Little Things

Despite our infrequent interactions stemming from the long distances between our cities, I was friends with a well-matched married couple. She had beautiful blond hair and bright eyes, he was a gentleman people call when they need help. They came from similar family backgrounds, majored in the same faculty. Their characters were complementary yet still fairly different, which was good for their relationship.

One day, as I just arrived home, I received a phone call from him. Our schedules don't match, and we never call each other before messaging. We greeted each other and for a minute he was completely silent. I waited patiently, knowing all too well this is serious. He breathed in deeply and after only one sentence we were silent together.

When I met them, I was too young to notice. When I grew older, I was too far to notice. They weren't desperate anymore. The decision was final. I waited for them to tell me why, and the wait lasted years.

It really was the butterfly effect.

Over our rare meet-ups when I would arrive to their city, I'd take them out separately. And over coffee, walks, and drinks I slowly learned how my friends drifted apart.

Soon after their wedding, she asked him to promise something to her, but never explained what importance it had to her. He misunderstood what she asked him for, and did his best to complete what he thought she wanted. She felt betrayed when he didn't act upon his words, hiding away from him, spending time outside. She tried her best to stay calm and warm, because she loved him, but she just couldn't discuss with him what happened, it was too painful. He didn't understand why their relationship changed, so he would provoke her, trying to make her mad. He thought then they will let out their emotions and things would go back to how they were. The effect wasn't positive. And so one misunderstanding, buried deep down, became a hundred, leading to their divorce.

It is the little things that matter. Don't let the weeds grow, pull them out when they are still weak, before they eat away the heart.