"Madeline, you used to care about this the most, didn't you? How could you forget?" Adrian was stunned for a moment before replying.
In the past, whether it was a wedding anniversary or his birthday, I never forgot. Dinners meticulously planned, decorations painstakingly chosen, all fueled by a need to celebrate and enjoy our time together, to show him how much he meant to me. But, those efforts, once met with smiles and anticipation, were later dismissed as "over the top" and "embarrassing."
I still remembered his words when I decided to throw a surprise party in a restaurant. He said, "Madeline, you're making such a big deal out of this. Everyone's looking at us. It's very uncomfortable, you know?"
I thought he would be happy, but instead, he dragged me away in front of colleagues and friends. So, now, there was really nothing to celebrate. The spark had died out.
"Come on, let's go have dinner and celebrate," he said, ushering me into the car.
As Adrian drove, the silence stretched between us. He stole glances at me, searching my face for a flicker of the old enthusiasm.
"Madeline, what's wrong? Are you upset?" he finally blurted out.
"No." I shook my head.