They had broken up and gotten back together nine times (so far). It now felt like a routine. He would argue with her over her spending, which was cultivated by his rewarding her with shopping sprees when he felt like celebrating something (which was often). She would complain about the fact he worked too much and was never around. The shopping sprees silenced the criticism of his work; sex silenced the criticism of her shopping; and when neither worked, they broke up, only to find themselves getting back together, vowing a greater understanding of the other—which restarted the cycle.