Short Story--Keeping Secrets--Day 5
It's the final day of our short story for this birthday week. I hope you've enjoyed the little drama between Rob and Lindsey. If you missed any of the previous days, they can be found here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, or Day 4. And now, the conclusion of our story ... 
This was English, wasn’t it? Rob stared at the directions again. Something designed for a baby to use shouldn’t be this complicated.
Which piece was A again? He scanned the various wooden parts scattered on the floor around him. There. Now, where was B?
“Rob?”
He froze. Lindsey wasn’t supposed to be home right now. He’d taken off this morning because he knew she would be at work. He hadn’t been trying to figure this puzzle out that long, had he? “Rob?” The door opened and there was Lindsey.
No hiding things now.
“What are you doing?”
“Why are you home?”
Their questions crossed each other and they both laughed.
“Is this a crib?” She knelt beside the box and ran her hand over the picture.
“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Rob set aside the screwdriver he hadn’t figured out where to use yet.
“You knew?” She fingered the edge of her hair. “But you acted like you didn’t remember.”
He sighed. “I knew before you chopped your hair off.”
Her eyes widened. “But how?”
“The trash.”
“I hid the test under everything else.”
“And when I lifted the bag to take it out, everything shifted.” He mimed his actions. “The box peeked out and I have to admit my heart skipped a beat. Then, when you came home with your hair gone, it was a confirmation. I just couldn’t figure out why you didn’t tell me.”
“That was my way of telling you.” She crumpled a bit. “I wanted it to be something original. The bun in the oven trick has been done by so many others. I wanted it to be only ours for a while. Something no one else would guess or figure out.”
“I don’t need some social media-worthy announcement telling me you’re pregnant. Just you.” He reached over and squeezed her fingers. “The news itself is what’s thrilling and important—not how it’s done.”
“But I wanted you to be all excited and pick me up and spin me around and stuff. Instead, all I got was a fish face.”
“A fish face?”
She opened her mouth and eyes wide and stared at him.
He couldn’t help it. A guffaw erupted. “Okay. Fair enough. I guess I didn’t realize when you said your hair would be shorter that you meant that short. And then I figured if you weren’t going to come right out and say something I’d play at the same game and surprise you.”
His gaze traveled around the mess taking up most of the guest room. “Guess both of us failed, huh?”
She giggled. “What a mess we are. How on earth are we going to do as parents?”
“Too late now.” He caught her in his arms and cuddled her close. “I think we’ll be okay. Though we obviously need to do better at the communication thing.”
Her head bumped his chin as she nodded. “And we still have a few months to figure things out."
"How many?"
"If I counted right, we should be welcoming this child at the very beginning of June.”
He held up his hands and ticked off fingers. “It’s October now, so about seven months?”
“Give or take a few weeks.”
“Wow.”
“Yep.” She motioned around them. “Good thing, too. Because it may take us that long to figure out where all these pieces go.”
He chuckled. “No kidding. But you never said why you were home right now. Normally you can’t get any time off until after October 15th.”
“I … um … I was sick this morning. And since no one else knew why … well, I have been sent home to get over the bug.”
“Oh boy. Guess we better start telling some people or you’re going to miss a lot of work.”
She nodded. “Want to go to the doctor appointment with me next week?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Would’ve agreed earlier if you’d just come out with it.”
“Yeah, yeah. No more keeping secrets.” She kissed his cheek. “At least not ones like this.”
“You keep other secrets from me?”
“A girl’s gotta have some secrets.”
“From her husband? Even after seeing how much trouble this one caused?”
She shrugged. “What if I want to throw you a surprise party or something? I can’t exactly tell you about that.”
“I hate surprise parties.”
“Right, but there are other things. Like Christmas presents. I can’t tell you what I buy for Christmas.”
He growled and pulled her into a kiss, perfunctorily ending that conversation.
“No more secrets. We have to be a good example for the baby, after all.”
She beamed. “Right. For the baby.”
Ta da! Did it take you very long to figure out the secret? Did it end the way you hoped?
