Happier Than She's Ever Been... by Menna van Praag

gatherings to four nights a week. She received endless amounts of emails that she stayed up long into the night answering. They hadn’t made love in quite a while. But, feeling it was not fair of him to complain, sadly Ben decided to say nothing.
    â€˜I’m fine.’ Ben smiled. ‘Really, I am. I’m very happy. It’s great.’
    May kissed him. ‘Okay, that’s good. I’m glad.’ Of course she could tell he wasn’t, not really. For a start, the smile hadn’t reached his eyes. But she didn’t know what to do about it and, truthfully, didn’t want him to bring her down. So sadly May didn’t say anything either.

    Two days later, as preparations for the TV show were fully underway, with May practising what she’d say in front of the mirror for hours on end, Ben had persuaded her to sit down for a quick dinner. And all through it he tried to suppress the knots of fear and frustration twisting inside his belly. But it was no good. He couldn’t eat and he could barely look May in the eye.
    â€˜What’s going on?’ May finally sighed, unable to ignore it any longer. ‘What’s wrong? What have I done? And don’t tell me “nothing”.’
    â€˜It’s not just about you,’ Ben said, trying to remain calm but feeling a few months’ worth of frustration boiling up inside him and bubbling over. ‘Wait, I’m sorry, that’s not true. It is all about you, all the time.’
    â€˜What’s that supposed to mean?’ May frowned.
    â€˜Oh, I think it’s pretty clear. I’ve spent the last six months listening to you talk endlessly about the book, thinking about nothing else,’ Ben snapped. ‘All you seem to care about is all the women you can help, these strangers who need you. Which is very virtuous of you and everything, but –’
    â€˜I’m trying to do something good,’ May cut in. ‘I want to give something back for all I’ve been given. How can that be a bad thing?’
    â€˜It’s not,’ Ben said, ‘and I know I sound like an asshole, but I don’t care any more. I know those women need you, but I need you too. And I feel like I’m losing you.’
    May stared at him, utterly shocked. ‘What? You’re not losing me. This is just something I’ve got to do. It won’t be forever. It’s just –’
    â€˜Won’t it?’ Ben asked. ‘And when’s it going to stop? When you’ve saved the whole world?’
    â€˜No, of course not,’ May replied, though she couldn’t say that she would ever stop; when, after all, would her efforts be enough? She stood and started pacing up and down the kitchen. ‘Look, I thought this was what people in love, partners, did. They supported each other; they cared about someone other than themselves. Isn’t that the whole point of love?’
    â€˜Yes,’ Ben said, ‘and I did, I do . For the first few months, at least, and then for the last few it’s been harder, and now I’m starting to wonder if it’s ever going to be about “us” again, or if it’s always going to be about them, about you.’
    â€˜Oh, come on,’ May said. Though she could hear herself being defensive and unsympathetic, she felt threatened and couldn’t stop herself. ‘For centuries women have been doing nothing but supporting men, standing behind them, listening endlessly and helping in every way, completely subjugating themselves… and when a man is asked to do the same, he can’t, can he ?’
    â€˜Hey,’ Ben said softly. ‘It’s not like that, not at all. I don’t want you to do that. And I know it wasn’t fair. I know history wasn’t fair to women, but that’s not what it’s like with us; that’s not the point. It’s not about being equals; it’s about being connected, about knowing each