Edward woke up and rolled over, reaching out to the other side of the bed. His arm came down on an empty mattress. He felt around a little before cracking open an eye. Really? Greg wasn't home yet? Edward rolled back over and glanced at his alarm clock. Six-thirty. The sun would be up soon. Greg had been out all night.

Edward sat up and immediately looked down at his gut. Was it just him, or had he gotten fat again? He grumbled to himself, got out of bed, and went to make a coffee.

As he walked downstairs he heard the door close as Jill headed off to high school. At the table, Tom was pouring himself another bowl of cereal.

“Morning, Daddy,” Tom said with a smile.

“Morning, Tom, is Dad not home?” Edward asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

“Nah, he left a message saying he had to stay late for a conference and would sleep in the hotel. He'll be back tonight though,” Tom explained.

Edward let out a slight grumble, but quickly suppressed it. Not in front of the kids. That was one agreement he and Greg had never broken. They would never argue, show resentment, or air their dirty laundry in front of the kids. It was not fair after all those two had been through. They deserved a happy home now.

Tom was already looking at Edward as though wondering what was wrong.

“You're using another bowl for your second cereal, really?” Edward said to cover his tracks. “I don't mind if you're going through a growth spurt, but we hardly have dishes by the end of the day now. You could reuse them a bit.”

“But that one has cereal dust in it, Daddy,” Tom complained. “I don't like the way it makes the milk mucky.”

“Chocolate milk is literally the best part of chocolate cereal,” Edward laughed. “Just... wash your dishes then.”

Tom rolled his eyes and continued pouring his cereal.

Great, the teenage defiance was beginning. Before long Edward would not just be stuck home all day, he would be stuck home wrangling two teenagers as Greg was away doing... God only knows what. It always seemed as though Greg was away doing something, and it never made much sense. Edward wouldn't mind if Greg ever got the pay raises or promotions he reached for. But no matter how much overtime he did, and how much he inconvenienced himself and his family, Greg never got anything back.

Edward poured enough milk in his coffee to cool it and sipped as Tom finished his cereal, grabbed his bag, and went to catch the bus. By the time the coffee was finished, it was time to begin the housework.

Edward had not minded the housework so much at the start of their relationship, when he did it out of affection and support. Nor when they adopted Jill and Tom, as Tom had still been quite little and they were hesitant to put him in kindergarten just yet. Those kids had needed all the love and support their fathers had to offer, just to repair the scars from their past lives.

But now?

Edward put on some music and began fluffing pillows roughly to let out some anger.

Now the kids were in school and thriving, the house needed minimal upkeep, and Edward was sick and tired of being a maid. He wanted to get back into work. He wanted to do something. When Tom was younger he had been so busy. And now they were both at school, then sports all day, he mostly just watched bad judge shows and cared for the hamsters.

He lived for the days when Greg finally returned home, usually bringing a fast food dinner, and actually spent time with the kids, helped out with a few chores, and fucked him.

But those days were becoming rarer and rarer. It was almost as if Greg didn't want to be with him. And could Edward blame him? He had become a fat, frumpy, boring housekeeper. A far cry from the slim, interesting, young thing Greg had married.

Finishing the last task of the morning, Edward poured himself a glass of wine, turned on the TV, and began streaming his latest favorite series. He had gotten into judge shows and he was pretty sure watching other people fight was another way of venting his anger. He didn't even know what he was going to do with his life any more. Every time he had suggested returning to work he had been shot down for some reason or another. Every time he asked Greg to stay home more he got empty promises. And every time he tried to socialize during weekdays he found that his options were WASPy housewives or people working from home in “totally not a pyramid scheme.” And when the weekend rolled around Greg was working overtime and he had to be the third wheel at planned double dates, or the lonely guy turning down single mothers at school events.

He was itching for something to do.

Perhaps tonight he would ask Greg about work again? No, no, he would insist on returning to work. It was all that would save his sanity.

