The Silent Treatment

The Silent Treatment

Written by J.L. Polanco

I held up my finger to silence him. I didn’t want to hear a peep. I had the toughest of days at work, between the MTA turning my early arrival into lateness and a manager who is never thankful— not to mention, a coffee spill and a computer malfunction...I just wanted quiet and some time to relax.

Michael looked at me in silent question. But he didn’t see the daggers I was shooting him or if he did he just chose to ignored it, because he tried to speak.

“I—“

Again, I cut him off. “I had a long day. I need peace and quiet starting in 3...2—“

“Okay but before we start the silent treatment, just wanted to say, I love you and I have a surprise for you. Okay, 3...2...1”

He pretended to zip his lips shut and I looked at him in horror.

He knew one of my favorite things in the world were surprises...if they were good ones. And deep down in my bones it felt like a good one.

I opened my mouth to speak and closed it immediately when he started shaking his head with the cockiest of grins.

This was my own fault.

I pointed towards the living room. He shook his head.

Okay, so now this was a scavenger hunt.

A silent one.

I pointed down the hall towards our bedroom and he shrugged his shoulders, I noticed the mischievous glint in his brown eyes and made a run for it.

I began to look around our bedroom; which was clean and tidy but now seemed more cluttered than usual with endless storage places that could double as hiding places now that I had to hunt for a surprise.

I heard his bare footsteps on our wooden floors as he approached our bedroom and I looked back at him.

He gestured around the room but didn’t point at any one place.

I ran to the wooden chest at the foot of our bed and pulled the extra linens out, searching for something...that shouldn’t be there. I don’t know!

But nothing.

I ran towards our bureau, pulling all the drawers out and throwing underwear, socks and whatever clothes I had that he could’ve his something in.

I ran to the closet, tossing all our shoes and clothes; searching for anything that seemed out of place.

I heard Michael enter the room to sit on our bed.

Wait! Did he hide it on our bed?

I gestured for him to get up. He scrunched his eyebrows in silent question.

Because I didn’t want to break the silence, I tried to push him off the bed.

Which was impossible, especially when he threw himself back and played dead.

I grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him.

Michael opened one eye to look at me and smiled. He pointed at the mattress and shook his head.

Okay....not the bed.

I sat down on the bed in a huff. Where the hell was this surprise? What was it?!

I surveyed the room; it was a mess! Everything was thrown everywhere, and I was so deep in thought that I didn’t feel him get off the bed.

I jumped when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I looked up to see him walk to our closet and pull out a big box from the darkest corner of the closet! Why didn’t I look that far deep?!

My eyes widened in shock.

I couldn’t help but break out in a wide smile. The box was big and I already knew what it was.

The tears came out before I could stop them