On Valentine’s Day, Cora Morales was beaming with excitement. She had spent the day preparing a surprise dinner for her husband, Eric — candles, fairy lights, a heart-shaped cheesecake, and a small gift she was excited to give. Their life wasn’t glamorous. After marrying young and having triplets, Eric became the sole provider while Cora stayed home. Financial pressure made Eric bitter over time.
So when he walked in that night and saw the romantic setup, he didn’t smile — he exploded. “What is this? Are we teenagers? You wasted money on this junk?” he snapped. Cora tried to explain she hadn’t spent much, but Eric only grew angrier. He spit out the food, criticized her cooking, and flung her gift onto the floor. “You don’t even keep the house clean,” he yelled. “I work all day while you play house.
Fighting tears, Cora told him they were out of diapers and stormed out to the store. “Watch the kids until I get back,” she shouted. Nearly an hour later, the doorbell rang. Expecting Cora, Eric opened the door — and froze. A police officer stood outside. “Are you Eric Morales?” he asked. “I’m sorry… your wife was in a car accident. She didn’t make it.” Eric was shattered. At the morgue, he broke down seeing her body.
Back home, everything she’d prepared was still in place — including the gift he had thrown aside. He opened it with shaking hands. Inside were two plane tickets to Hawaii… and a letter.“Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! I got a job! I wanted to ease your burden. Mrs. Nelson agreed to watch the kids, and I planned a trip for us — just you and me. You deserve it. I love you.” —Cora Eric wept, realizing he’d crushed the one person who truly cared for him. He never remarried. Every Valentine’s Day, he visits her grave — talking to her, wishing he had just said “thank you” instead of lashing out.