Even though I didn’t need to get up yet, I had to. It was 5:49 AM, time for my wife to get ready for school. In fact she was running a bit late. She tapped me on the leg, motioning for me to follow her to the bathroom while she got ready. That’s sort of the unspoken deal in our relationship. While one person gets ready, the other has to come along to keep them company. Most of the time we talk but this morning Tricia was too tired so I was there, mostly for moral support. I closed the toilet lid and sat down, watching her brush her teeth. “You wanna know a secret?” I said cheerfully. “Sure.” She said, muffled through the toothbrush. “You’re the best woman I’ve ever known.” “Ha!” The laugh burst out of her.

“That’s no secret.”