Not Now #15

In the soft, golden quiet of a warmly lit living room, a couple stands close—wrapped in the familiar comfort of their home. The hum of a distant appliance and the faint ticking of a wall clock are the only sounds that fill the space. A half-finished cup of tea sits on a side table. The evening has settled in. He leans in gently, arms encircling her with tenderness, his eyes searching hers with hope or longing. She lets herself rest in the embrace for a moment—then pulls back just slightly, placing her hand gently on his chest. Her voice is calm, almost a whisper. “Not now,” she says, her gaze lowering, not with anger, but with weariness, or a mind elsewhere—perhaps burdened, perhaps needing space. His arms stay loosely around her, but the energy shifts. He nods slowly, silently, not pressing further. The moment hangs in the air—intimate, complicated, and very human. Outside the window, the world continues. Inside, love remains, but so does something unspoken. Bud Haslett: FOMO-FUD April 2025 Image from NightCafe – RealVisXL v5 Lightning / Preset: Oil Painting Words from ChatGPT-4.0