Synopsis

She noticed the subtle shifts in his demeanor – a weariness that settled deep in his bones, a tension that tightened the lines around his eyes. A quiet resolve bloomed within her; she would ease his burden. She prepared nourishing meals, offered soothing back rubs, and made a point of asking about his day, hoping to draw out the sources of his stress. Yet, Jim seemed unable to accept such overt care. He deflected her efforts with hesitant disclosures of the firm's long-standing financial woes.