Chapter XX: Kicking snow in January

The movie played on mute with the colors of the scene infiltrating the room and illuminating it in a dim glow, every other source of brightness extinguished at 11:50 p.m.

Nicole lay on her side, her head propped up on her elbow and ignoring the movie she had chosen and instead admired the sleeping figure of her husband.

Salvatore lay on his back beside her, his right arm placed on his chest with his left hand dangling off the bed, his gaze gently tilted away from her with his usually styled black hair an unruly mess. Hesitantly, she reached out to him, running the back of her hand down his prickly jaw, smiling when he didn't stir from his sleep, realizing his sleeping habits were developing.

Christmas had been an exhausting expenditure, New Years was full of drinks and parties, and then in the first week of January, they had gone to visit her parents who had been hosting a little get-togethe