ON OUR ANNIVERSARY, MY HUSBAND LEFT FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING & I RECEIVED A CAKE THAT SAID, “IT’S TIME TO GET DIVORCED.”
It was our first wedding anniversary. Thomas and I had an amazing year together, and I wanted to make the night unforgettable. I spent two weeks planning everything—the perfect dinner, the gift he always wanted, and I picked out a dress that made me feel stunning.
As I was lighting the last candle, my phone rang. It was Thomas.
“Hey darling, I’m so sorry… I have to fly out for an emergency meeting. We’ll celebrate when I’m back.”
I held back my disappointment and said, “Of course, honey.” Then I just sat on the couch, staring at the table I set for two.
A knock at the door pulled me out of it. It was a courier.
“Anna? Delivery for you.”
He handed me a beautiful box. My heart lifted—I thought Thomas had planned a surprise after all.
I opened the box, saw a cake… and nearly dropped it.
Written in icing: “It’s Time to Get Divorced.”
Before I could even react, my phone rang again
The caller ID flashed, and it was Thomas. My hand was shaking as I answered. I didn’t know what to say. Was this his cruel way of breaking the news?
“Anna, thank God! Did you get the delivery? Please tell me you got the cake.” His voice was frantic, not like someone about to get a divorce.
“Thomas… I got a cake,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “And it says…” I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.
“What? What does it say? There’s been a mix-up! It was supposed to be a surprise from me.”
My heart was pounding. “It says… ‘It’s Time to Get Divorced.’”
There was a long silence on the other end, and then a strangled, half-choked laugh. “No. Oh my God, no! That was not for you. That was for Sarah. My business partner, Sarah! Her husband just moved out, and I ordered a ‘joke’ cake for her.”
I slumped onto the couch, relief washing over me so completely that I felt dizzy.
Thomas continued, his voice now a little more composed. “I ordered two cakes from the same place and the same courier company. One was for you—a classic red velvet that was supposed to say ‘Happy First Anniversary, My Love.’ The other was for Sarah, a chocolate one with the joke message. The courier must have mixed them up.”
“But… the emergency meeting?” I asked, looking down at my perfect dress.
“There is no emergency meeting. I’m at the airport right now, about to get on a plane to Miami. I was going to surprise you with a long weekend trip. I even booked a beautiful hotel on the beach. I had a whole plan, Anna. And now… now I have to figure out how to get to your house and then to the airport to catch our flight, so we can celebrate for real.”
I looked at the cake on the counter. The cruel message now seemed absurdly funny. It was a testament to the chaotic, silly, and wonderful first year we had together.
Don’t worry,” I said, a laugh finally escaping me. “Just get home safely.”
About an hour later, Thomas burst through the door, his face a mix of exhaustion and relief. He was clutching a small, pristine red velvet cake. “The real one,” he said, out of breath. He set it on the table next to the divorce cake.
We didn’t end up flying to Miami that night. We stayed home, ordered takeout, and ate both cakes, laughing until we cried about the anniversary we’d never forget. The divorce cake became our favorite part of the story, a reminder that even when things seem to fall apart, our love is strong enough to handle any surprise.