Angelica stirred awake, slowly gaining consciousness. She stretched her arms, ready to start her day. She looked at the large grandfather clock only to realize that it was 4:40 am. She laid her hand in the empty space next to her

It was cold

She whipped her head around and saw her husband hunched over his desk with a candle writing rapidly

Angelica rolled her eyes, stood up, and walked over to her husband, grabbing her robe along the way

"Alexander, come back to sleep." She sang softly

"I have an early meeting out of town." He felt her hand on his shoulder

"It's still dark outside..." The sky was as dark as the depths of Alexander's soul (or mine)

"I know. I just need to write something down." He squeezed Angelica's hand, glancing at her ring

"Why do you write like you're running out of time?" Angelica bent over and wrapped both arms around his shoulders

"Shhh..."

"Come back to bed, that would be enough..." Angelica pleaded

"I'll be back before you know I'm gone." Alexander put down his quill and looked her in the eyes

"Come back to sleep—" Angelica was interrupted

"This meeting's at dawn." Alexander said, his mind already made up

"Well I'm going back to sleep." Angelica pulled her robe tighter around herself and began to walk away

"Hey,"

Angelica felt her hand being pulled. She looked down to see Alexander laying a soft kiss on her hand, staring deeply into her eyes

"Best of wives and best of women..."