“Are you having an affair? AT OUR AGE?” Erin exclaimed in outrage, placing her hands on her waist. “For the past month, you’ve stopped making any romantic gestures!”

“For God’s sake, Erin. It’s been decades since we got married! Are you crazy?” Mike asked.

“I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND! DON’T YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE?” Erin yelled.

“56 years, Erin! For 56 years, I was THE ONLY ONE expressing any kind of romance. But you know what? NOW I’M DONE!”

“Oh, is that what you think, Mike? I got it. So, maybe it would be better for us to divorce?”

“Are you serious now? If you really could even THINK ABOUT IT, then fine, I’m in! Let’s do it!”

A few months later, their divorce was finalized. Their children, Henry and Lisa, were devastated, unable to comprehend how their parents, who seemed inseparable, could end their marriage so abruptly.

On the day the divorce was finalized, Mike was at Henry’s house. They were sitting in the living room, trying to distract themselves from the heavy silence that had descended since the divorce proceedings began. The landline rang, breaking the silence.

Henry answered it. “Hello?”

Suddenly he exclaimed, “WHAT?! OH GOD, POOR MOM!”

Mike shot up from his seat, his heart pounding. “What happened? Is Erin okay?”

Henry hung up the phone, his face pale. “Dad, it’s Mom. She’s in the hospital. She collapsed and is in critical condition.”

Mike felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Without a word, they rushed to the hospital.

When they arrived, Lisa was already there, tears streaming down her face. “They said it was a heart attack,” she sobbed. “She’s in surgery now.”

Mike’s mind raced. He thought about all the years they had spent together, the good times and the bad, and how they had let it all slip away in a moment of anger and pride.

Hours passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, a doctor came out, looking somber. “She’s stable now, but it was a close call. You can see her, but only for a few minutes.”

Mike felt a surge of relief but also a deep guilt. He walked into the room, and there was Erin, looking frail and pale. She opened her eyes and saw him. “Mike,” she whispered, her voice weak.

“Erin,” he said, his voice trembling. “I’m so sorry. I should have never let it get this far.”

Erin managed a small smile. “It wasn’t just you, Mike. We both let our pride get in the way.”

Mike sat beside her, taking her hand in his. “I still love you, Erin. I’ve always loved you.”

Tears filled Erin’s eyes. “I love you too, Mike. I always have.”

They sat in silence for a while, holding each other’s hands, feeling the weight of the years and the love that still bound them together.

In the following weeks, Erin’s condition improved, and she was eventually discharged from the hospital. During her recovery, Mike was by her side every day, helping her, supporting her, and showing the romantic gestures that had always been a part of their relationship.

Their children, Henry and Lisa, watched their parents rekindle their love with a mix of relief and joy. It wasn’t an easy road, but Mike and Erin realized that they still had time to make things right.

One evening, as they sat on the porch, watching the sunset, Erin turned to Mike. “Do you think we can start over?”

Mike smiled, his eyes filled with love and determination. “I think we can do anything we want, as long as we do it together.”
And so, after a tumultuous few months, Mike and Erin found their way back to each other. Their story was a testament to the enduring power of love and the importance of not letting pride and anger get in the way of what truly matters.