You, Again

by Kate Goldbeck

“Your soulmate gives you the greatest possible sense of belonging,” he says with genuine conviction. “They heal your existential wound. It’s the basis of modern love.”

“No one should marry the person who makes them happy,” Josh continues. “Marry the person you want by your side at your absolute lowest point.”

“Getting up in front of family and friends and saying, ‘I love this woman and I want her to be my wife’ doesn’t have to involve an ‘industrial complex.’

“Turns out, even with a government document, midlife crises end eventually.”

“I will buy you whatever fucking grapes you want. The kombucha.” He pauses. “The stroller. All of it.”

Trying and failing to ignore the emotional grenades threatening to go off in his head: How he feels Ari’s absence every single day. How she’s taken root in some deep, inaccessible place that can’t be edited or overwritten—just managed. Like a chronic illness.

“People are too worried about being happy. If you want to be happy all the time, just watch cat videos. They’re fucking great.”