When Lily, my manicurist, told me about her secret lover, I thought I had found the worst kind of betrayal. I had no idea that I was about to find something that would change everything.
At first, it was a normal day: I had long, tiring private teaching sessions, and my loving husband Adam surprised me with a manicure. He had always paid attention to me, and I loved having a strong bond with him.
Lily told stories about her new boyfriend at the salon. She said he was funny, successful, and smart. When she talked about his dimples, my heart skipped a beat. Adam has smile lines. I asked to see a picture because my mind was running.
The picture on Lily’s phone proved what I thought would happen: my loving husband Adam was Lily’s secret lover. I thought that.
I wanted to get even because I was angry and shocked. James, Lily’s husband, agreed to help me come up with a plan to catch the cheating couple in the act.
When we got to the hotel, we had paint cans ready to paint Adam and Lily. As planned, though, I found a surprise birthday party with flowers, streamers, and friends and family.
Angry, I realised I had made a mistake. This surprise had been planned for weeks by Adam, Lily, and James. I broke down in tears of relief and shame.
As we laughed and ate cake to celebrate, I couldn’t help but be thankful for my husband. A funny note finished the night: “CHEATER!!!!” was written in lipstick on Adam’s car windscreen.
A birthday treat that didn’t go as planned made us laugh as we washed the car together. Learning how to talk to people and trust them was very helpful, and it reminded me that secrets can sometimes be sweet gifts.
