“Jon? Honey? Did you remember to take Wednesday off as a personal day?”

“Uh…No. Why? What’s Wednesday?”

Stunned silence.

“It. is. our. ANNIVERSARY.”

“Oh.”

“Our NINTH anniversary. We have been talking about this for a couple of weeks, remember? We were going to have time together instead of gifts? I got the kids taken care of? We are going to spend the day together in bed watching tons of movies and ordering in food and having lots of awesome “Relations” any and everywhere in the house? REMEMBER?

“Yes, but, um…”

“Um, WHAT?”

“Well, there’s a reason I didn’t ask for it off.”

“Yes?”

“The kids will be off of school after a half day. We can hardly relax around the house with them running everywhere.”

“I told you, I already arranged for them to play at my sisters after school and then they are spending the night with grandparents. So that isn’t a problem.”

“Um…”

“Um, WHAT?”

“Well, it’s…um…Our department Christmas Lunch…and…It was supposed to be last week, but they, um, changed it…”

“You mean a separate from the company Christmas party that we just attended on Saturday? You know, the one where I quelled my massive anxiety to perform with you for the people YOU work with?”

“Um…Yes?”

“But we had plans. I went over it and over it with you to see if you were happy with the arrangements. You have been coming home so late with all your consulting work that instead of gifts we were just going to spend time together. It’s not just some “Thing” or appointment, it’s our anniversary…”

“And it will still be our anniversary when I’m off of work.”

Silence. Horrible. Awkward, silence.

“I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”