But the evening came, the kids got home, dinner was served, and Greg did not appear.

The kids did their homework and watched TV, staying up late to see Dad, and Greg did not appear.

The message arrived saying he would be a bit late, the kids were sent to bed, the table was cleared, the dishwasher was put on, and Greg did not appear.

Edward lay in bed, naked and waiting, reading a book, sipping more wine, scrolling on his phone, and Greg did not appear.

***

Edward awoke to the sound of running water in the bathroom. He checked his alarm clock. It was four in the morning. So either Greg had just returned, or one of the kids was up and Greg had still not arrived. Edward collapsed back onto his pillow and sighed. He would stay up until the water stopped running.

Five minutes later, the water stopped, and a few seconds after that the bedroom door opened and a giant figure padded toward the bed.

“Don't bother, I'm up,” he said, trying to mask his anger.

“Oh, sorry, honey, did I wake you up?” Greg's growly voice asked. Edward used to find that voice so sexy, but right now he was not impressed by anything.

“No, I think I woke up on my own,” he replied, shuffling more toward his side as Greg tried to get as close as possible.

“What's the matter? You like a before bed cuddle,” Greg said.

“Yes, I do. Before bed. Not an almost time to get the kids up cuddle,” Edward replied.

Greg sighed. “Look, I'm sorry, I really am. But you know how hard I'm working right now and... I dunno, I think you ought to be used to it by now.”

“But I can't, Greg,” Edward replied. “It's just... I know you're working a lot, and stressed, but try and see it from my perspective. I'm living like some sort of a Stepford Wife here and it's driving me crazy. All I look forward to anymore is when you come home. And it's hardly ever. I bet you're going to work again tomorrow.”

Greg was silent.

“See? When will I see you next? Can you schedule me in for next month?” Edward rolled over and stared at his bedside table in the dim glow of Greg's nightlight.

“I have to work, Ed, and I have to take overtime, new projects... We're swamped right now. I got asked to do a five-day trip to make the same new product presentation to every client this week. Every client. You know how big this is? It will make the difference between the range working or being a complete flop. I make that difference.”

“Well, couldn't you say no? Couldn't someone else do it for once?” Edward asked. He used to put so much energy into his pleas, but now even his exasperation felt so hollow. Despite his insistence, he was giving up on any hopes of getting Greg back. Work basically owned him now. So much for the fierce rebel traveler with the huge back tattoo.

“I can't. I need this promotion. If I start taking on less they'll think I can't handle it. And then what?” Greg explained.

“What promotion, Greg? The one you've been getting for, I don't know, the last three years? You're not getting it. You'd have it by now.” Ed could not believe that Greg was still chasing this. It had not happened for years. Why would it happen now?

“These things take time, Ed,” Greg replied, “but I'm getting there. Besides, we need the promotion. The kids' college funds will be needed soon and we have to get them up a bit more.” Greg's hand rested on Edward's shoulder. Edward knew it was meant to be reassuring, but he pulled away.

“Well, maybe if I got a job then we wouldn't need to worry about any of this?” Edward replied, rolling over to face Greg. “Maybe if I got a job I wouldn't be bored, we would have more money, and you wouldn't need to work so hard for this promotion?” Despite the tension between them, Edward felt a genuine spike of hope as he said this. It was perfect. It would solve their problems. It—

“It's just not like that, Eddie,” Greg said. “I mean, you've been out of work for what, ten years? How much do you think you'd make? Who would hire you? It's not realistic.”

“I have plenty of knowledge and experience,” Edward replied. “And with my work ethic I'm sure that I'll be doing well before long.”

“And who's going to be home for the kids?” Greg asked.

“The kids aren't even home, Greg. They're at school, at swimming club, at dance class... I'm sure if I get a part-time job they wouldn't even notice I'm gone,” Edward insisted. He moved up closer to Greg and caressed his face. “And then you wouldn't need to feel so tired all the time.”

