The relentless downpour that had started on Thursday night washed well into Friday morning. For the first time in days, Jake woke up to the steady, rhythmic sound of heavy rain drumming against the windowpane of his old bedroom rather than the persistent chime of a synchronized corporate briefing.
Before he could even clear the sleep from his eyes, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. The screen lit up with Catherine's name. It was their usual morning ritual, a grounding routine they had kept no matter how chaotic their respective weeks became.
"Good morning babe," Catherine's voice came through, warm and slightly muffled, signaling she was likely already holding a travel mug on her way into her office. "Just checking in. Are you already buried in paperwork, or do I actually get to talk to my boyfriend today?"
