On our 10th wedding anniversary, I let my husband take the reins. “Don’t worry,” Eric said. “I’ll handle dinner.” For once, I wanted to feel surprised—seen, cherished. So, I got ready. I wore the red dress that once made him lose his words, curled my hair, and put on lipstick I hadn’t touched in months. By 6:30 p.m., I was sitting on the edge of our bed, waiting for the magic to start. It didn’t. At 7 p.m., the doorbell rang. My heart fluttered—maybe flowers, a chef, a grand gesture? Nope. It was takeout. For him. “I forgot you were home,” he said with a laugh, burrito bowl in hand,
already settling onto the couch. “Order something for yourself—we can watch the game together.” I just stared. No mention of the dress. No ‘happy anniversary.’ Just a shrug and the TV remote. So, I left. I drove to a cozy little Italian restaurant and asked for a table for one. The hostess complimented my dress. The server smiled kindly. A stranger at the bar even told me,
I looked lovely. For the first time in years, I felt visible. I chatted briefly with that stranger—Daniel—shared dessert, and when he asked for my number, I gave it. He never called, and that was fine. I didn’t need him to. The next morning, I sat at our kitchen table with a cup of coffee and divorce papers. Eric was stunned. “Over a burrito bowl?”
he asked. “It wasn’t the burrito,” I said. “It was everything before the burrito. And everything you never saw. I didn’t leave because of one night. I left because I finally understood: I deserve to be seen—and I won’t settle for less anymore.
