Kristine’s heart had not been this full in years. She felt that they had finally reconnected on the levels that mattered so desperately to their marriage. The memory of all that had pushed them apart seemed very far away.
As they floated down the water, they passed buildings that were centuries old. Her favorites were the ones with the ornate loggias, because they reminded her of miniature castles. Everything around them seemed so beautiful, even the algae creeping up the base of the buildings. Bright green, it was the canal’s version of a tree-lined street.
“I can’t think of anything that would make this more perfect,” she said.
As if on cue, the Rialto Bridge loomed into sight. The sun was setting and pinks and purples streaked across the sky. The color, coupled with the burnt orange of the rooftops off in the distance, emphasized the pure white of the stone bridge. The portico at the top was lit like a cathedral.
As they approached the bridge, the gondola driver started to sing. His voice lilted through the night as easily as the laps of the oar against the water. Joy bubbled up in Kristine and she turned to kiss her husband once again.
“So . . .” Kevin’s hand brushed her face. “I’ve been thinking a lot this week. About how much I love you. And how little I’ve done to show it in the past few years.”
The song the gondola driver was singing hit a crescendo and they cruised under the cool shade of the bridge. She could hear the tourists above them, laughing and talking in the evening. “Kevin, it’s okay. Let’s not—”
“We should have celebrated our anniversary,” he insisted. “We should have been together. I’ve just been so . . .” He shook his head. “Look, I’m a hard worker. You know that. And when I lost my job and couldn’t find another one, it scared the shit out of me. I don’t ever want to be in that position again.”
Kristine touched his hand. “It was the economy. Not you.”
“Yeah, but . . .” He gazed at her. “My job is my job, Kris. You’re my life.” The gondola floated out from under the bridge, back into the open water. Gently, he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “We made it twenty-five years. It was so stupid to not celebrate that with you.”
Kristine swallowed hard, thinking back on that night. “I wanted so badly to be with you,” she whispered, reaching up and touching his soft cheeks.
“I know I pissed you off with that IOU . . .” He smiled. “But hopefully, this will make up for it.”
Reaching into the pocket of his fleece, he pulled out a navy leather box and flipped it open. There, cradled against white satin, was the most beautiful diamond ring Kristine had ever seen. Tiny, antique and surrounded by ornate gold, it sparkled in the light from the lamps at the edge of the water.
“Happy anniversary, Firecracker.” Shyly, Kevin handed her the ring. “I love you.”
Up until that moment, Kristine thought diamonds didn’t matter to her. That she would rather have pieces of jewelry that were exotic and ornate, crafted in some place far from home. But staring down at this perfect, gleaming piece that her husband had picked out for her, she changed her mind.
“Hurry, put it on,” Kevin joked, indicating the murky water. “I don’t want to hit a speed bump and have you drop it or anything.”
The gondola was cruising along at maybe two miles an hour.
Kristine laughed. “I think we’re gonna be just fine.” Still, he reached over and helped to slide the ring onto her finger.
“Over twenty-five years ago,” he said, taking her hand in a way that seemed oddly formal, “I gave you an engagement ring and later, a wedding ring. In honor of that time, I have a question for you.” Taking a deep breath, he said, “Kristine, will you renew your vows with me?”
Kristine blinked. “You want to renew our vows?”
“Yeah. I thought it might be . . .” Kevin looked at her. His eyes were the exact color of the water. “Meaningful. You know?”
The gondola driver finished his song. The night suddenly seemed a little too quiet. Kristine looked down at the ring, blood pounding inside of her ears. She felt herself begin to panic.
This week with Kevin had been wonderful. It had been perfect. But it had been a vacation.
What would happen when they got home? In spite of their conversations and