I froze, gripping the edge of the counter. What wasn’t I supposed to find out? His voice dropped even lower, and I couldn’t make out the rest. A moment later, the call ended, and he walked into the kitchen with a smile.
“Smells good in here,” he said casually, wrapping his arms around me.
I forced a smile, but his words kept replaying in my head: She might tell Marla… keep things under wraps…
That night, I couldn’t keep it in any longer. Sitting across from him, I clasped my hands tightly together.
“Richard, I overheard you on the phone earlier.”
He looked up, startled. “Oh? What did you hear?”
“You said Jennifer might tell me something. And that it’s hard to keep things ‘under wraps.’ What are you hiding from me?”
He stared at me, confusion and concern flickering across his face. Then, slowly, his expression softened. He set his papers aside and reached for my hand.
“Marla, I’m not hiding anything bad. I promise.”
“Then what is it?” I asked quietly. “What don’t you want Jennifer to tell me?”
Richard let out a small sigh before breaking into a sheepish smile. “I didn’t want you to find out because… well, I was planning a surprise for Jennifer’s birthday. With my brother’s help.”
I blinked in surprise. “A surprise party?”
He nodded. “I wanted it to be perfect for her. A special first birthday with us. I was worried Jennifer might say something and accidentally ruin the surprise.”
Relief flooded through me, quickly followed by a wave of guilt. “Richard, I’m so sorry. I thought… I thought something was wrong.”
He chuckled softly. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re both just trying to adjust.”
