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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I hadn\u2019t slept in many days. Three years of marriage, and lately, Ben and I had been like ships passing in the night, him with his investment banking and me with my consulting work.<\/p>\n
When my last meeting finished early, I decided to surprise him with an early return.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re really skipping the closing ceremony?\u201d my colleague Linda asked, watching me pack my laptop. \u201cThe VP\u2019s giving the keynote. Could be good for your promotion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor once, my marriage comes first. Ben and I haven\u2019t had a real conversation in weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRegina, putting love before career?\u201d she smiled. \u201cMust be serious.\u201dBest gifts for your loved ones<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is.\u201d I checked my phone, calculating times. \u201cIf I leave now, I can catch the 6 p.m. flight and surprise my hubby.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGo get your man,\u201d Linda winked. \u201cBut text me when you land. These surprise returns don\u2019t always go as planned.\u201d<\/p>\n
If only she knew how right she\u2019d be.<\/p>\n
Something felt off the moment I stepped inside. The house was eerily quiet. Through the kitchen window, I could see dirty dishes in the sink \u2014 so unlike my usually meticulous husband.<\/p>\n
A half-empty cup of coffee with a lipstick-like ring of dried coffee around its rim sat beside Ben\u2019s laptop.<\/p>\n
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\nImage for illustrative purpose only.
\nBut as I approached the garden doors and stepped into the backyard, I FROZE.<\/p>\n
Ben stood in the middle of our vegetable garden, between the tomato plants he\u2019d been so proud of just weeks ago.<\/p>\n
But it wasn\u2019t his frantic movements that made my blood run cold. It was the LARGE, OBSIDIAN-BLACK EGG sitting beside him.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a little deeper,\u201d I heard him mutter. \u201cHas to be deep enough to bury this thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBen?\u201d I called out softly, careful not to startle him.<\/p>\n
His face, usually so composed, was pale with panic. A streak of dirt ran across his cheek, and I noticed his hands were shaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cREGINA?\u201d He shrieked, his voice trembling and loud. \u201cWHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI came home early to surprise you.\u201d I took a step closer, gravel crunching under my feet. The egg seemed to pulse in the lamplight, drawing my eyes. \u201cThough I think I\u2019m the one who\u2019s surprised. What is THAT thing?\u201d\u201cIt\u2019s NOTHING.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing? Ben, I don\u2019t think that\u2019s \u2018NOTHING.\u2019 What is it? What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll explain later. Please go inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLater?\u201d<\/p>\n
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Image for illustrative purpose only.
\n\u201cPlease, Regina. Trust me on this. I\u2019m just doing what needs to be done. I\u2019m handling it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHandling what exactly?\u201d My voice rose. \u201cBecause from where I\u2019m standing, my husband is either having some kind of breakdown or\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Around 3 a.m., I heard the back door open and close. Through the bedroom window, I watched him check on the place where he\u2019d buried the mysterious egg, pacing around it like a sentry.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s wrong with him? What is he hiding from me?
\nMorning came too quickly. I waited until Ben\u2019s car disappeared down the street before grabbing the garden shovel.<\/p>\n
I jumped, nearly dropping the egg. Our elderly neighbor, Mr. Chen, peered over the fence, his eyes fixed on the object in my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw someone in your garden late last night,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cEverything okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d I said quickly, hiding the egg behind me. \u201cJust\u2026 gardening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Something bigger was happening. Something that made my usually steady-handed husband dig like a madman in our backyard.<\/p>\n
With trembling fingers, I wrapped the egg in an old blanket and tucked it behind the lawn equipment in our garage. It was out of sight, but not out of mind.<\/p>\n
The radio clicked on automatically as I started the engine. The news anchor\u2019s voice cut through my fog of exhaustion, making my blood run cold:<\/p>\n
\u201cBreaking news: Local authorities have uncovered a massive counterfeit operation targeting antique collectors. The scammers sold fa:ke antiques, including unique black egg-shaped plastic containers, to unsuspecting buyers. Total losses are estimated in the millions\u2026\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cReggie, I-I can explain\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much did you pay for this thing?\u201d I cut him off.<\/p>\n
He sank into a chair, his shoulders slumped. \u201cFifteen thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJesus, Ben.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nImage for illustrative purpose only.
\n\u201cI wanted to surprise you.\u201d His voice cracked. \u201cThis guy at work, he said he knew someone selling rare artifacts. Said the egg was some ancient fertility symbol that would triple in value within a year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know, I know.\u201d He slumped forward. \u201cWhen I realized it was fake, I couldn\u2019t face you. Couldn\u2019t admit I\u2019d thrown away our money on a plastic egg.\u201d<\/p>\n
I squeezed his fingers. \u201cI don\u2019t need expensive trips or ancient artifacts. I just need my husband to talk to me, even when things get hard. Especially when things get hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a reminder that the only thing we need to grow is our trust in each other.\u201d I leaned against him. \u201cAnd maybe as a conversation piece. \u2018Hey, want to hear about the time my husband buried a fake artifact in our backyard?!’\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben\u2019s laugh was shaky but real. \u201cI love you, Reggie. Even when I\u2019m an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLucky for you, I love idiots.\u201d I kissed his forehead. \u201cNow, let\u2019s figure out how to get our money back. Together this time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I hadn\u2019t slept in many days. Three years of marriage, and lately, Ben and I had been like ships passing in the night, him with his investment… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n