It was almost six forty-five in the evening when Anthony Martin realized that he was late. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, a few quick keystrokes shutting down his computer. At this time of night he was one of the last people left in the office, and he had a pretty good guess as to why they were here as well. Those with problems tended to recognize the same issue in others, and marital problems were far more common then most people would ever care to admit. It was the reason he'd come home late almost every day for a month now; he needed the time to be sure he could come home with a smile on his face instead of a grimace.<br/><br/>He didn't even know why it had happened, or how to reverse it. Everything had started out so well, the two of them so madly in love. She'd even been receptive when he revealed some of his more non-traditional interests, and they'd been happy together for years. But in the past few months...Tony sighed, sliding the last of the evening's papers into his briefcase. Of course he still cared for her. She was still the most important person in his life. But now whenever he said 'I love you,' for some reason it felt like a lie.<br/><br/>With a sigh he headed for the elevator, pulling out his phone. Thankfully the call rang several times before going to voicemail; talking about it was the last thing he wanted at that particular moment. "Hey honey, it's me. Sorry I'm late, I'm only getting out of the office now. If you haven't already just head to the party yourself and give my apologies to Dan and Sara, I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you." The final words were more automatic than anything else. They meant nothing, but that didn't mean he didn't want them to mean something.<br/><br/>The roads were mostly clear, but it was past seven by the time Tony managed to drive his Nissan out of downtown to reach the pleasant suburban neighborhood they'd lived in ever since they were married. The housing complex had a mix of singles or couples condos and family homes, with enough nearby shopping to effectively create a tiny town on the edge of the city itself. Their home felt large and empty at times, especially since for one reason or another the time had just never been quite right for children. But the neighborhood was safe and calm, and the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city while being close enough to head in whenever he and the missus wanted a night out. Lawns were manicured, picket fences were neat and white, and no one spoke about the problems of the marriage bed which often made Tony wonder how it was that everyone seemed to know about it anyway.<br/><br/>Once a month or so the neighborhood teens would earn their babysitting money as one of the families held a little get-together. For most of the parents it was an excuse to drink wine, stay out late and talk to adults again, while the childless couples and singles in town would come to be part of the fun.<br/><br/>The street was already clogged with cars when Tony arrived, classic rock music escaping from the house into the cool night air. There was already a faint look of annoyance on his face when he stepped out onto the street, leaving his tie coiled upon the driver's seat. Without it he was in a plain black suit over a pale blue shirt, the color matching his icy eyes. Black leather shoes clumped against the asphalt as he walked down the street, a smile finally on his face when he knocked on the door. Almost immediately it opened to reveal his host for the evening, Dan flashing his neighbor a grin. "Tony! Glad you could make it, man. Come on in, grab a beer."<br/><br/>"Thanks," Tony said as he stepped in. His height, a few inches above six feet, let him easily glance around the half-full living room and glimpse into the kitchen and backyard beyond. "Sorry I'm late, got tied up at work. Is my wife here yet?"