Discovering a secret

They both stood there, facing each other, apart for the first time in years. He sat on the edge of the couch, twiddling his hands, while she rested on the chair across the coffee table. Soft music could be heard from the apartment upstairs.

"So...umm...you had something to tell me?" she asked, carefully. She turned to look at him, but his vision was fixated on nothing in the window.

"Yeah...sure." he replied. He looked at her, then down to his hands.

Moments passed by in silence as a new rhythm echoed from above.

"And...?"

"Well...." He faltered. Taking a deep breath he looked her in the eye. "Darling, you know I love you and I would never do anything to hurt you...I have been unfaithful. I know I shouldn't have, but last week when I was in Dallas..."

The look in her face spoke more than any words she could have used...pain, hurt, shattered hopes.

"I know I said I would never do this, but..." he reached behind the couch and pulled out a small brown package. "Here..."

She grasped the package with trembling hands, and slowly began to unwrap it.

"I'm sorry..."

As the brown wrapping fell away, a small envelope was revealed. She could hardly control her hands as she opened it and pulled out a pair of tickets.

"Let's go to Hawaii" He could hardly control his laughter as she looked at him, shocked...

"I love you."