Chapter 1
Gegam arrived at Mashtots market early, the sun still casting soft golden rays over the street. He intended to grab a few essentials for the weekend, but as soon as he stepped inside, his steps faltered. A familiar face caught his attention—a face he hadn’t seen in years.
“Nicole?” he murmured, squinting for confirmation.
It was her. Nicole, his old school friend. Fifteen years had passed since they last met. Without hesitation, Gegam approached, his voice breaking into a delighted laugh.
“Nicole! I can’t believe it’s you!”
“Gegam!” Nicole turned, equally surprised. “It’s been so long! I moved to Astrakhan after leaving Yerevan. We live there now.”
He gestured to the beautiful woman standing beside him. “This is my wife, Lucy.”
Gegam blinked, momentarily stunned. Lucy was radiant—tall, graceful, with a smile that seemed to light up the space around her.
“Wife,” Gegam repeated under his breath, then smiled. “Nicole, you’re a lucky man. She’s beautiful.”
Lucy laughed softly, and Nicole grinned, the kind of grin that spoke of contentment.
The three decided to stop by a corner café, Luna Bakery, for a quick chat. Old friends couldn’t simply part ways after such an unexpected meeting. As they sipped tea, Gegam couldn’t help but glance at Lucy again. She seemed ageless, her youthful glow a sharp contrast to the weariness he had grown accustomed to seeing in his own home.
Nicole and Lucy sat close, their hands occasionally brushing, their shared laughter tinged with an unmistakable tenderness.
“Are you two newlyweds?” Gegam finally asked, half-joking.
Nicole chuckled. “Newlyweds? We’ve been married 15 years! We even have grown-up kids now.”
Gegam gawked in disbelief. “That’s impossible! How...?”
Lucy excused herself to order food, leaving the two men alone.
“Tell me the truth, Nicole,” Gegam said, leaning forward. “You must have housekeepers or something. Lucy doesn’t look tired at all. How does she stay so beautiful?”
Nicole laughed, shaking his head. “No housekeepers, Gegam. Lucy does it all—raising the kids, managing the house, even holding down a small job.”
Gegam frowned, puzzled. “Then what’s your secret? There has to be something.”
Nicole thought for a moment, then leaned back, a gentle smile on his face. “It’s no secret, really. It’s just... the little things.”
“What little things?”
“Well,” Nicole began, “I’ve never raised my hand or my voice to Lucy. Sure, we argue, like any couple, but we never go to bed angry. We always talk it out before sleeping. Every morning and every night, I kiss her. It’s a small habit, but it means a lot.
“No matter how busy life gets, we check in with each other during the day. I let her make her own choices—no controlling, no judgment. Most men don’t realize how much women hate being controlled.
“And when she’s tired, I help. Whether it’s cleaning, cooking, or taking care of the kids, I step in. Men think women are superhuman, but they’re just as tired as we are. They need love, rest, and support.”
Nicole paused, his eyes softening. “Love changes everything, Gegam. When we show love, women feel it, and they shine. Happiness, even from the smallest gestures, makes a person beautiful.”
Gegam sat in stunned silence, Nicole’s words echoing in his mind. His thoughts drifted to his wife, Maggie. He couldn’t remember the last time he kissed her goodnight—or good morning, for that matter. When had he last complimented her? Held her hand?
Images of their early days together flooded his memory—Maggie’s youthful smile, her bright eyes, the way her laughter filled their tiny home. But now, all he could see was exhaustion etched into her face, a heaviness in her movements.
Lucy returned with the food, her warm presence pulling Gegam back to the present. They chatted, but his mind remained elsewhere, replaying Nicole’s words like a haunting melody.
When Gegam returned home that day, he found Maggie in the kitchen, her back turned as she stirred a pot. Her hair was tied haphazardly, her posture weary.
He stepped closer, his heart aching. For the first time in years, he saw her—not just his wife but the woman she used to be, the woman she still was beneath the burdens of everyday life.
Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her. Maggie stiffened, startled by the unexpected embrace.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “For everything.”
Maggie turned slowly, searching his face. And for the first time in years, Gegam saw the faint flicker of a smile—the beginning of hope.
