"The purse—" I paused, trying to find the right words. "It was beautiful. It was something I'd wanted. But it was just a thing, Caden." 
I paused to gather myself. "You bought it because I told you exactly what to get. But that's all you did—buy it. You checked a box and moved on. And honestly, after last year's Saks gift card? I was bracing for worse."
His flinched slightly and his face fell, but he didn't look away.
"I know I never said anything. I should have. But part of me wanted to see if you'd notice the disappointment on your own. You didn't. And that kind of broke my heart."
"Felicity—"
"I'm not done," I said, holding up a hand. "I need to say this." 
"This—" I lifted the locket slightly, feeling its weight. "The locket isn't about money. It's the kind of gift that says, 'I know you.' Every detail—from the design, to the photo, to the engraving—it says you thought about me. You thought about the things that make me feel loved and you made it into something I will wear forever."
Tears were rolling down my face, but I pushed through. "The purse said 'I bought you something you wanted.' This locket says 'I see you.' The donation and volunteering say you see what I value. The idea that Macy has a menu of things for me to look at also tells me that she is thoughtful and wants me to know that I matter."
Caden's eyes had filled with tears too. "God, Felicity, I'm so sorry it took me so long to understand that."
"That's what I was trying to tell you that night when I was so upset. I told you then—it was never about the purse alone. It was about feeling like a transaction instead of like someone you love. Like you were purchasing my happiness instead of actually caring about it."
I shifted closer to him. "This locket—I can feel how much thought went into it. I can feel you and Macy talking about what would make me smile, what would remind me every day that I'm cherished. That's what I was missing. Not expensive gifts—though they don't hurt!" I smiled. "It's evidence that I'm in your thoughts in a way that matters."
"I do think about you," he said softly. "I think about you all the time. I just—I got so focused on the company that I forgot about connecting."
"I know that now. I think what I want to see though, is that it's sustained too. That this isn't just a passing moment on the road to forgiveness that will later be forgotten."
"I've been thinking about what you said. About feeling buried under my stuff, about me not really seeing you. And you're right. I got so caught up in providing for us, in building this life, that I forgot to actually live in it with you."
He reached toward me, then stopped, his hand hovering in the space between us. "Can I—?"
I nodded, and he moved closer, taking my hands in his. His palms were warm, slight calluses, familiar in a way that made my chest ache.
"I don't want to just be two people who happen to live in the same house," he said. "I want to be partners again. I want to be the couple who stays up too late talking, who makes each other laugh until our stomachs hurt, who actually sees each other every morning over coffee."
"I want that too," I whispered. "But Caden, I need you to understand—this isn't something that gets fixed with one conversation. Or one beautiful gift, as perfect as it is."
"I know." He squeezed my hands gently. "I'm not expecting everything to turn back time. I get that isn't possible. I'm just asking for the chance to show you, day by day, that I heard you. That I'm committed to doing the work."