He strolled down the aisle, arms crossed over his chest as he shivered. It might have been a scorching hot summer outside, but inside the grocery store the refrigerated aisle was freezing, not refreshing at all. He pushed the metal cart forward slowly, listening to the squeak of the wheels. He leaned forward on the cart as he stopped it, staring blankly at the many packages of cheese and eggs before him.

           The eggs brought something to mind. They brought the idea of trial and failure. They brought hopelessness and the memory of the tired, angry woman who waited at home. The man with the dark circles under his eyes heaved a sigh as he reached down to grasp a package of cheddar. There were no children in his future. He stole a last glance at the egg cartons before steering the cart away, making the wheels squeak.

           "Luce? I've got the groceries," he called from the front hall. A woman with stringy, greasy blonde hair slowly peered around the corner of the door. Her forehead was creased with lines of worry and a sour frown permanently turned her lips downward in an unhappy arc. He heaved a melancholic sigh as he raised the white plastic bag to show her more clearly.

           "Bread, cheese, milk and eggs, it's all here," he told her as he slid off one shoe at a time. She continued to stare at him from her spot in the doorway. He chanced a glance and noted vaguely that the curve of her frown had grown steeper.

           "Eggs?" She echoed faintly. He nodded and took a step further into the hall.

           "Eggs, you asked for eggs, didn't you?" He asked as he held out the bag, giving her forehead a hesitant kiss. She stared blankly at the bag for a moment before reaching into it and pulling out the yellow, cardboard carton of eggs.

           "Eggs? I asked for eggs? Is this some kind of sick, perverted joke, Dan?" She snarled, her lips turning upward for the first time in months in a sneer. He looked shocked, surprised, his eyes blankly staring at the woman who was his wife. She advanced, thrusting the carton of eggs with each word. "Well, Dan, I can take a hint and you know what? You know what, Dan? Fuck you! Fuck you and your eggs! Get out of here! Take your fucking eggs!" Her lungs burned as she yelled, tears started to spill over her lids and down her cheeks. She launched the eggs at him, cracking them all as they hit his chest and yolks oozed over his shirt. "Get the fuck out!" She screamed.

           He was speechless. He couldn't think of even a profanity to yell back. He turned, stumbling over his socks and opened the front door, forgetting about the shoes he had just taken off. He clutched the broken carton of eggs to his chest and stepped out into the wavering heat. He paused and turned, facing the door that had just been slammed in his face. He closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead on the wood door.

           On the other side was the woman with no eggs, chicken nor ovary formed. She had fallen to her knees, her head brought to the sticky carpet below as her shoulders shook with eternal sobs.