**The Weight of Hidden Woes**

Prompt: Simon woke up feeling utterly unwell but hides it from his wife emily because he does not want to be a burden. Besides he had promised to decorate the christmastree and the rest of the house. emily came back from work and was angry with simon for not having finished the chores yet. Simon cant hold it any longer and tears start rolling down his face as he tries to explain. A wave of nausea washes over him and he bearly made it to the sink on time. he puked wilhe crying. Emily takes care of him

Simon woke up feeling utterly unwell. A dull ache radiated from his temples, his throat felt like sandpaper, and a heavy fatigue clung to him like an unwelcome blanket. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, willing himself to feel better, to shake off the malaise that had settled in his bones. But despite the queasiness swirling in his stomach and the clammy sweat cooling on his skin, he knew he had to get up. Today was important, Christmas was around the corner, and he had promised Emily he’d decorate the house and the tree. With a deep, resigned breath, Simon slipped out of bed, each movement heavy and slow. He brushed his fingers through his tousled hair and splashed cold water on his face, trying to clear the fog in his mind. If he could just make it through the day, he thought, maybe he could rest once Emily returned from work. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He didn’t want to burden her with his feelings; she had enough on her plate. He shuffled to the closet and pulled out the decorations he’d tucked away a year ago, the glittering tinsel, the colorful baubles, and the fairy lights that had never quite worked properly. He smiled weakly at the thought of their past Christmases, the laughter and the warmth. But with every ornament he hung, a wave of nausea rolled over him, forcing him to pause and breathe through it. Exhaustion gnawed at him, but Simon kept pushing through, climbing up on a ladder to hang twinkling lights around the living room, trying to focus on the soft music playing in the background. “It’ll be worth it,” he murmured to himself, imagining Emily’s smile when she walked through the door. But as the minutes turned into hours, his health deteriorated, and by the time Emily got home, he was a frail shadow of himself. Emily entered the house, her heels clicking against the wooden floor, tired from a long day at work. The moment she saw the living room, her brow furrowed in confusion. The lights were halfway hung, loose boxes littered the floor, and she could smell faint hints of something unpleasant wafting from the kitchen. “Simon?” she called, her voice rising with frustration. “I thought you were going to finish decorating today!” Simon’s heart sank as he heard the disappointment in her tone. He stood in the corner, clutching the ladder, willing himself to muster a smile. “I’m sorry, Em. I tried, I really did,” he stammered, forcing optimism into his voice despite his insides twisting painfully. “What do you mean you tried? It looks like you barely started!” Emily snapped. “I thought this was important to you, too! We talked about making this a special Christmas. It’s the least you could do while I was at work!” The weight of her anger crashed down on him, and Simon’s heart ached at the disappointment he saw twisted in her expression. Tears pricked at his eyes, blurring his vision. “Emily, please… just listen,” he managed to choke out as the lump in his throat swelled. “I… I’ve been feeling really sick all day. I didn’t want to worry you, but—” Before he could finish, a wave of nausea crashed over him anew, and he stumbled toward the kitchen sink. Emotion overwhelmed him, and he barely made it to the porcelain before he was heaving, convulsing with sobs as he was violently sick. The weight of fear, frustration, and the pain of exhaustion combined with the physical sickness, rendering him breathless and vulnerable. Emily’s anger dissipated as quickly as it had come, turning into concern. She rushed to his side, her arms wrapping around his trembling body, supporting him as he retched violently. “Simon! Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me?” She knelt beside him, her voice softening with worry. “I thought you were just being lazy!” “I’m so sorry,” he gasped between sobs, the taste of bile still fresh, as fresh tears flowed down his cheeks. “I didn’t want to be a burden. I thought I could handle it and still make you happy.” She stroked his hair, whispering soothing words as he finally stopped, the heaves subsiding. He rested his forehead against the cool sink, the comforting touch of her hand calming the storm inside him. “Simon, you’re never a burden to me. You should have said something,” Emily replied gently, her voice broken with empathy. “I just wanted it to be perfect for you,” he managed, trembling, as she helped him sit back on his heels, slowly pulling away a few stray strands of hair from his forehead. “I thought you’d be disappointed if I didn’t do it all.” With a sigh, Emily shook her head, her eyes glistening with compassion. “I would be disappointed if you made yourself sick, Simon. That’s the last thing I want. We can do this together. We always have.” He looked into her eyes, seeing now the concern layered with love, and something in him cracked open. “I just… I didn’t want to ruin Christmas,” he whispered, the vulnerability spilling from him. “I love this time of year, and I never wanted you to think I didn’t.” Holding his face between her hands, Emily leaned in closer. “Christmas isn’t about the decor or the tree. It’s about us, Simon. We’ll make it special, together. Don’t shut me out.” With a slow nod, Simon felt the tension ease just a little. “I know. I’m sorry,” he said, allowing himself to lean into her warmth as fresh tears slipped from his eyes. “I promise I’ll be better. Just… I need a moment.” “Take all the time you need, but I’m with you, and we’ll figure this out together,” Emily reassured him, integrity glimmering in her voice. In that moment, surrounded by the remnants of dreams and the promise that tomorrow would come again, Simon felt the weight of his hidden woes begin to lift. No longer alone in the dark, he realized that sometimes, sharing the burden was the strongest thing he could do.