love with twelve years ago. The eyes that once gave him hope for life, that gave him unending joy whenever they’d crinkle at the corners when she smiled. If he looked, he would lose his resolve, but he knew he would be lying to her, and to himself, if he said he had anything left. And he was certain neither did she. It was freeing, in a way, to finally figure out what was bothering him for so long.

"We set fire to Stephan's rug, remember?" she said, giggling to herself.

"At his wedding" Dave laughed, snapping back to reality as he remembered that unholy night. "We were so drunk."

"And Jimmy, he dropped his damn zippo onto that booze soaked rug."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"It was like fifty percent fuel at that point, why was he doing lighter tricks on it?" Dave chortled. He was staring at the ceiling, a smile plastered to his face.

"I loved that feeling." Suzie sighed.

"But then we grew up, huh?" Dave said quietly.

"And then we grew up." She repeated, nodding.

"I hope you don't think I blame you, or anything." Dave whispered.

"I was hoping you didn't."

"I don't, I love how much your work means to you, and I'd never want you to think I was resentful. I think we just grew apart, like those relationship gurus keep saying."

"Do you watch relationship gurus?" Suzie laughed.

"I have, in the past, yes." Dave said, smiling. "It's nice to have a third party perspective."

"I hope you find someone to have fun with forever, Dave"

"I hope you find someone too." Dave said, reaching out to hug her.

"Oh come here you."

She hugged him back.

"Oh god we have to get a divorce now." Dave said, laughing.

She laughed as well, "Don't worry, I know a good lawyer.

"Don't fuck me over." Dave joked.

"I won't. You've been very nice to me."

"Thanks, you've been nice to me too." Dave said, feeling like a massive weight was lifted from his chest.

The divorce proceedings went well enough, and as promised, no one fucked anyone over. They divvied up their belongings according to who wanted to keep what, and then essentially played rock paper scissors for the junk neither of them wanted.

They'd still talk about stuff, every once in a while and sometimes he’d go over to her apartment with toys for Mittens, but truly, they were happy to be apart. Until one night Dave opened his door to a disheveled Suzie in her coffee stained pajama top with its bottom stuffed into her coat pants. She was panting, and she looked scared.

***************

“Suzie? What happened? What are you doing here?”

“Dave! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. What’s going on? Get inside and tell me what’s up? Is Mittens sick again?”

Suzie slowly steps inside the house, shuts the door behind her and throws the bolt quietly. She turns to him and says quietly.

“Dave, I think there’s someone trying to murder us.”