I came home three days early, and nobody knew.<\/p>\n
That was the point.<\/p>\n
I wanted to surprise my wife, Beth, for her birthday.<\/p>\n
I’d been working away from home for nearly two weeks, and I’d told everyone I’d be back Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Instead, I finished my work early, changed my flight, and landed Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
I didn’t even call Beth.<\/p>\n
I wanted to see her face when I walked through the door.<\/p>\n
By the time the taxi turned onto our quiet Saanich road, it was almost nine.<\/p>\n
The neighborhood was dark and peaceful.<\/p>\n
Our house wasn’t.<\/p>\n
Every light was blazing.<\/p>\n
Music spilled through the windows.<\/p>\n
There were voices inside.<\/p>\n
Then I saw the gray SUV.<\/p>\n
Ontario plates.<\/p>\n
I didn’t recognize it.<\/p>\n
My first thought was that Beth had surprised herself with company for her birthday.<\/p>\n
Maybe Kyle had driven up.<\/p>\n
Maybe some of her friends had planned something.<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed how many cars were parked along the street.<\/p>\n
Too many.<\/p>\n
I asked the driver to leave my suitcase at the end of the driveway.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust trying not to ruin a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shrugged, unloaded my bag, and drove away.<\/p>\n
I stood there for a moment.<\/p>\n
The front windows were glowing.<\/p>\n
People were moving inside.<\/p>\n
I could hear laughter.<\/p>\n
But something didn’t feel right.<\/p>\n
I walked around the side of the house instead.<\/p>\n
I wanted to enter through the back.<\/p>\n
And that’s when I saw her.<\/p>\n
Beth was sitting alone on the deck steps.<\/p>\n
It was cold enough that I could see her breath.<\/p>\n
She was wearing that old green cardigan she’d owned since before we were married.<\/p>\n
Her shoulders were pulled tightly inward.<\/p>\n
The way they always did when she’d been crying.<\/p>\n
I stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeth?\u201d<\/p>\n
She jumped.<\/p>\n
She turned around.<\/p>\n
For a second, she simply stared at me.<\/p>\n
Then she stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice broke.<\/p>\n
I dropped my bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the house.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re early.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to surprise you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She wiped her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she didn’t smile.<\/p>\n
I walked toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho’s inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s what I was hoping you’d tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Before she could answer, the back door opened.<\/p>\n
Our son Kyle stepped outside.<\/p>\n
He was twenty-seven.<\/p>\n
Behind him was his wife, Melissa.<\/p>\n
And behind them were several people I didn’t recognize.<\/p>\n
Kyle froze when he saw me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHi.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked terrified.<\/p>\n
Melissa’s face<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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