“Read this.”

“Babe are you ok?”

“Just read this, please.”

After his insistence she read the the short story but was puzzled by it. She read it again. This was his story but he had revised it? But at the same time parts didn’t feel like him and she knew his writing well.

Not being able to contain his frustration any longer and registering his wife’s confusion he started to cry. He paced away from her to hid it, showing emotion was difficult for him. He had worked so hard at being a writer and just as he felt success someone was stealing that accomplishment from him. With his back turned to her he offered the reality she seemed to be avoiding, “it’s not me, but it is my story.”

She hugged him from behind before he could even finish the statement. She had followed him as he had turned his back to her. He hadn’t been able to hid his emotion after all. It was a tight hug. Not the romantic type hug from behind but an all encompassing hug, one that didn’t care for the direction but the intention. She was heartbroken for him and wanted to embrace him without delaying it or letting go. He no longer held back the tears. Nor did she, he felt his shirt become damp against her face. They eventually turned to face each other but kept the embrace.

After they had both sat with the heartbreak of the theft for long enough they began to sort it out. It had been his dream but their endeavor, he didn’t for a second think he could have done it without her. Overcoming this new obstacle would be no different than the last five years had been. They would figure this out together. After that embrace he was certain they would overcome their work being plagairized.