When my husband surprised me with a week-long Caribbean cruise, I thought he was trying to save our marriage. Turns out, he was just trying to keep a secret from sinking. They say a surprise trip is every woman’s dream.
A chance to relax, reconnect, and feel loved again. That’s what I thought when Eric walked through the door that Tuesday night — grinning like a kid, a pair of glossy cruise tickets fanned out in his hand like a royal flush. “Just the two of us,” he said, cupping my cheeks like he used to back when we were still new and stupid in love.
“No work, no distractions. We need this.”
I laughed, half in disbelief. “You booked a cruise?”
“A week in the Caribbean,” he replied, eyes twinkling.
“Sun, sand, and no PTA meetings.”
It sounded like heaven. The truth is, we needed a reset. After ten years of marriage, the spark between us had dulled to a flicker.
Our nights were filled with laundry, homework, and Netflix watched in separate rooms. Romance had been replaced with routine. Intimacy had been…
postponed. So yeah, a week away sounded perfect. No kids, no phones, just us.
But something about the timing felt… off. Eric had been distant lately.
Long work hours, hushed phone calls in the garage, a scent on his shirt that wasn’t mine. Still, this cruise, this surprise felt like a peace offering. Or maybe a distraction.
I pushed those thoughts aside. I wanted to believe. So I kissed him.
“I’ll start packing.”
He pulled me close, whispering against my ear, “You’re gonna love this.”
And maybe I would’ve. The day we boarded the ship, everything felt like magic. The salty breeze kissed my skin, the ocean shimmered like glass, and the soft clinking of champagne glasses set a rhythm to the lazy laughter of couples all around us.
It was like stepping into a postcard. Eric held my hand tighter than usual as we walked the long hallway toward Cabin 724. I could see the excitement in his eyes — his smile a little too wide, his palm a little clammy.
“Close your eyes,” he whispered, stopping in front of the door. “I want this to be special.”
I laughed, half-playing along. “Is this where you tell me you’ve secretly learned to play the violin and there’s a string quartet inside?”
“Just trust me,” he said, sliding the keycard through the lock.
I stepped in, still smiling, eyes obediently shut. Then—
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”
My eyes snapped open. There she was.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
TAP → NEXT PAGE → 👇
