Inside, I didn’t find anything dramatic or suspicious—no secret phone, no hidden letters, nothing that hinted at betrayal. Instead, the bag was filled with neatly labeled folders, each one handwritten with names I didn’t recognize: “Project Harmony,” “Community Outreach,” “Volunteer Schedules.” Beneath them lay a small velvet pouch. With my heart pounding, I opened it. Inside was a delicate necklace with my birthstone, engraved with, “For the next chapter, together.” I sat there stunned. All those nights he was “working late,” all the messages he shielded from me—they suddenly took on a different meaning. I felt embarrassment mix with relief as I realized the flight attendant must have misunderstood. Jeffrey wasn’t hiding a secret life. He was planning something, but not the kind my imagination had feared.
When Jeffrey returned to his seat, he noticed my flustered expression. “Everything okay?” he asked, offering me a bottle of water. I hesitated but decided honesty was better than letting the fear linger. Quietly, I told him what had happened and why I had checked his bag. I expected frustration or disappointment, but instead he smiled gently and took my hand. “I should have told you sooner,” he said. “The community center needed volunteers for a long-term project, and I signed up. I’ve been organizing programs, tutoring kids after school, and… well, planning something for us, too. I didn’t want to say anything until everything was ready.” He reached into the bag, retrieving a small envelope I hadn’t noticed earlier. Inside was a printed itinerary—not for the trip I booked, but for a renewal-of-vows ceremony he had arranged at a quiet beach on the island.Continue reading…
