When I found a mysterious note in my husband’s old coat, its cryptic message sent my mind reeling. What followed was a journey of doubt, suspense, and a shocking revelation.
The sound of laughter filled the house. With his small tongue protruding in focus, my son Dylan was sitting on the floor, neatly rowing toy automobiles. The hem of his sister Ella’s gown flapped like the wings of a butterfly as she spun beside him in her princess attire.
She laughed and said, “Watch out, Dylan!” “I’m a ballerina tornado!”
Dylan grinned despite rolling his eyes. “Tornadoes don’t wear crowns, silly!”
I grinned as I filled a mug with coffee from the kitchen. The sound of their voices blended with the early light coming in through the windows.
Strolling into the living room, Denton fiddled with his shirt cuffs. His suitcase dangled in one hand, and he appeared taller than normal due to his confident gait. He leaned down to give Ella a head kiss. “My dear, don’t whirl too much. We don’t want anyone to become lightheaded.
He turned and ruffled Dylan’s hair. “Hold the fort while I’m gone, buddy.”
Dylan’s chest pushed up. “I will, Dad!”
Denton shrugged into his coat and gave me a quick look. Last night, I threw an old one in the donation pile. Check the pockets, please. I don’t want to unintentionally misplace something significant.
I responded, “Got it,” as I saw him smile briefly before making his way to the door.
He cried out to me, “Love you!”
I said, “Love you too,” Behind him, the door clicked shut.
Later, when the children were still playing, I looked at the mound of donations. On top was Denton’s old coat. My fingers touched something in the inner pocket as I lifted it.
I scowled as I reached inside and took out a tiny piece of folded paper.
It seemed significant, something I shouldn’t overlook. I slowly opened it.
My spine tingled at the words.
“This is a private matter between us. Nobody else can find out.
I gasped. The paper was turned over by me.
“For service, call” along with an unfamiliar phone number.
My heart pounded fiercely within my chest. My initial reaction was one of disbelief. Denton refused to keep anything from me. Would he?
I stuffed the note inside my pocket after folding it back. Suddenly, the home was too quiet.
I occupied my hands that night as my mind wandered. I made dinner, inquired about the children’s day, and made an effort to keep the note out of my thoughts.
Shortly before supper, Denton entered and placed his briefcase on the counter. I got a short kiss on the cheek from him. “Smells great in here,” he remarked, observing the pot that was simmering on the heating element.
I gave a stiff smile. “Thank you. In a minute, it will be prepared.
He asked Dylan how his car races went and teased Ella about spinning while he joked with the children during dinner. He appeared to be the same Denton that I had known for years—friendly, considerate, and totally relaxed.
The message was still burning in my pocket, though.
Denton switched off his side lamp and bent down to give me a forehead kiss as we lay in bed that night. “Goodnight, hon,” he said in a soft, recognizable voice.
Long after he had gone to sleep, I mumbled back, “Goodnight,” while gazing up at the ceiling.
When Denton departed for work the following morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table, holding my phone. Beside it was the note, the words glaring out at me like a challenge.
I inhaled deeply before dialing the number.
“Hello?” It had a confident, feminine, and serene voice.
“Hi,” I answered, a little shaky in my voice. “I would like to book your… services.”
The person on the other end paused. The woman continued, “You must know what to do if you have my number. Come here tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. And just before she hung up, she handed me the address.
The call died before I could ask any more questions.
With my stomach in knots, I gazed at my phone. What was she trying to say? What should I have done?
I grabbed my suitcase firmly as I got out of the taxi the following afternoon. With its enormous windows shining in the sunlight, the beachfront estate towered above me. In the distance, waves crashed quietly, providing a calming background to my escalating anxiety.
Before I could knock, the front door opened. There stood a young woman, poised and well-groomed. Her shape was enveloped by her sleek black dress, and she had a small smile on her face that stopped short of her eyes.
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She said, “You must be here for the appointment,” in a silky but unintelligible voice. “Come in.”
I followed her inside despite my hesitation.
She took me to a gorgeous room with tasteful furnishings, beautiful flowers in crystal containers, and a subtle lavender aroma. I sat on an armchair’s edge and tried to appear composed even though my heart was pounding.
