You know that feeling when you pull into your own driveway, like it’s the most alien place on earth? Like you’re an astronaut who just landed on some desolate rock, and your spaceship is this beat-up Subaru Outback. That’s me right now. It’s 1:47 AM, I’m sitting in the dark garage, engine off, keys still in the ignition. The air smells like oil and old boxes of Christmas decorations we haven't touched since… shit, since the kids were little. The garage door opener is in my hand, heavy, cold. It'd take one thumb press. One. And then I’d be inside. And she'd be there. Probably awake, probably calling for me. Maybe she fell. Maybe she just needs a glass of water for the fifth time. Or maybe she’s just… there. Waiting. And I just can’t. Can’t move. It's weird, right? This house, this life, it was built for noise. For slams and shouts and the smell of burnt toast and soccer cleats in the hallway. Now? It’s just… quiet. Too quiet. Like the house itself is holding its breath. The twins, they're at State U. — one’s even studying some kind of, like, drone stuff? Crazy. The other one’s pre-med, which, good for her. They call on Sundays. Sometimes. And then it’s just me and her. My wife. My partner. The woman I promised… everything to. But honestly, sometimes I look at her and I just don't know who she is anymore. And I REALLY don’t know who I am. Is this it? Is this the whole ball game? We humans, we're such delicate machines, aren’t we? We’re built for connection, for purpose, for… something. And then life just strips it away, piece by piece, and you’re left with just the bare wiring, sparking in the dark. My purpose, it used to be so clear. Protect. Provide. Guide. Now it’s… fetch her medication. Change her clothes. Make sure she doesn’t choke on her dinner. I mean, it’s vital, I know that. It’s important. But the *me* that did all that other stuff, the *me* that had dreams and opinions and even just… normal conversations? He’s gone. Poof. Vanished. And I don’t even know how to get him back. Do I even want to? I don't know. I just don’t know. This dark garage, it's starting to feel like home.