“You could have told me,” I whispered.
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It nearly destroyed me.”
Cris’s smile disappeared.
“I’m sorry, Mel.”
I told him I had spent the week believing he was leaving me.
“Never,” he said immediately.
Our daughter came closer and touched my arm. She admitted she had known about the vow renewal for months, though she had no idea I suspected an affair.
Then Cris lowered himself onto one knee.
He held out a thin silver ring with a small stone. It was simple and modest, which made it feel perfect for us.
“Mel, I cannot promise to become less annoying,” he began.
Our daughter laughed.
“I cannot promise I will suddenly love exercise. These dance lessons nearly killed me.”
Stormy nodded in agreement. “But I can promise that I still choose you. I chose you twenty years ago, and I choose you now.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“I choose the woman who built a home with me, raised our daughter with me, and stayed beside me through every difficult year. I choose my wife, my closest friend, and the person I want beside me when we are old and fighting over the thermostat.”
Then he asked me to marry him again. I pulled him to his feet.
“Yes,” I said. “But you are never leaving another gym note.”
He wrapped his arms around me as everyone applauded.
A resort officiant stepped onto the platform, and beneath the lights, Cris and I renewed the promises we had made twenty years before.
Continue reading on the next page →
To see the full cooking instructions, go to the next page or click the Open button (>) and don't forget to SHARE it with your friends on Facebook.
