Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“What is this?” I asked him.
“Clearly, it’s a coupon for a do-over.”
That didn’t help at all. “Where did you get this?”
“Remember when we first bought the house and things were tight and so we kept getting Christmas gifts for the kids but nothing for each other?”
I did remember.
“And we made all those coupons?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I kept all mine.”
“You did not.” I was stunned.
Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, these were what we could afford, so these were what we exchanged. Mine were all for hugs or kisses or massages or date nights, and I’d redeemed them all at some point, but his had been more like Get Out of Jail Free cards. I knew he was going to push all my buttons at some point, and I’d given him the best gift I could think of—coupons that would forgive trespasses in my mind. Not his. Mine.
“Of course I kept them,” he told me. “Why would I not?”
It was a good question. “You’re serious,” I said, holding a stupid coupon that looked just as it had when I’d given it to him so many years ago. “Where are you keeping these that they look so good?”
“I’m sure you’d love to know,” he said with a bit of attitude. “But right now, do you accept the coupon or not?”
“Well, yeah, I accept the stupid coupon,” I growled at him.
“You have to mean it,” he reminded me. “That’s what you said to me, that was a stipulation of the giving, and I agreed just like you. Even if I was mad, if you had a coupon, I would kiss you.”
Many times he’d been furious, and in the middle of that, oh, coupon! And somehow giving it to him had made him smile, and now, looking at some ridiculous thing I’d made up at work ages ago and then copied onto heavy paper and signed—actually signed—made me smile. Because yes, as a grown-up, I’d presented them to the man I loved. And he’d given me the same in return. And his had been beautifully laid out as well. We’d both spent time and effort because we didn’t have anything else to do.
“Yes,” I said, shaking my head. “I accept.”
He made his hand into a phone, using his pinky and thumb. “Ring-ring,” he said.
I shook my head at him.
“Ring-ring,” he repeated.
I made my hand into a phone and answered. “Hello?”
“Hi, baby,” he greeted me, and his voice was soft and gentle. “I’m okay, so don’t you worry anymore. I’ll be home soon, and I love you, and I love the kids. Thank you for worrying about me. I don’t know what I’d do without you loving me.”
I dropped my hand. “I always love you.”
“I’m sorry, there’s some static on the line.”
Rolling my eyes, I put the “phone” back to my ear. “I said, I always love you.”
“And I love you back,” he said with a deep rumble. “Bye, honey.”
“Bye,” I said, and hung up my hand and then walked the two steps down to him and opened my arms.
He grabbed me and hugged me tight.
“Be careful of your chest,” I scolded him.
“It’s fine,” he promised and held me close. When I looked up at him, he bent and kissed me, hard and completely, then pulled back and said, “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
“I forgive you,” I said, and meant it.
“I was overwhelmed, and I was so mad.”
“Because what if you were killed and missed Christmas.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “Exactly.”
“I know you.”
“Yes, you do.”
When he let go, he pointed at the ticket.
“What?” I asked, chuckling, “I’m ripping this up. Consider it used.”
“Oh no,” he told me. “You can see there, it’s a punch card.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” he said, pointing at the bottom where there were five small boxes. “You need to go find a hole punch, because I’m gonna need that back.”
“Why would you need this back?”
“Look at what just happened. Plus, you know me better than anyone, so yeah, of course I’m gonna need that back.”
I shook my head, and Sam leaned sideways. “Guys?”
Three heads suddenly leaned out of the kitchen.
“Who has a hole punch?”
“Oh I do,” Hannah told her father. “For scrapbooking. What shape do you want?”
He thought a moment. “Do you have a star?” he asked her.
She nodded happily.
“That one, please.”
And she bolted from the kitchen and went by us on the stairs to go get it.
“You––”
“Wait until she gets back with the punch, all right? I mean, depending on what you’re gonna say, my card might need to be punched twice.”
“It’s lucky I love you,” I told him as Hannah returned.
“I’ve been saying that for years,” he agreed. “You loving me is the greatest thing that ever happened to me. You gave me my kids, made me a father and a husband. I’m golden.”
“And you always wear your vest,” Hannah chimed in helpfully.
“I do wear my vest,” he said cheerfully to his daughter. “I appreciate you pointing that out, as some people needed the reminder.”