So I have a question for you. Let’s say that you and your spouse/significant other have a heated exchange. Let’s say that it’s pretty apparent, pretty quickly that one side is being unnecessarily bitchy. Let’s say you remove yourself from the situation and ignore the person for the rest of the evening because of how ridiculous they’re being. Let’s say that suddenly towards the end of the evening the other party, the ridiculously bitchy one, suddenly starts trying to engage you in conversation and is being nice - obviously making an effort to be the first one to let it go and move on.

Would you hold out for an actual apology?

I don’t know how many times Jeff does this. He’s crabby about something not related to me and then unleashes on me as soon as I walk through the door. Last night was one of those nights. I no sooner walk in the door, put stuff away that I had picked up at the market when he starts slamming around the kitchen, bitching about how unfair it is that he has to cook dinner eery night, he’s tired he doesn’t feel like, blah, blah, blah. What was complaining quickly turned into him being accusatory and attacking me over how badly I supposedly treat him - BY ASKING HIM TO MAKE DINNER EACH NIGHT SINCE HE’S HOME 3(!!!) HOURS EARLIER THAN ME. The man has no other regular household chores he’s responsible for on a daily basis.

So I left the room. Walked right out, went into my bedroom and changed my clothes, folded a bunch of laundry and put it away. And I didn’t talk to him for the rest of the evening. Along about 8:30pm or so he starts trying to make general, tentative conversation. You know that hesitant way you approach someone after a fight to feel them out. He tried it again this morning too. But he didn’t apologize. He apparently just wants to move on. Is it silly that I want him to say the words “I’m sorry…” and throw in “…that I acted like an ass last night”.

Really, is that so wrong?