"Good morning sweetheart," George said to his wife who was still wrapped in the duvet.
"Good morning, honey. Coffee for you." Kira muttered.
She mimicked George's lines as she unwrapped herself and he couldn't help but laugh.
"So you enjoy mimicking me now?" George asked as he gave her a steaming cup of coffee immediately she got out of bed.
It's been over ten years of a beautiful union and the two have loved themselves wholeheartedly. Their 11th marriage anniversary happened on a weekend and George was excited. He decided to bake a simple cake as a surprise in addition to the regular morning coffee.
George wasn't in the room when Kira woke up so she decided to check the sitting room.
"Wow!" Kira muttered immediately the cake aroma filled her nostril. She tiptoed to the kitchen and hugged George from behind.
"Happy anniversary, honey. I bet you didn't notice me," Kira said with her hands wrapped around his waist.
"I did, I just wanted to know what you wanted to do," George replied.
"Cake is ready, you woke up at the right time. Grab a chair while I serve this delicacy"
"No, let me help." Kira insisted on taking the coffee to the dining and George couldn't say no.
"Voila, this will be the best cake you ever had," George said happily but Kira wasn't in her seat and he wondered where she went with her coffee.
He went to check her and saw her pouring something from a bottle into her cup from the small door opening. George returned to the dining and wondered what Kira was doing in the room earlier.
"Where have you been?" He asked as she returned.
"I went to use the bathroom, this looks yummy," Kira replied as she pinched the cake and put it in her mouth but George wouldn't stop staring at her cup.
"Are you alright?" Kira asked when George wasn't replying to her.
"I am fine, excuse me for a minute" He replied sharply.
George went to the wardrobe to check the bottle and discovered it was a juice that had the exact colour of his favourite coffee.
"What's this, Kira?" He asked immediately when he got to the dining room.
"Just a drink," she stuttered and took it from him.
"It's nothing honey, let's eat. I can't wait to finish this cake."
Kira sipped from her cup and gave a faint smile.
"I want to drink from your cup," George requested.
"Why?" She stuttered.
George grabbed the cup swiftly and sipped from it
"Did you throw the coffee away?" He asked looking confused.
"Say something, Kira. I need an explanation," he muttered but she stayed quiet.
Disappointment was boldly written on his face as he left the dining room. Kira joined him in the room and tried holding his hands but he didn't allow her.
"I am sorry," Kira burst into tears and George couldn't stand her crying.
"Please stop crying, I just want to know what going on. I don't want to believe you are hiding something from me."
"I never liked coffee and for the past 11 years, I have been pretending to like it because of you. It helps you start your day beautifully and I want to be part of that." She replied.
"You can't be serious, what do you mean by you never liked coffee?" he asked.
"I have always known today would happen but I couldn't tell you the truth because it would break your heart that I lied and pretended all these years."
She was still speaking when he took his car keys and left the house. Kira was bitter and wished she had opened up to him before that day.
"I didn't want him to lose trust in me and now, it happening," Kira muttered while crying.
Every attempt to reach George failed and she just wouldn't stop crying.
"I am sorry, I love you." She sent the same text multiple times without getting a reply from him.
Seeing his car drive into the compound late in the night was a relief to her. Kira rushed to the door and kneeled immediately after he opened the door.
"Just get up, Kira." George told her but she didn't.
"Let me be like this, I have wronged you and you deserve to be angry." She replied.
"Angry is an understatement, why on earth do you have to pretend to me." He replied.
*"Honestly, I am mad at you and it's like I don't even know you.""
"You know me honey, this is me. I am not hiding anything else from you." She replied quickly with tears.
"We are meant to embrace our differences, there is no problem if you don't like coffee. I can't expect you to like everything I love and this is still unbelievable to me," George said and left the sitting room.
He went to freshen up and went to bed immediately. Kira wasn't happy, she felt down for ruining their beautiful day but there was nothing she could do.
She found herself on the bed the next morning despite sleeping on the couch last night.
"Did he put me here?" She thought and turned to see George but he wasn't there.
Kira got out of bed and went to check the bathroom but he wasn't there.
She went to the sitting room and was surprised to see George setting up the dining.
"Good morning, sweetheart" George said to her as he sighted her.
"I am sorry about yest..."
George didn't allow her to complete the words before he kissed her.
"It's okay, it must have been hard for you all these years. I got you a pack of juice and we can still have our drink together every morning. I made breakfast and today will mark a new beginning for us" George said to her.
"No more pretence or secrets, I promise" she replied and hugged him tight.