Couples therapy

“Don’t make that face. The couples therapy idea was yours, remember? I already wanted a divorce. I was tired of your attitude, your coldness, your arrogance. You wanted to save this marriage… so now deal with it.”

Natan stared at the reflection in the mirror with a mix of disbelief and discomfort. He was looking for his own face, but what he saw was Tina’s body — flawless, alluring, dressed in a sheer white lingerie he would’ve never paid attention to before. Now, trapped in that body, he finally understood every gesture he used to dismiss as “too much.”

When the therapist suggested they “see the world through each other’s eyes,” he laughed. Thought it was just a metaphor, some self-help nonsense. He never imagined it would involve a real body swap — for an indefinite time. But he agreed. Because losing Tina meant losing half his fortune — and that, he couldn’t allow.

At first, he thought it would be easy. Working from home, looking good, attending dinners, staying attractive. Child’s play. But it only took a few hours in her skin to understand the invisible weight she carried.

Dressing well wasn’t just picking out a pretty outfit — it was facing fabrics that pinched, straps that dug into the skin, lace that scratched. It was shaving, moisturizing, doing makeup, styling hair. It was being seen, judged, appraised at every step. The high heels hurt, the lingerie clung, and time — oh, time — was never enough for all the details. He started to see that every admiring glance he once took for granted hid effort, sacrifice, and often pain.

Ironically, now in Tina’s body, he made an effort to look beautiful, sensual, present. He wanted to prove he could handle it too. That he could be just as dedicated. And deep down, he wanted her — now in his body — to notice.

But Tina didn’t say a word.

She didn’t compliment the softly curled hair, nor the delicately done makeup. She didn’t notice the white lace babydoll or the way he crossed his legs just like she used to. And that hurt the most.

Natan never imagined he’d feel — quite literally — the invisibility he had imposed on his wife for years. That expression in the mirror, once of frustration at being in the wrong body, had shifted. Now it was hurt. Because even now, giving his best, he felt just as ignored as Tina had felt throughout their marriage.