Woke up still mad at Sarah yesterday over that stupid spat about whose turn it was to empty the dishwasher. Honestly? Felt like crap. Head pounding, stomach in knots. Yeah, she forgot again, but my snapping didn’t help jack squat. Knew we needed to fix this, fast. Didn’t wanna stew in this garbage all day.
First Things First: Cooling Down
Breakfast was silent. Awkward as hell. We both just sipped coffee, avoiding eye contact like pros. No way I was gonna start talking while that anger was still buzzing. So I just grabbed my headphones, muttered “Gonna take Baxter for a walk,” and got the heck outta there. Walking the dog in the cold air? Cleared my head surprisingly quick. Focused on breathing, not replaying the dumb fight.
The Hardest Part: Actually Starting
Got back, saw Sarah nervously wiping the same counter spot for the tenth time. Heart was pounding. Seriously scary moment. Just walked up, leaned against the counter opposite her, and said it simple: “Look, I’m really sorry I yelled about the stupid dishes. That was uncalled for.” My voice shook a little, ngl. Kept my hands out of my pockets, looked right at her. Not demanding anything back. Just… owning my part.
Listening Time
She stopped wiping. Looked up, eyes kinda red. “Yeah, you scared me,” she started. “And yeah, I forgot the dishes… been super stressed with that work deadline.” Instead of jumping in with my defense or excuses, I just nodded. Bit my tongue. Asked, “That deadline stuff sounds rough?” Kept my focus on her face, her words. Felt weird to not interrupt. Needed to hear her side, not my own noise.
Working It Out Simple
After she finished, the air felt… lighter. Like popping a balloon. We both kinda slumped. “Okay,” I said. “So the dishes…” We talked calmly for maybe 10 minutes tops.
- Problem: Dishes pile up, nobody knows whose turn it is -> blame game starts.
- Our Fix: Stick a stupid magnet schedule on the damn fridge. Blue for me, pink for her days.
- Bonus Fix: If someone forgets? Instead of nagging, just pop the damn dirty plate gently in front of them like a waiter. Sounds silly, but works!
Simple. Concrete. Done.
Sealing the Deal
Talked enough. Needed action. “Right,” I said. “Let’s scrub these together now. Early start, both of us.” Grabbed two sponges. Took maybe 5 minutes, side by side. Didn’t talk much, just worked. Finished, looked at each other. Actually smiled. Went for a hug – kinda tight, needed that physical touch to reconnect. Then, moved TF on. Put on a dumb comedy show. Laughed together. Intentionally shifted gears.
The Real Test… And Result
Later, Baxter knocked over her coffee mug. Milk everywhere. She gasped. I saw her catch herself, take a breath. Instead of yelling? She just grabbed a towel. “Accident, buddy,” she said calmly to the dog. I grabbed the paper towels. We cleaned it up quietly. Looked at each other. Grinned. That moment? Felt stronger than before the damn dishwasher war.
Point is? Fighting sucks. But fixing it fast, like ripping off a band-aid? Saves so much pain. Own your crap, listen for real, find a tiny fix you both can do, then physically reconnect and move the hell on. It works. Love ain’t perfect. But fixing it? Totally worth the awkwardness.
