Chapter 45: I’m So Sorry… Dildo!

Certainly, here's an expanded version with those elements woven in, adding more humor, anticipation, and depth to the interaction:

Early noon sunlight streamed through the window, casting soft shadows across the room as I doodled, drawing abstract designs and jotting random ideas in the margins. The process was meditative, a rare calm in the storm that seemed to dominate my life lately.

Then, a knock at the door broke my focus. I set my pencil down, an uneasy feeling stirring in my chest. Standing, I walked over and opened the door to find Nathan—Valerie's husband. But it was a version of Nathan I had never seen before: haggard, disheveled, dark circles under his eyes, and his shoulders slumped as though bearing an invisible weight. The man who had always carried himself with such quiet confidence looked as though he hadn't slept in days.