Exhaustion

Her whole body ached. She could feel her fingers rough from washing the dishes. The base of her neck pained from straining over her computer all day long and her eyes burned. All she wanted was to sleep. She sat uncomfortably, unable to sit straight because of the deformed base of the maroon plastic chair. She could feel the pain building up in her body. Soon she would again have to change her posture.

She closed her eyes and breathed out. She was wearing a frilly white dress, walking barefooted on the wet green grass. Above was the open blue sky with no building breaking the sight. She was holding hands with a man. He smiled at her lovingly and said "Happy New Year!". Far away across the vast green lawns in front of them, she could see their brown cottage.

She opened her eyes. The room was stuffy, though the windows were open. She looked at the bed and saw her husband sleeping there. She looked down at the fabric in her lap. She was holding her husband’s white shirt. She had taken in out from the laundry bag. She could see the pink lipstick stain on it. She smelled it and touched it to confirm that it really was lipstick. She never used pink. She didn’t like the color. It was always too pale, too fake, not meant for her. She had only one lipstick and it was mulberry brown.

She looked at her husband again. Her face was expressionless. She was too exhausted to react. Someday she would have to confront him about it –someday –when she had more energy left in her. Today would have to do.