Fifty

One morning, a woman sat at the end of her bed crying. Upon seeing this, her husband walked over and sat next to her. He gently reached around and pulled her close.

"There, there darling...this doesn’t have anything to do with you turning fifty today now does it?" The husband asked, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers.

 The wife nodded and sniffled.

"Oh darling…” The man said. He smiled and held her for a while, until she spoke, "It's...it's...” she began feebly then straightened up to look him in the eyes. “It’s that I don't think you'll want to be with me anymore now that I'm a haggard old woman." She stared at him – not seeking affirmation, but the opposite.

The man raised his eyebrows and slowly let out a breath. "You’re kidding me, right? Honey, you are a magnificent woman and you damn well know it!"

She smiled a little, and lowered her head. After a moment, he took her chin into his hand and turned her face toward his, "My darling, I am late. I've got to go now. But enough of this nonsense about me not wanting you anymore. Why there's not another fifty-year old woman on this planet who I want more than you. Happy birthday darling."

Then he kissed her forehead, and left the house on his way to see his much younger concubine.

Jim Mitchem is a copywriter, father, husband and American, founder of smashcommunications, llc.