“Neither would I,” I agreed, feeling content.To the outside world, we were the perfect couple. We rarely argued, always supported each other’s ambitions, and seemed to have everything one could wish for in a marriage. Our friends often told us how lucky we were. They envied our love story, which seemed right out of a romantic movie. I often heard comments like, “You guys are the perfect couple,” and “I hope my marriage is as strong as yours.” Then, one day, we received an invitation to our high school reunion. It had been ten years since we last saw our classmates, and we couldn’t wait to catch up with old friends.“Can you believe it’s been ten years?” Tom asked, looking at the invitation.
“It feels like yesterday,” I replied, excitement bubbling up. “It will be fun to see everyone again.” We spent the next few weeks talking about the reunion, reminiscing about our high school days, and wondering what everyone else had been up to. “Do you think Sarah will be there?” I asked Tom one evening. “I hope so,” he said. “It would be great to see her again.”The night of the reunion finally arrived. We walked into the venue, excitement buzzing in the air. The room was decorated with old photos and school colors. Laughter and chatter filled the space as we greeted old friends. “Angelica! Tom!” someone called out. We turned to see Sarah, an old classmate from a humble background who had been close to us during our school years. “Sarah! It’s so good to see you,” I said, hugging her tightly. “I’ve missed you both,” Sarah replied, smiling warmly.As we caught up, Sarah showed us pictures of her children. “These are my pride and joy,” she said, her eyes shining with pride. “They’re beautiful,” I said, smiling. “How old are they now?” “Emily is eight, and Joshua is ten,” Sarah replied, beaming. “They keep me busy, that’s for sure.” Tom looked at the photos and said, “You must be so proud, Sarah.”“I am,” she said, her voice filled with love. “They mean the world to me.” As I looked closer at the photos, my heart skipped a beat. There, on the neck of Sarah’s eldest child, Joshua, was a distinct birthmark identical to the one my husband has.
