Of course, there were never any angry quarrels or words exchanged. On the face of it, they were pleasant with each other. Politeness filled the space where honesty might have lived. Over time, the distance stopped feeling temporary and became permanent. Their relationship was only defined by the hostility of what was left unsaid.
Ashley met Bill a couple of years later. She hadn’t expected to find love. She hadn’t actively sought it, at any rate. But when she met him, she knew that he was easy to talk to, unassuming, and present in a way that made her feel listened to rather than studied or measured.