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"Happy anniversary to ive it to you Friday night, but we got … sidetracked"

She caught her frown before it appeared Just thinking back on their eh to remove all her present joy So she focused instead on here and now and the fact that her husband was back

She reverently opened the wrapping, taking her time so she didn’t tear it He chuckled as he watched her, shaking his head

"I’ve never understood why you don’t just rip into it It’s just paper, Chess"

"But it’s beautiful paper," she protested "I hate to tear soain but fell silent until she got to the box underneath With shaking fingers, she opened the lid and shook out the velvet jewelry case inside She sucked in her breath when she finally ed to reveal the contents

Inside was a radiant, sparkling diaht and twinkled brilliantly She held it up, viewing it in awe, and tears burned the edges of her eyelids,the bracelet blur in her vision

"Ah hell, Chess Don’t cry"

She gave hiorgeous, Tate! I love it Put it on forso badly I’ll never be able to get it latched"

He laughed but co the tennis bracelet around her left wrist It eous dia and now an equally beautiful diamond bracelet She felt as lit up as a Christ it this way and that, watching in fascination as it caught the light and sparkled just like the Christht she resembled

Then she threw herself back onto his lap and kissed him ferociously "I love it," she said fervently "I absolutely adore it! Thank you You’ve made this the perfect anniversary weekend and Monday!"

A brief shadow crossed his face, as he no doubt remembered the inauspicious start to their anniversary Sorrow and regret bri away the painful reminder to them both

When she finally dreay, she remembered that he’d said he had two surprises