I nearly dropped my mug when I spotted the drawing Liam had left on the dining‑room table.
Most of his art is the usual six‑year‑old chaos—rainbow dinosaurs, stick‑figure families, crooked‑chimney houses that puff like tiny volcanoes.
But this picture made my skin crawl: a towering figure with spider‑long arms, oversized hands, and a grin that split his face from ear to ear.
“Hey, champ,” I called, forcing calm as my fingers trembled around the paper, “who’s this guy—another superhero?”
Liam’s eyes lit up. “That’s Mr. Giggles! He comes to play with Mommy while you’re at work.”
The room tilted. Natalie and I had been married nine years; we’d weathered our share of storms, but betrayal was never one of them—until now.
I swallowed hard. “When does he visit?”
“Sometimes morning, sometimes night,” Liam said, tapping blocks together. “It’s our secret.”
That evening, once Natalie drifted to sleep beside me, I stared at the ceiling, counting breaths—each one a reminder of what I feared losing.
The next afternoon I left work early and parked two houses down. As daylight faded, every passing car sent a jolt through my chest.
At three sharp, a sleek black sedan slid up our drive. A tall man in a suit stepped out; Natalie greeted him with a smile that twisted my gut.
Maybe I was paranoid, I told myself—but if not, I needed proof.
Over the next weeks I grew absurdly attentive—flowers, surprise chocolates, extra help at dinner—while secretly gathering clues: dinner receipts I’d never signed, whispered calls she ducked into the hallway, more of Liam’s Mr. Giggles masterpieces.
One night Natalie touched my forehead. “James, you’re miles away. Is something wrong?”
I blurted, “Are you… seeing someone?” Her laugh rang out, bright—and strangely crushing.
Still, I wanted irrefutable evidence. Friday evening, I told her I’d be stuck late at the office. Instead, I nestled a hidden camera on the living‑room shelf and parked down the block, livestream glowing on my phone.
At seven o’clock, the sedan returned. Natalie welcomed Mr. Giggles inside. Seconds later my sister Claire strolled in with cupcakes, and neighbors followed carrying balloons.
Confusion morphed to fury; I burst from the car and marched home, January air knifing my face.
The door slammed against the wall; music screeched to a halt. Every face turned toward me.
“So this is the secret?” I shouted, voice cracking. “My own family in on it?
Mr. Giggles removed a party hat, palms raised. “Sir, huge misunderstanding. I’m an event planner—your wife hired me for a surprise tenth‑anniversary party.”
Golden letters on the banner glimmered like accusations. Natalie’s tears streaked her cheeks. “You thought I was cheating?”
I stammered about drawings and late‑night calls. She wiped her eyes. “Mr. Giggles does magic tricks. Liam adored him while we planned. I wanted to honor us.”
Guests slipped out awkwardly; Claire squeezed my arm, whispering, “Fix this.”
Natalie sank onto the couch, exhaustion draped over her like the tangle of streamers at her feet.
“I ruined everything,” I whispered, taking a tentative seat beside her.
“Trust means believing even when the pieces don’t add up,” she said, voice shaky.
“I’ll earn it back,” I vowed. “However long it takes.”
After a long silence, her fingers found mine—cool at first, but she didn’t pull away.
“Happy anniversary, foolish man,” she murmured, half‑laughing through tears.
Upstairs, Liam’s giggle floated down—reminding us both that some magic is worth fighting for.
