Jonathan encountered his ex-wife, and envy flushed his cheeks a vivid green. He slammed the refrigerator door shut with such force that everything inside rattled. One of the magnets on the door came loose and clattered to the floor.
Evelyn stood opposite him, pale, her hands clenched into fists.
“Does that make you feel any better?” she sighed, lifting her chin.
“I’m just fed up with you,” Jonathan burst out, despite trying to remain calm. “What kind of life is this? No joy, no future.”
“So, it’s all my fault again?” Evelyn replied with a bitter smile. “Of course, things aren’t the way you dreamt they would be.”
Jonathan wanted to say something but only waved his hand. He opened a bottle of sparkling water, took a sip straight from it, and placed it on the table.
“Jonathan, don’t stay silent,” Evelyn said in a trembling voice. “Tell me, just once, what you’re unhappy about?”
“What’s there to say?” he retorted. “I’m just sick of all this. To hell with it!”
They stared at each other silently for a few moments. Finally, Evelyn took a deep breath and headed to the bathroom. Jonathan sank heavily onto the sofa. The sound of running water echoed from behind the doors — Evelyn had likely turned on the tap to cover her own tears. But he didn’t care.
A Life Turned Monotonous
Three years earlier, they had married. They first lived in an apartment Evelyn had inherited from her parents, then moved to a country house, transferring the apartment to their daughter. The house was spacious but in disrepair, filled with furniture reminiscent of bygone eras.
Initially, Jonathan was content: central location, convenient for work. But over time, everything began to irritate him. Evelyn adored her “family fortress” with its brown wallpaper and antique cabinet passed down through generations. Jonathan saw it all as stagnation.
“Evelyn, just be honest,” he’d repeat. “Don’t you ever want to rip up this horrid yellow linoleum? Refresh the decor, bring it up to date?”
“Jonathan, we don’t have spare money for renovations right now,” she’d answer calmly. “I dream of changes too, but let’s wait for the bonus.”
“Wait?! That’s your whole philosophy — endure and wait!”
Jonathan often reminisced about how he fell for Evelyn. Back then, she was a modest student, her sincere blue eyes and gentle smile captivated him. He used to tell his friends, “She’s a bud that will soon bloom.” But now it seemed the flower never opened, just withered.
Evelyn didn’t see herself as insignificant. She simply lived as she felt right, enjoying little things — a mint tea, a new napkin, a quiet evening with a book. But to Jonathan, this was just stagnation and routine.
They weren’t quick to divorce — Jonathan wasn’t eager to return to his parents, and living separately wasn’t feasible. Evelyn’s mother, Margaret Anderson, always sided with her daughter-in-law:
“Son, Evelyn’s a good girl. Be glad you’ve got a place.”
“Mum, you just don’t get it!” snapped Jonathan.
His father would simply wave it off: “Let him sort it himself.”
At home, Jonathan grew ever more distant: “She’s like a shadow, a gray phantom…” he thought. In one row, he exclaimed: “I saw a beautiful flower in you! What now? I live with a frozen bud…”
That was the first time in months Evelyn cried.
And then, on the day when everything finally fell apart, Jonathan said quietly: “Evelyn, I’m tired.”
“Of what?” she asked.
“Of this life, of endless boredom.”
Evelyn picked up her bag and left. Jonathan hoped she would return, to ask him to stay, but she exited calmly: “Perhaps it’s truly best for you to live separately. Move out.”
Jonathan erupted: “I’m not leaving!”
“This is my parents’ house,” Evelyn said coldly. “And I no longer want to live with someone to whom I’m just a burden.”
Jonathan had no choice — he left. A few weeks later, their divorce was finalized.
A Chance Meeting That Changed Everything
Three years passed. Jonathan still lived with his parents, trying to start anew, but luck wasn’t on his side. Work paid poorly, providing only small comforts.
One spring evening, as he strolled down the street, he peered into a café window and froze. Evelyn stood on the doorstep.
But this was not the Evelyn he remembered. Before him was a confident woman with a neat hairstyle, a stylish coat, and a set of car keys in her hand.
“Evelyn?” Jonathan exclaimed in surprise.
She turned, recognized him, and smiled.
“Jonathan? Hello! How are you?”
“Yeah… fine,” he mumbled, unable to take his eyes off her.
“Everything alright with you?” she asked calmly.
“And you, looks like, even better… Your job, still the same?”
“No, I’ve started my floral design business. It was scary, but… I found someone who believed in me.”
“Who?”
A tall man in a sophisticated coat emerged from a table inside and gently wrapped an arm around Evelyn’s shoulders:
“Darling, our table’s ready, shall we?”
“Jonathan, this is Henry,” Evelyn said, introducing him. “It was nice to see you.”
“Happy for you,” Jonathan said quietly, feeling a tight knot of envy inside.
“Thank you,” Evelyn replied calmly.
Henry nodded, and they entered the café together, leaving Jonathan standing on the chilly pavement.
Once, he had said: “I live with a frozen bud.” But that bud had bloomed. Just not with him.
