Dedicated to My Loving Husband
Submitted by April
The snowflakes quietly dropped from the gray sky as Betty skurried to her car. As usual, winter in the Midwest brought a challenge to everyday life, including driving. As she opened the car door, she noticed a note stuck to the windshield. She carefully plucked it from the wet glass and read the message. “One more week until our vows are renewed. Love, C.” She smiled as she settled into the cold leather seat of her snow-covered vehicle.
Betty arrived home to find her husband of nearly five years, Charlie, busy with homework from the night classes he was taking. “Thanks for the note,” she said with adoration in her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with a smile. “Sure,” she said as she made her way to the bedroom to change into her favorite flannel pajamas. As she opened the dresser, she noticed another note. This time it was dry and read, “The secret is mine to keep. I’ll see you in a warm and sunny place.”
“Is this some kind of joke?” Betty asked Charlie. “No, I just want our trip to be a total surprise.” Although she typically did not like to play guessing games, Betty didn’t mind this time. She enjoyed the mystery and romance. As a tribute to their five-year anniversary, Charlie and Betty had planned to renew their vows and start their “new” life together on vacation. In the short time they had been married, the couple had seen their best friends divorce, lost Charlie’s father to leukemia and even questioned their own marital bliss. However, they knew they belonged together and they planned to do something serious about it. December 30, 2000 would be a day of revival for this young couple.
December 29 came quickly for Betty, who knew only to pack warm-weather clothes, some formal attire and something special for the ceremony. As she followed Charlie on to the plane, she felt a sense of relief and excitement. This would be the trip of a lifetime. “So, where are we going?” she asked for the hundredth time. “You’ll see.” Once the plane was safely in the air, Betty fell fast asleep with the help of motion sickness tablets that she never travelled without. Charlie watched her quietly sleep, remembering their honeymoon trip to Lake Tahoe. Five years prior, Betty had slept on that plane ride too.
She awoke to the quick jerk of the plane as it landed on the airport runway. “Where are we?” Betty asked. Charlie smiled as he lifted the window shade next to him to reveal blue skies, endless greenery and grand moutains in the distance. Without saying a word, he handed her a note. It plainly read, “See you in Hawaii.”