I hope you enjoyed this year's short story. If you missed any of the others, they can always be found here. Until next year ...
This was English, wasn’t it? Rob stared at the directions again. Something designed for a baby to use shouldn’t be this complicated.Which piece was A again? He scanned the various wooden parts scattered on the floor around him. There. Now, where was B?
“Rob?”
He froze. Lindsey wasn’t supposed to be home right now. He’d taken off this morning because he knew she would be at work. He hadn’t been trying to figure this puzzle out that long, had he? “Rob?” The door opened and there was Lindsey.
No hiding things now.
“What are you doing?”
“Why are you home?”
Their questions crossed each other and they both laughed.
“Is this a crib?” She knelt beside the box and ran her hand over the picture.
“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Rob set aside the screwdriver he hadn’t figured out where to use yet.
“You knew?” She fingered the edge of her hair. “But you acted like you didn’t remember.”
He sighed. “I knew before you chopped your hair off.”
Her eyes widened. “But how?”
“The trash.”
“I hid the test under everything else.”
“And when I lifted the bag to take it out, everything shifted.” He mimed his actions. “The box peeked out and I have to admit my heart skipped a beat. Then, when you came home with your hair gone, it was a confirmation. I just couldn’t figure out why you didn’t tell me.”
“That was my way of telling you.” She crumpled a bit. “I wanted it to be something original. The bun in the oven trick has been done by so many others. I wanted it to be only ours for a while. Something no one else would guess or figure out.”
“I don’t need some social media-worthy announcement telling me you’re pregnant. Just you.” He reached over and squeezed her fingers. “The news itself is what’s thrilling and important—not how it’s done.”
“But I wanted you to be all excited and pick me up and spin me around and stuff. Instead, all I got was a fish face.”
“A fish face?”
She opened her mouth and eyes wide and stared at him.
He couldn’t help it. A guffaw erupted. “Okay. Fair enough. I guess I didn’t realize when you said your hair would be shorter that you meant that short. And then I figured if you weren’t going to come right out and say something I’d play at the same game and surprise you.”
His gaze traveled around the mess taking up most of the guest room. “Guess both of us failed, huh?”
She giggled. “What a mess we are. How on earth are we going to do as parents?”
“Too late now.” He caught her in his arms and cuddled her close. “I think we’ll be okay. Though we obviously need to do better at the communication thing.”
Her head bumped his chin as she nodded. “And we still have a few months to figure things out."
"How many?"
"If I counted right, we should be welcoming this child at the very beginning of June.”
He held up his hands and ticked off fingers. “It’s October now, so about seven months?”
“Give or take a few weeks.”
“Wow.”
“Yep.” She motioned around them. “Good thing, too. Because it may take us that long to figure out where all these pieces go.”
He chuckled. “No kidding. But you never said why you were home right now. Normally you can’t get any time off until after October 15th.”
“I … um … I was sick this morning. And since no one else knew why … well, I have been sent home to get over the bug.”
“Oh boy. Guess we better start telling some people or you’re going to miss a lot of work.”
She nodded. “Want to go to the doctor appointment with me next week?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Would’ve agreed earlier if you’d just come out with it.”
“Yeah, yeah. No more keeping secrets.” She kissed his cheek. “At least not ones like this.”
“You keep other secrets from me?”
“A girl’s gotta have some secrets.”
“From her husband? Even after seeing how much trouble this one caused?”
She shrugged. “What if I want to throw you a surprise party or something? I can’t exactly tell you about that.”
“I hate surprise parties.”
“Right, but there are other things. Like Christmas presents. I can’t tell you what I buy for Christmas.”
He growled and pulled her into a kiss, perfunctorily ending that conversation.
“No more secrets. We have to be a good example for the baby, after all.”
She beamed. “Right. For the baby.”
Ta da! Did it take you very long to figure out the secret? Did it end the way you hoped?
I hope you enjoyed this year's short story. If you missed any of the others, they can always be found here. Until next year ...
No comments have been added yet.
