Smile

Some secrets just shouldn’t be revealed.

The day had started out normal for me. I had jogged to work, leaving early in an attempt to be let off earlier. A smile graced my face the whole way there, plans for my evening racing through my head. Many who saw me smiled and waved, a sad look of pity hidden deep within their cheerful eyes. I had ignored them then, continuing my way to my office.

I had everything planned. Today was my first year anniversary with my wonderful wife. Exactly two years ago, she saw me in the most famous restaurant in the city, accidentally catching my gaze as I tipped my glass of water into the breadbasket. She came over after that, helping me clean up the mess. We got to know each other and then, one year after our first meeting, I proposed. Her smile was glamorous back then, worth much more than those simple four words I asked her.

Today I planned to relive the memory…at that very restaurant. That’s why I was running to work. I wanted to see that smile again, my true wife, at Jessie’s Lobbie Crabbery this evening, the way we had two years ago. I wanted everything to be like it was then.

To say the least, we never always get what we want.

The day passed and I grew more anxious by the minute. The reservations were deep within my front pocket as I flew home. This day was supposed to be perfect. Just her and I, alone, accidentally bumping fingers as we grabbed for the lobster we were sharing, her angelic smile-

As I stepped into our apartment, my perfect dream shattered.

My heart drowned out the sound of the two in the room, knowing too well that I would break from the horrible sounds. My vision blurred as Natalie pulled away from her recent lover, orbs trailing to where I was standing. Her eyes grew surprisingly, her frame trembling. My own body was quaking furiously, orbs blocked from tears. She rushed up from the couch over to me, trying to explain her actions. No smile was there.

Before anything else could happen, I bolted. I heard her scream after me but my feet were hitting the pavement so hard that they were hitting them back. Once I realized I had stopped, I was at the beach with the wind blowing away my tears.

“Are you all right?” I turned to the voice, hands still trembling. The voice’s owner was clad only in swim shorts, feet soaking in the ocean shore. My eyes trailed down to his right hand, where he was holding-

“Ah, my big Lobbie. Could you take a picture of her for me?” The young lad smiled brightly at me, reminding me of Natalie. Before my tears could return, I faked a simple smile.

“Sure.” Handing me a camera, the lobster boy backed farther into the ocean, holding his enormous lobster higher up. He smiled as I rearranged the camera to take the picture. I suddenly stopped. His smile, it was almost (even better than) hers-?

“Thanks, mate.” I’d taken the picture? The boy reclaimed his camera as he started to walk off, grinning still. Yet before he left, my mouth opened abruptly.

“What are you going to do with it?” The teenager turned again, chocolate orbs glistening with happiness.

“I work at Jessie’s Lobbie Crabbery. It’s for a lucky couple.” With one last glance he left, taking his smile with him. My frame trembled, then fell.

“…Lucky…couple…?” Taking out the reservations from my pocket, I looked them over. Tonight…was supposed to be…?

Losing everything, I wept on the sunny beach, reservations scattering in the wind. The seagulls “mined” soundlessly as I broke down in the burning sand, only remembering two smiles.

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R/R y'all.