The Midnight Secret
I quickly got ready, slipped on my sneakers, and followed my husband into the darkness. My heart pounded as I kept my distance, careful not to make a sound. He strode briskly along the street, his hands jammed in his pockets. At what point was he going? Where did he get the idea to lie about it?
He made a turn and headed in the direction of a neighborhood that was unfamiliar to him. Even though my mind was racing with possibilities, I remained hidden in the shadows. Is he being dishonest? Someone you’re meeting?
In spite of this, he eventually came to a halt in front of a modest structure that had poor illumination and a sign that read “St. Mark’s Shelter” that was flickering. A shelter for the homeless?
While he was knocking on the door, I hid behind a car and watched him for a moment. My husband handed something to a man who appeared to be exhausted when he answered the phone. He smiled, nodded, and then allowed him to enter the building.
Although my interest was piqued, I really needed more. After walking up to the window, I took a quick look inside. What I saw made my throat clench.
There he was, my husband, bringing out a bag of food and offering it to a young woman who was holding a baby in her arms. Her clothes were shabby and ill-fitting for the cold weather, and she appeared to be fatigued. My spouse smiled at her softly, then went down to chat to the young kid by her side. The youngster grinned, reaching for the meal my husband offered him.
Tears pierced my eyes.
I stepped back, my heart aching. All this time, I had imagined the worst. But he wasn’t slipping off to cheat—he was sneaking off to *help*. And he hadn’t informed me, not because he was hiding something *bad*, but because he didn’t want the credit.
I waited outside for him. When he eventually appeared, I stepped into the light. The astonishment caused his eyes to widen.
“Have you been following me?” he inquired.
I nodded while crossing my arms. Why did you choose not to tell me?
It was the back of his neck that he rubbed. “Since it is not about me,” she said. This is all about them.”
My heart began to expand. I proceeded to wrap my arms around him without uttering a single word.
It was me who murmured, “You don’t have to do this by yourself.”
We made our way home together that evening, hand in hand. And the night after that? There was a reunion between us.