The Secret is Out

It’s 9:00 p.m. when Mark walks through the door, “Jacqueline, I’m home.”

“I’m in the dining room putting the finishing touches on the table.”

Anticipating a wonderful evening, Mark walks into the room with a confident stride, smiling; “Wow, a candlelight dinner. I thought we were saving this bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for a special occasion. What’s in the envelope? I didn’t forget an anniversary or something did I?”

“No. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time, and everything is starting to come together, so this is a special occasion. Here’s your glass, let’s make a toast to new beginnings.”

Cautiously he looks at her as he puts down his glass and slowly opens the envelope. Jacqueline can feel the tension mount in the air. Her palms are sweating and the room is swirling. This isn't exuberance; this is a panic attack.

Mark removes the papers from the golden-clasped envelope, revealing the business loan documents inside.

“What the hell is this?”

Tears begin to cover Jacqueline’s eyes like an invisible veil. “I’m going to start my own business. A computer software company and we’ll be designing computer games.”

“Like hell you are,”

“Like hell I am. Watch me.” She maintains eye contact with him for what seems an eternity, yet she knows it was only seconds. The liquid veil has left her eyes, dried up in the heat of the moment, while only one tear escaped and slid down her cheek. She remained motionless.

Mark simply turned around and left Jacqueline alone, as she listened to the hum of the garage door and squealing tires leaving the driveway.