The woman pointed to the chair across from me. Make yourself comfy, please. You will soon be accompanied by someone.”
She left the room, leaving me alone, and I nodded, my voice dry.
The young woman reappeared as the door cracked open. Her face was a mask of courteous professionalism, and she moved with effortless ease.
In an effort to obtain answers, I cleared my throat. “What services do you provide?”
With a look of light amusement mixed with curiosity, she lifted an eyebrow. “If you’re here, you should already know.”
She spoke in a soothing, almost prepared tone, yet it annoyed me. I said, “I don’t know,” in a harder tone. “That’s why I’m asking.”
She cocked her head, as though she was thinking about me. She whispered, “If you say so,” in a mysterious tone.
I became irritated. After fumbling with my phone, I opened a photo of Denton and extended it to her. “This individual. Has he visited here?
Her poise wavered for a second. Something indecipherable appeared on her face as her eyes shifted to the screen. Then she gave a small smile. Her words, “You’ll find out soon enough,”
“What does that mean?” I made a demand, but she ignored me and moved away toward the door. She said, “Wait here,” and then slipped out once more.
The ensuing hush was intolerable. I had all the worst-case scenarios running through my head. Had I been misled by Denton? Was there a secret this woman was keeping?
The silence was abruptly broken by a clatter of sound. As the door opened, a crowd of people poured in, filling the space with applause.
My heart jumped in bewilderment as confetti poured down. I was able to identify faces—friends, relatives, even my children and nephews. Dylan and Ella threw handfuls of colorful paper in the air and ran toward me while laughing.
“Mama, surprise!” Ella leaped into my lap with a squeal.
Puzzled, I turned to see Denton standing in the doorway. He brought a bouquet of deep-red roses and donned a dapper tuxedo. His eyes gleamed with mischievous intentness, and his smile was broad.
“Denton?” My voice could hardly be heard above the noise as I stumbled.
He approached me, crouched down in front of me, and held out the roses. He said, “Happy 10th anniversary, darling,” in a quiet voice.
A big banner unfolded behind him. It said, “Happy 10th Anniversary!” in bold letters.
The realization made my breath catch. This was not treachery. It was unexpected.
Denton helped me stand up by taking my hand. His tone was lighthearted as he remarked, “I bet you have a million questions,”
I said, “That’s an understatement,” in a trembling but relieved voice.
He looked at the young woman who was now standing near the door, grinning, and he laughed. “I knew you’d find that note and wouldn’t be able to resist following the clues.”
I was still processing, so I blinked at him. “The message? The call? “All of this?”
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“It was all part of the plan,” he concluded as he squeezed my hand. “This house reminds me of the location of our first encounter. Do you recall? “That seaside summer?”
Memories flashed back, and my eyes grew wide. The saline wind, the sandy beaches, and how he had made me giggle till my sides ached. I muttered, “I… I can’t believe you remembered,”
His voice was quiet as he asked, “How could I forget?” “I wanted to take a unique approach. Something you will always remember.
The children’s delight was evident as they pulled at my arm.
“Mama, we were in on it too!” With pride, Dylan said. “Dad said it was a secret game, and we had to wait here until you showed up!”
Ella gave an enthusiastic nod. “We got to throw confetti!”
Finally releasing the strain in my chest, I chuckled. “You two did a great job.”
Denton pointed at the young lady. “And this is Rebecca. She is employed for a company that hosts events such as this one.
Grinning, Rebecca took a step forward. “Your spouse has a vivid imagination. I was glad to assist.
As the evening progressed, Denton described how he had arranged everything with our friends and family and hired the mansion for the day.
We sat together while the children played about us. “I wanted to remind you of where it all began,” he remarked. “Life gets busy, and sometimes we forget to take a step back and appreciate what we’ve built.”
As I stared at him, a knot formed in my throat. “I can’t believe I doubted you,” I confessed. “I let my mind go to the worst places.”
He put an arm over me and laughed. “I wanted to keep it mysterious, but maybe I overdid it a little.”
“Just a little,” I said, grinning despite my tears.
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