On Valentine’s Day, somebody stormed out at his wife, accused her of being a bad housekeeper, and tossed away her present in wrath. But he regretted his decision when a stranger arrived at their house later that day.

Cora spent the morning in a bubble of euphoria, surprising herself with her upbeat mood. She was sitting in the living room, checking off the things on her to-do list for the evening, blushing and thinking how excited Eric would be when he saw the Valentine’s Day surprise she had planned for him.

Cora and Eric originally met during a business convention in Texas. Because they were both orphans reared in foster care, they aspired to create a large, joyful family someday. Fortunately, it didn’t take long, since they married after a few dates and had triplets two years later. However, things grew tight when Cora had to step in to care for the children, making Eric the major income for the family.

Eric’s commitment to raising a family of five resulted in tension and shame, as he struggled to dedicate enough time to them. Worse, he didn’t have much time off on weekends and still couldn’t save enough money at the end of the month.

As a result, they hadn’t traveled or dined at a premium restaurant in years, even for rare occasions. Eric was determined to save every penny, and Cora knew his philosophy well, so she never wasted the little money they had and spent it carefully.
Even on Valentine’s Day, she wore an old red outfit that Eric had given her for their first wedding anniversary. It was a little out of date, but it meant something to her and saved her money, so she didn’t mind dressing up for the occasion.

When she realized it was almost time for Eric to arrive, she quickly set the table for two with his favorite red velvet cheesecake (which she’d carefully baked in a heart shape), a bottle of wine, a few other dishes she’d made, and a gift box beside his plate—something she was most excited about.

“Perfect!” she thought to herself as she finished placing aromatic candles across the room and turning on the fairy lights. The doorbell rang over 30 minutes later, and Eric was home.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!” she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek before leading him inside.

When Eric entered the room, he was taken aback by the food-laden dinner table, the candle-lit space, and the rose petals arranged from the doorway to the table. “What on Earth did you do, Cora? “Are we some stupid teenagers?” he said as a bout of rage consumed him.

Cora’s smile vanished abruptly when Eric turned on all of the lights in the room and stared at her. “Honey! What is wrong? Are you unhappy about anything? “Has anything happened at work?” When we are enraged, we lose our capacity to think clearly.

“Are you serious?” he exclaimed. Why am I working so hard? Is it possible for you to spend all your money on something like this?

“Oh, Eric! Relax! I did not go overboard! “The ingredients cost a little more, but not much,” she said softly as she led him to the table. “Please have a seat and tell me how you like the food.”

Eric was angry. In fact, he was really angry. He chewed into the Aglio e Olio and spat it on the table. “What the hell is wrong with this spaghetti? And why does the sauce taste like shit?” he yelled, startling the triplets, who were fast asleep in their room.

“Eric!” exclaimed Cora. “What is wrong with you?” The babies—I put them to sleep a half-hour ago, and you just woke them up!”

“So? Is it also my fault? Cora, I work all day while you remain at home and play with the children!” And what the hell is this?” He snapped when he held the gift box in his hands. “A gift?” He threw it on the floor and stared at her. “I am not a youngster who would be impressed by anything like that, okay? Have you seen the kitchen? Do you know why there are so many dishes? Allow me to explain why. Because you were too busy cooking this rubbish to care for the house!”

“You are difficult, Eric! I cannot believe you are the same man I fell in love with and married!” Can’t you…ugh, leave…?” She muttered as she moved away to the children’s room. However, the wailing sound persisted, irritating Eric even further.

“Why are the kids not quiet yet? Aren’t you the ideal housewife and mother? “Cora, learn to do something properly!” He cried from the living room.

When Cora heard his taunts, she walked out of the room, furious. “They are sobbing because I need to change their diapers, but we do not have any at home! So keep your lips quiet and look after them till I return. The store is a little distance from here, so it’ll take some time!” she said as she went out of the home and slammed the door behind her.

“Yeah! And then you pretend to be a housewife, so you remain at home…” As he headed to the kids’ room, Eric began to grumble and insult Cora for being a terrible housekeeper. Almost an hour has gone. The children kept sobbing, and Cora did not return home. “What’s the matter with you, Cora?” He moaned as he walked to the living room to get his phone and contact her. “I can’t believe it’s taking you so long to get a packet of diapers!”

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. “Here she is! Cora, how long does it take you to just…” he began to ask, but paused when he noticed a police officer on his doorstep. “Does Cora live here?”

“Yes?” “You, uh, her husband?” The officer cleared his throat while speaking.

Eric nodded.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, but your wife perished in a vehicle accident. You must join us and identify the body.” We discovered her address on her driver’s license.”

Eric’s face paled as a result of the shock. The officer glanced inside the house and observed the candlelit table. He despised himself for having to give such terrible news, but he had no alternative.

Still in disbelief, Eric called their next-door neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, and requested her to care for the triplets while he was away. When he arrived at the mortuary, he couldn’t believe the pale, dead corpse was Cora’s. He fell into tears, feeling terrible for lashing out at her, and after the burial the next day, he isolated himself at home. He would rather not think or do anything.

Cora’s table was still there, and as he looked at it, the previous night’s events flashed before him. Suddenly, he recalled Cora’s present. “The gift… I—I did not even open it.” He hurriedly searched the room till he found it lying on the floor.

He unwrapped the present with shaking hands and discovered a note inside containing two airline tickets to Hawaii. He wiped away his emotions before opening the letter and reading it.

To my love, Eric,

Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! Guess who landed a job this month? I noticed you were fatigued from working alone, so I started applying at a few companies, and yesterday afternoon, I got a call stating I was employed!!

Also, I spoke with Mrs. Nelson, who promised to care after the infants, allowing me to stay on the work, knowing that our babies are secure. But it isn’t the only surprise! Do you notice the tickets? It’s for our two-person vacation to Hawaii! (I’ve also made some other ideas, but you’ll find out about those later, lol!)

When Eric finished reading the message, he fell into tears like a kid. There was nothing he could do. He would have to cope with Cora’s absence for the remainder of his life. Sadly, this is precisely what occurred.

Eric’s life was never the same after that day, and he never found love again. He just worked hard to offer the best for his children and nurture them properly. Every Valentine’s Day, he visits Cora’s grave and spends hours chatting to her about whatever comes to mind, wishing he could have begged her for forgiveness.