I saw Sarah’s car stop screaming in front of the house. “Yes, I know. I was close enough to see him,” she told me. Come on. Let’s go before he walks too far. ”

I rushed and got into his car. She accelerated to catch up with Jake. Fortunately, we did not miss it. But we kept a good distance behind his truck.

Jake came out of town and passed Mike’s neighborhood. We continued to drive, further and further, for almost an hour. The landscape passed from the familiar streets of the suburbs to more open roads, lined with trees.

Eventually, he took one small road, then another, which was winding between houses that seemed older and better established. Finally, he stopped in front of a large and charming house, painted soft yellow with white borders. She was beautiful.

Just as the worst opportunities began to swirl in my head – another woman, a secret family – the front door of the house opened. And a little girl ran out. She had mats and a bright pink dress, and she threw herself straight at my husband.

“Jake. Jake. “,” she shouted.

He bowed down laughing and hugged him.

I was right: he had a secret family.

“Oh my…”

“Jake. I shouted, my anger resonating in the silent street.

He turned around, and his eyes grew when he saw me, and then Sarah stood behind me. “Emily?” Sarah? What are you doing here? “, he asked.

But instead of waiting for me to answer, he suddenly started laughing. It was a little nervous laugh, but a laugh anyway.

My anger was inflamed again. “Do you think it’s a joke?” I demanded. “Who is it, Jake?” I made a sudden gesture towards the little girl, who was now staring at us from the porch.

“That’s not what you think,” Jake insisted, making a gesture to the house. “Come inside. Let me show you. ”

He started walking towards the front door, holding it open to us. Sarah and I exchanged a hesitant look, and then we followed it.

The interior was… under construction. But… he was also handsome. And familiar. The walls were painted with a soft, creamy white that evoked comfort.

The kitchen was half finished but was clearly in shape. She also had the same modern and elegant cabinets that I had drooled in magazines.

And against the wall at the bottom of what was to be the living room, there were built-in shelves, as I had always dreamed of having them.

“What… what is this place?” I’m muttering, completely disconcerted.

Jake took a deep breath, and finally crossed my gaze directly. “I bought this house a few months ago,” he said, as his lips slitted with a smile. “It’s… it’s for us. A surprise. ”

He explained that he had spent Sundays renovating it, working there little by little, creating the house of our dreams.

“Are you… here every Sunday?” I asked, trying to recreate everything again.