Short Story-A Writing Surprise-Day 1

Last year, for my birthday, I wrote a short story and shared a piece each day of that week. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so much, I am doing it again. This year, the story isn't about a birthday girl, but I hope you enjoy it just as much. Make sure to check back every day through Friday this week to keep reading more. I can't wait to hear what you think. (Maybe this will hold you until my next book comes out in October. ;-))

​Rachel rolled over and reached toward Chris’s side. The sheet was smooth under her hand ... and cool, letting her know he’d already been up a while. A glance at the clock confirmed the alarm hadn’t even gone off yet. She swallowed the disappointment of not being able to kiss her husband good morning first thing on their twentieth anniversary.
Twenty years. Had it really been that long? Surely it had only been a few revolutions around the sun since she was a bride. Not two decades.
She silenced the buzzing that started next to her head. Time to start the day, even if it wasn’t how she had envisioned when she drifted to sleep last night. And the chaos to be organized for the next eighteen hours was enough to make her want to dive back beneath the covers. No time for a celebration this year.
After a quick run through the shower, she slipped into the outfit she’d laid out the evening before. It wasn’t anything fancy. The retreat she was headed to later that day was casual—jeans and a nice shirt. She’d been warned to take a sweater, too, as the conference room tended to run cold.
“Mom, we’re going to be late if we don’t leave right now.” Benjamin stuck his head out of his bedroom door, his hair standing up in every direction imaginable. Football was the only thing exciting enough to pull her sophomore out of bed before ten on a summer morning.
“Your father is taking you today. Remember?” She tweaked his ear before he could dodge her. “Besides, you have half an hour before practice starts and we only live five minutes away. Calm your bones.”

​The aroma of her favorite coffee lured her down to the kitchen, and the sight of a sink devoid of dirty dishes made her heart skip a beat. Had she accidentally walked into someone else’s house when she wasn’t looking? A red envelope sat under the mug of still steaming brew and she pulled it out to slip the card from inside.
“Twenty years ago, we promised forever.
Through good times and bad, come what-may-ever.
We had no idea what we might be facing.
But hand-in-hand, we’ve won at this racing.
That blushing bride, forever you’ll be,
In my eyes, now to eternity.”
It wasn’t the most well-written poem, but she knew it had taken him a while to get the rhymes the way he wanted. His perfectionist ways wouldn’t allow for otherwise. And to her, that made it the best poem she’d ever read.
She took a sip of the coffee. Perfect. Eyes shut, she enjoyed another swallow.
“I see you found your surprise.” Chris’s voice drew her gaze to him in the doorway.
“I did. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I had hoped to steal a kiss before you got up this morning, but you beat me out of bed.” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could swallow them. How ungrateful she sounded.
His smile faded some and he straightened. “I had to get up so I can get that boy to football practice on time, right?”
“Of course.”
“Mom, don’t forget play practice this afternoon.” Maddie flew into the kitchen, grabbing a box of cereal as she breezed past the pantry. There was no middle speed on their twelve-year-old. She either sludged or rushed.
“Maddie, I’m leaving for my retreat shortly after lunch. We talked about this.” Rachel set her mug aside. “Your father is in charge for the next few days.”
“Wait. Play practice?” Chris frowned. “When does it start?”
He scrolled through his phone, probably pulling up his calendar.
“One.” Maddie sloshed some milk over the side of her bowl but didn’t move to clean it up. Instead, she left the jug on the counter, too.
Rachel grabbed a sponge and swiped at the small puddle, then replaced the milk in the fridge. “You said you had it all under control. That this would work.”
“It will. I just forgot about that one thing. I’ll have my secretary push that meeting back and it will be fine.”
Rachel debated back and forth as to whether or not she could wait a bit longer to leave, drop Maddie off on the way out of town. “Maybe ...”
“No.” Chris touched her shoulder. “You have been planning this for months. Go. I’ve got this.”
“Okay. I’m heading to the store to make sure you’re stocked on everything needed for the weekend, but I’ll be back in time to make lunch.”
Chris nodded and accepted the quick peck she threw at his lips. No time for romance this anniversary.

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Check back tomorrow for the next part!