A woman awakes during the night to find her husband not in bed. She puts on her robe, goes downstairs to look for him, and finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

He appears to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall. She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of his coffee.

"What's the matter, dear?" she whispers as she steps into the room, "Why are you down here this time of night?"

The husband looks up from his coffee," Do you remember 20 years ago when we were dating, and you were only 16?" he asks solemnly.

"Yes I do" she replies.

The husband pauses. The words aren't coming easily.

"Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?"

"Yes, I remember" says the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.

The husband continues, "Do you remember when he shoved the shotgun in my face and said, `Either you marry my daughter, or I'll send you to jail for 20 years?' "

"I remember that too" she replies softly.

He wipes another tear from his cheek and says,
...........


"I would have gotten out today".