In the days that followed their argument, Marcus and Lucy had been walking on eggshells around each other. They were trying to work through their issues, but it seemed like every conversation was fraught with tension.

But despite the difficult conversations, Lucy was hopeful. She and Marcus had started going to counseling, and they were making progress.

One evening, they put Emily to bed early and sat down in the living room to talk. Lucy took a deep breath and looked at Marcus.

"I know we've been through a lot," she began, her voice hesitant. "But I wanted to talk to you about something."

Marcus looked at her, his eyes...