“The kids aren't always out, though,” Greg insisted. “They have school holidays, summer holidays, winter holidays, half days... And what happens when they're ill? Let's face it, you could not make enough money, in the time you have, to justify me missing the promotion.”

“What promotion? You keep speaking about it like you've got it and... forget about it.” Edward rolled over to face his bedside table again. “Let's just go to sleep.”

“Are you sure you just want to sleep?” Greg asked, his arm wrapping around Edward and beginning to pull him back into his own side of the bed.

But Edward's libido had completely dried up. All he could think about was how trapped he was feeling, how bored, how aimless his life was becoming. “No, just... go to sleep,” he replied. “The kids have school tomorrow, and you're going back to work.”

“Not even a quickie?” Greg asked.

“No, go to sleep.” Edward grumbled.

Greg rolled over with a huff and the blue glow of the nightlight was extinguished. Before long he was quietly snoring. But Edward could not get back to sleep. All he could think about was how things used to be, and how different it all was now.

Before the kids their lives had been so passionate, so thrilling. They had met at a football game. Greg had been walking around shirtless and painted the college's team colors of golden yellow and grassy green. Edward had been there to cheer on one of his friends from the LGBT club, who had managed to get on the team. Edward had been a fairly quiet, socially awkward, but still comfortable in himself freshman. Greg had been a loud and proud, macho senior hiding how stressed and tired he was behind his energy. Both of them had been out, and a little quirky, and eager to escape their daily routines with one another. So much so, that they often did everything except what they ought to be doing. They spent more time at football games and indie concerts than they did in lectures that year.

After Greg finished college Edward had followed him, like a sick puppy, to his first job in California, even changing colleges to stay near this amazing man. After Edward completed his degree they had resumed traveling almost instantly, trying to see as much of the world as they could before settling down. They had traveled across four states and stayed in almost ten different places. They had vacationed on every continent except Antarctica, the latter not for lack of trying.

Even after the kids they had kept the spark going, getting babysitters so that they could go on long drives, a road trip, and to concerts. Anything so that they could continue the passionate lives they had been used to. If anything, the kids had lifted their spirits and motivated them to better themselves. They did not just have themselves to think about, but now they had a family to care for, and they knew that they needed to be in it together if they wanted the best in life for the kids. It had been kind of magical, to get that mortgage and enroll Jill in her first permanent school and see Tom come out of his shell. Edward had quit his job, sure, but there had been so much to do. Caring for his kids and doing up the house had been so rewarding. Not to mention how he was showered with love every weekday at half past six as Greg marched in through the door, with wine and a rose for his “hard working housewife.”

Then it had all started with this new job. Greg was obsessed with it. All of a sudden it was all he had time for, and he would spend his every spare minute working. At first Edward had been happy that his husband was doing something he truly loved. But before long everything else had been sacrificed to the gaping maws of a sales rep position. No more romance, no more Dad, no more handyman, no more road trips... just sales. Just that damn specter of a promotion.

Edward wondered whether he should go home with his parents for a bit. Just take the kids out of school for a week or two and go away. Get some fresh country air, see his old friends, do something other than clean, and actually talk to someone every single day. And perhaps... perhaps Greg would start to realize how much Edward did if it wasn't done. If he came home to an empty fridge and an empty bed and a cold house.

As the alarm rang, he knew he would not do anything. He knew he would just get up, make his coffee, see Tom out the door and maybe Jill if he was fast enough. He would clean and tidy and get the kids' long forgotten hamsters fed. By the time he was done Greg would be sneaking out the door, avoiding even a parting kiss, like he never wanted to come back again. And then Edward would pour himself a glass of wine and watch judge shows until it was time to cook dinner. Which Tom would eat most of, Jill would say didn't fit into her diet, and Greg would be too late home for, instead eating some junk with his colleagues.

Edward swung his feet over the side of the bed, turned off his alarm, and glanced back at Greg's sleeping figure. Where had it all gone wrong?