That night a bedside lamp came on and Howard found himself coming awake from April jerking his arm and talking into his ear. He lay on his shoulder and his eyes blinked a couple of times as he turned his head and saw his wife looking at him, still shaking his shoulder. He mumbled something incoherent before his eyes then came fully awake and he turned over on his backside.
"April, what is . . . is something wrong?"
"Something's wrong," said April. "Something's very wrong. I'd first like to say I'm very sorry."
Howard nearly flung the sheets off him as he then sat up to confront her.
"What are you apologising for, honey?" he took her hands in his. "Tell me what's the matter?"
April was silent for a moment while her eyes remained distant. Then she turned over to her side of the bed. Howard was about asking whatever she was doing, but then he saw her open her bedside drawer and took something out of it then shut it back and turned to him. He caught a lump in his throat when she faced him with the items she had brought. One was the disc he had received at the office that bore his name on it. But he was puzzled when April showed him the other disc in her hand which bore her name. As if that was not enough surprise, he noticed how similar their names were spelt on both disc surface, as well that they were spelt with similar marker . . .
Howard looked up at April more puzzled than ever. She retained the distant look in her eyes. She nodded her head as if to accentuate that she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"There's a lot you do need to know," she said glumly.