Dusk Faded To Dark, My New Dawn

Synopsis

On my third anniversary with Edward Brooks, I opened that familiar chat window and stared at the little streak badge that marked our messages. It had been 987 days now. From dating to marriage, that number was like a testament to our love. I snapped a photo of the candlelit room and sent it to him: [Waiting for you.] Edward saw it right away, but didn't reply. On a whim, I opened up his following list. I was still pinned at the top, but right below me was a profile I didn't recognize. Curious, I tapped on it—the most recent post was just ten minutes ago. [Who knew a 30-day chat streak could earn you dessert? Thanks, chat buddy, for the treat!] The picture showed a streak-badge-themed cake, and in the bottom right corner was Edward's keychain—he hadn't even had time to put it down yet. I couldn't take my eyes off that page for ages—their streak badge stood out, glowing for thirty days straight. Outside, the sky kept getting darker, and the dripped wax had gathered at the bottom of the candlestick. I glanced down at my phone—our 987-day streak badge had quietly fizzled out just moments ago. However, Edward hadn't even noticed.