14
Jack felt the stiffness in his shoulders and lower back as he unlocked the front door — the same stiffness he got after any long, stress-filled day. For many years, home had provided no real respite from those sorts of days, and he’d instead chosen to spend even longer hours at the office, preferring the dull, monotonous routine of work over the loneliness of an empty house. Now, though, the house was far from empty, and it was only going to get fuller.
‘Put the guns down, it’s only me,’ he called as he closed the door behind him. He walked through into the living room and found Emily lying on one of the sofas. ‘You alright, love? You look like shit.’
‘Wow. Thanks. I feel it.’
‘Still struggling?’ he asked, planting a kiss on her forehead.
‘It’s alright. Good days and bad days.’
‘I
