The Letter & The Reply

      He explained carefully and in no uncertain terms his position. The words he selected clearly detailed why they had to proceed as they must. There could be no doubt whatsoever, at least not in the mind of anyone sane and rational, that the course of action he was outlining was the best for them both. His intention was not mean-spirited nor was it hasty. The timing was perfect.

   Except it wasn't and when he really considered the situation he realized that the timing could never be right for what must be done. He wished he knew how to soft-pedal the decision, make it less painful, but there was no real way to make it more palatable, no matter the timing.

   So he braced himself for the worst. He would not be a coward about it - he would hand the missive to her directly and he would stay while she read the words he hoped beyond hope she would understand without disappointment or worse, acrimony.

   He carefully reread the eight pages, looking for errors in spelling or grammar. Lord knows he didn't want to distract her attention from the matter at hand with run-on sentences or too many prepositional phrases. 

   After the third rereading of the letter he carefully folded the pages and placed them in the envelope. Then he stood up and walked out of the small study, down the long hall and out onto the balcony, where she was relaxing on a lounge chair while sipping a cup of tea.

   He handed her the sealed envelope and as she took it she asked, "What is this? Did the mail arrive early today?"

   With as serious a countenance as he could muster, he replied, "No. It is from me, and I would like you to read it now, if you wouldn't mind."

   Setting down her tea she opened the envelope and removed the pages. Unfolding the pages she quickly and deliberately read the painstakingly written words. When she finished she refolded the pages, replaced them in the envelope and set it down on the small table next to the tea.

   Looking up at him she smiled in that unnerving manner that she had perfected by the end of their first year of marriage. He knew her response was too quick for her to be able to claim that she had given the matter anything remotely close to "careful consideration".

   "Mi Corazon", she said, and instantly he knew he was defeated. "For the final time the plans are already set, reservations made and deposits paid. We are not going to Legoland for our anniversary this year, we are going to Saint Lucia. Get that through your adorable head. Oh, and you misspelled disagreeable. There are two e's".