It is a bright sunny day in Taiwan. David and his wife, Tracy, are climbing up the many flight of stairs leading up to the Museum Palace. They walk slowly because Tracy is heavily pregnant. They are expecting twins, a boy and a girl. She appears tired and there are still many steps to climb before they reach the top.

“Let’s take a rest.”

“Okay, love.”

They sit on one of the benches provided by the establishment for visitors in Tracy’s condition. David brings out a thermos flask from his backpack.

“Some coffee?”

“Yes, dear.”

They sit sipping their coffee for a while, Tracy resting her head on her husband’s shoulder.

“I never asked you this question, Dave. But how did you find ...?”

“You gave it to me, Trace,” interjects David with a smile.

“Really? How?”

“Remember that torn collar that you mistakenly packed along with my Christmas gift? It was sewn into the collar!”

“What!” exclaims Tracy.” So that was what Deborah meant when she said what I was looking for was with me.”

“Obviously.”

They fall silent for a while.

“Don’t be angry Dave, but I just need to ask this question.”

“Fire on, dear.”

“Were you ever in the military?”

“Yes. I served for three years at the US military base in Qatar.”

“Which section of the army?”

“Covert operations.”

“Bastard!” she playfully digs him in the ribs with her elbow. “I should have suspected that night you took out the drunk in the bar.”

“Love is blind, they say!”

“And deaf, too!” says Tracy.

Both of them roar with laughter, to the amusement of other tourists who smile and nod their heads knowingly.

The End

9 July 2020

Isefun, Ayobo, Lagos