The message came at exactly 6:12 PM, just as the dinner rush was beginning to build. I remember the time because I had glanced at my phone between orders, expecting something simple—maybe a “Happy anniversary” or at least a plan for later.
Instead, it read: “I’m stuck at work, let’s celebrate tonight.”
I stared at it for a moment longer than I should have. Two years of marriage, and this was how the day was being acknowledged. No flowers, no call, just a delayed promise squeezed between whatever he claimed was more important. Still, I told myself not to overthink it. Relationships weren’t movies. Not every anniversary came with grand gestures. Sometimes, life just got in the way.
