Fifteen Years Was Never Forever

Summary

Ever since Aaron first picked up a scalpel, he had operated less like a man and more like a calibrated machine.

I learned early on never to complain to him. Not about the depressing cafeteria food, not about sudden downpours, and certainly not about the hollow ache of living under the same roof while feeling like complete strangers.

His logic was absolute: "Next to life and death, everything else is background noise."

"Cheryl, stop being so dramatic."

So I adapted. I handled everything on my own, burying my feelings where he couldn't see them.