I looked at the box in front of me as I sat back in the car and beamed. I knew he’d love it. Scratch that, I hoped he’d love it. I wished with all my heart that he would see what I was trying so hard to say. He just had to. This was my last attempt at fixing things. An attempt to make things how they were before.
Jonathan and I weren’t always like this. Roommates instead of husband and wife. Strangers instead of the best of friends we’d been when we began this once blissful journey. I don’t know when the rift started. His promotion, my busy work as a writer? But before I could grasp what was happening, the man that once was my beginning and end could go days in the same house with me and we’d say no more than three customary words to each other.
I stepped out of the car and went in to find him watching soccer on the TV, oblivious to my arrival. That’s all he seemed to do these days, asides ignore my literal existence. But all of that was about to change. I emptied almost the lot of my savings and searched in the most bizarre of places to get him the content of the box in my hand for our marriage anniversary today and I just hoped he liked it enough to give us a chance.
Taking a deep breath, I reached out and tapped him gently on the shoulder.
“Hey babe.” He grunted something in response without turning from the TV. I fought back the irritation that was creeping up my spine and tapped him again. “Jonathan.”
He turned to me and I was momentarily taken aback by his eyes that remained the prettiest I’d ever seen. I smiled. “I got you something.”
“Word?” His interest was piqued. “What did you get?” I quietly handed it to him as he opened the present eagerly. I knotted my fingers behind me, fighting the anxiety welling up inside me. God did I need this to go right. Barely a second later, a squeal I didn’t think my husband was capable of rushed out and I found myself being spun into the air.
“Ohmigod babe. How did you get this?!” He held me while he looked at the compiled book series of his favourite anime, Akira. I knew he had been searching unsuccessfully for the actual book that would tell the complete story better than the anime did. And boy, did I sweat to get it. But seeing this priceless reaction, I’d do it a million times over. He was beyond overjoyed.
We spent the night for the first time in a long while in each other’s arms after he'd thanked me over and over for the gift. And even though he’d gotten me nothing in return, I felt like things were about to change.
I woke up to the sun burning my eyelids. Who drew up the curtains?? I squinted my eyes open ready to cuss at the sacrilege when I met an even more sacrilegious sight. Jonathan was in front of me. Wearing a floral shirt and tight yellow pants. Yellow??! If there was one colour I loathed more than anything, it was the despicable colour and here my husband was, making me wake up to it.
“Is this your idea of a joke, Jonathan?” I grunted, rising. “What’s with the hideous colour?”
“Get up babe. I’ve got a surprise for you.” He spun like he was on a high.
I scoffed. “Trust me, whatever surprise you have couldn’t top the shock of seeing you in this.” I motioned at his clothes, shuddering.
Twenty minutes later, however, I was dressed for whatever Jonathan planned that needed me out of the house on a Saturday morning. When he asked that I put on a blindfold as I got into the car, I grunted again in exasperation but put it on. Secretly, I hoped it was something thoughtful. Yellow pants wasn’t a good start but I hoped his plans would wash away the distasteful sight.
We travelled for a long distance and I kept sighing. Why couldn’t I take off the blindfolds at least? Just when I was about to let out my frustrations, the car stopped. And I paused smelling the difference in the air. Jonathan was by my side in a second and led me for a minute down some path and promptly stopped.
“So,” he began. “ I just want you to know before you see this that I know that I have been so terrible to you these past months. Terrible to us. But this is my first step to making amends. And I hope you like it.”
I fought my giggles of anticipation as he removed the blindfold. The world was dark for a second even as I opened my eyes and it took me a while to adjust to the structure before me. It was a house. A huge house. And it looked like we were in the countryside. I’d always wanted to live in the country. I wondered who lived here.
Wait.
“Babe is this ours?”
He chuckled. “You’ve always talked about how much you wanted to write with the country breeze blowing at you. This is my gift and my apology for not doing this for you.”
I yelled and was about to jump at him in happiness when I noticed something I hadn’t before. The door. It was....yellow.
YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
“Babe, what is up with you? Yellow door? For Pete’s sake. I hate that colour!”
He chuckled. “Why don’t you go touch it?”
“I will do no such thing.” I seethed.
He pushed me gently and I risked touching it with the tip of my finger. Beautiful pink Roses bloomed on it. What? I touched it again and it was Lilies next. Each touch brought new flowers on the yellow door. Which didn’t look so hideous now with the flowers blooming beautifully on it.
“How did you do this Babe? It’s so beautiful.”
“Leave that to me. I just hope you like my yellow door.”
I threw my arms around him. “Yellow is my new favourite colour.”
“Really? Then wait till you see the rest of the house.” His eyes twinkled mischievously.
My eyes widened and I promptly extricated myself from his arms. “Don’t push it, Mr. Jonathan.” He laughed in response as he motioned me in. I smelt the air around me. It smelt like hope. Finally.
