A woman awakes during the night to find
that her husband was not in their
bed.
She puts on her dressing gown and goes
downstairs to look for him.
She finds him sitting at the kitchen table
with a hot cup of coffee in front
of him. He appears to be in deep thought,
just staring at the wall.
She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye
and takes a sip of his coffee.
‘What’s the matter, dear?’ she whispers as
she steps into the room, “Why
are you down here at this time of night?”
The husband looks up from his coffee,”I am
just remembering when we
first met 20 years ago and started dating.
You were only 16. Do you remember
back then?” he says solemnly.
The wife is touched to tears thinking that
her husband is so caring, so
sensitive.
“Yes, I do.” she replies.
The husband pauses. The words were not
coming easily.
“Do you remember when your father caught
us in the back seat of my car?”
“Yes, I remember!” said the wife, lowering
herself into a chair beside him.
The husband continues,“Do you remember
when he shoved the shotgun in my
face and said,’Either you marry my daughter,
or I will send you to jailfor 20 years?”
“I remember that too.” she replies softly.
He wipes another tear from his cheek and
says,”I would have been released today.”