A woman awoke during the night to find that her husband was not in bed. She
put on her robe and went downstairs. He was sitting at the kitchen table
with a cup of coffee in front of him.
He appeared to be in deep thought and very sad. He was just staring at the
wall. She saw him wipe a tear from his eye and take a sip of his coffee.
"What's the matter, dear?" she whispered as she stepped into the room. "Why
are you down here at this time of night?"
The husband looked up from his coffee. "Do you remember 20 years ago when we
were dating, and you were only 16?" he asked.
"Yes, I do" she replied.
The husband paused. The words were not coming easily. "Do you remember when
your father caught us in the back seat of my car making love?"
"Yes, I remember" said the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.
The husband continued.. "Do you remember when he shoved the shotgun in my
face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter, or I'll send you to jail for
20 years?"
"I remember that too" she replied softly.
He wiped another tear from his cheek and said, "I would have gotten out
today." |