Alex woke from her nap a bit groggy and off balance. She figured a shower and coffee would shake her up. As the coffee brewed, she felt a bit guilty for abstaining from the hiking trip with Larry. She sipped slowly, worried about the pain in her stomach although it had gone away. She had an herbal remedy for it and would commit to taking it daily as a proactive solution. As her mind figured out a potential cure, she had already finished her coffee, washed dishes, prepared dinner and swept the porch.
As she leaned the broom against the wall, she became winded and sat down. Suddenly it hit her: It was dark now, late evening…
Her husband had not returned.
Things Fall Apart 