On Valentine’s Day, what was meant to be a tender evening turned into a heartbreaking memory Eric would carry forever. That morning, Cora was full of joy, floating through the house with a lightness in her step as she carefully checked off her to-do list. She had planned a romantic dinner for Eric, wearing the red dress he gave her on their first anniversary and baking his favorite red velvet cheesecake in the shape of a heart.
The dining table was set with candles, fairy lights, a bottle of wine, and a wrapped gift she couldn’t wait for him to open. Cora and Eric had met at a business conference in Texas and bonded instantly over their shared background of growing up in foster care. They married quickly and welcomed triplets two years later. But life became stressful as Eric took on the financial burden while Cora stayed home with the children. He was constantly tired and anxious about money, and although Cora never wasted a dime, even special occasions became just another day. Still, she wanted to do something special for Valentine’s Day. When Eric came home and saw the decorated room and dinner, he didn’t respond with love—he exploded.
He mocked her efforts, flipped on the bright lights, and accused her of wasting money. He insulted her cooking, yelling so loudly he woke their sleeping children. Cora, stunned, tried to calm him, reminding him that she hadn’t spent much, but he refused to listen. Furious, he spat out her food, hurled her gift onto the floor, and berated her for not keeping up with housework. Shaken and hurt, Cora shouted back before storming into the children’s room. When their cries continued, Eric’s anger only deepened. Cora snapped, telling him the babies needed diapers and she had to go to the store.
She slammed the door as she left, warning that the store was far and it would take time. Eric continued his rant, grumbling about her being a lousy housewife as he tried to manage the kids. Nearly an hour passed, and Cora hadn’t returned. Frustrated, Eric went to get his phone to call her. Just then, the doorbell rang. Thinking it was her, he opened it—but instead of Cora, a police officer stood on the porch. “Does Cora live here?” the officer asked. When Eric said yes, the officer continued, “Are you her husband?” Eric nodded. The officer took a deep breath.
“I’m sorry to inform you, but your wife was involved in a car accident. She didn’t survive. We need you to come identify her.” Eric stood frozen, the color draining from his face. After calling their neighbor, Mrs. Nelson, to watch the children, he followed the officer to the morgue. Seeing Cora’s lifeless body shattered him. The next day, after the funeral, Eric returned home to a house that still held the warmth of her final act of love. The candles were still there, the cheesecake untouched, and the gift he had tossed aside.
He picked it up with trembling hands and opened it. Inside were two plane tickets to Hawaii and a heartfelt note. Cora wrote that she had secretly gotten a job to help ease their financial burden. She had already arranged with Mrs. Nelson to watch the children so they could take a vacation together. The trip was her way of showing appreciation and giving them a chance to reconnect. Eric broke down sobbing, overcome with guilt and sorrow. Her thoughtful surprise—meant to bring them closer—would never come to pass.
From that day on, Eric was never the same. He never dated again or found love. He poured himself into being a devoted father to their children. And every Valentine’s Day, he visited Cora’s grave, sitting for hours and talking to her about everything on his mind, wishing more than anything he could say “I’m sorry” and show her how much she truly meant to him.
