Lynette

That morning, after Lorraine's father left for the airport, she felt relieved and went back to her husband's room. As she walked around the unfamiliar walls, she could sense his presence everywhere. The room smelled like Clay's perfume, and even though he wasn't there, she could still smell it in the air. The scent was intense, strong, and sweet, just like his bedspreads. She wondered if she would ever be able to enter his room again now that her dad was gone and they didn't have to pretend to be married anymore.

On the other hand, Clay remembered what Lorraine had told him before her father's visit. He stared at her, his curiosity growing, which made his face twist.

"You quit your job?" he asked. Lorraine realized they were back to their usual superficial relationship. She looked at the clock, feeling frustrated. Out of all the things he could have said to make this seemingly perfect moment even better, or to grab her hand and pull her onto the huge bed, he chose to talk about work.