Continue venting

Ruby leans a little closer against the counter, coffee forgotten for the moment.

“Where do you think it really stems from?” she asks. Her voice is quiet, curious in a way that feels more than polite. “Is it just the size thing, or something deeper?”

You consider it for a second, then answer honestly.

“Both. She has always been vanilla. Anything beyond the basics makes her shut down. And she has told me straight that I am a lot to take. 8.5 inches and thick is not something she ever got comfortable with, even when things were better. Now it is like the discomfort turned into a full excuse to stop trying. I could be gentle. I have offered. She does not want to hear it. Easier to just keep the door closed and act like I am the one with the problem for still wanting my wife.”

Ruby’s eyes stay on yours while you speak. Something shifts in her expression, a clear spark of intrigue that goes beyond sympathy. She does not look away. Her fingers tap once against her mug, thoughtful, and when she speaks again her tone is softer, almost speculative.

“So she knows exactly what she is turning down,” she says. “And she still chooses to.”