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Max grabbed the envelope and threw it in his briefcase. He had no idea why he was taking the briefcase, but he had never left the house a day in his life without it and he certainly wasn't going to start now.

During the short drive over to downtown Doylestown, Max found himself thinking about everything but Donna.

I really hope there's parking right by Starbucks. There never is, but maybe today there will be. I wonder if Caleb is going to call me anytime soon, I haven't heard from him in a while. I should stop at Dunkin' Donuts and bring my B period kids some doughnuts on Monday. They've been working really hard lately…

But all semblance of intelligent thought flew out of his head as he saw a familiar silhouette walking down the sidewalk a bit in front of him. He quickly turned down a side street so she wouldn't see him. Flying around corners and blatantly ignoring stop signs, Max maneuvered his way to the other side of Starbucks and snuck in the back door. Settling into the chair in the corner, Max moved the chair a bit to make sure that he was the first thing that Donna saw when she walked in.

And when she did, his heart stopped. Is it possible that I love her more today than I ever have before? he asked himself.

Donna stopped at the door as her eyes connected with Max's. He's here! I really never thought he'd come! He's here!

Max stood and gestured for Donna to take the seat across from him. As she did, he began to speak.

"Donna, there are many things to be said between the two of us – much more than any one morning can contain. But –"

"I know that Max, but I wanted –" she stopped as he held up his hand.

"But there are also some things that need to be said this morning."

She quietly nodded and began to finger the ring on her hand. He noticed, and began to smile. "You still wear your rings?"

Donna's eyes began to well up with tears, "Max, I've never taken them off."

When she said that, everything in Max's being told him to wrap her in his arms and spend the rest of the day staring into her captivating eyes, but reason told him to be patient.

"Max, I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me that you're here right now."

"I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me that you asked me to be here right now."

Donna fished in her purse for Kleenex as her tears began to overflow. "Max, how did I let it get this bad?"

He sighed, "I don't have an answer for that right now."

There was a bit of a silence before Max spoke. "I have a letter for you, too. It's my response to everything you wrote, because I knew I wouldn't be able to correctly articulate everything that needed to be said. So, here," he dug into his briefcase and took out a small stack of paper. "You read, I'll get our coffee."

"My precious Donnatella,

I sit here in our house, in my favorite chair, four days after our 25th wedding anniversary. Speaking of my favorite chair, do you know why it's my favorite? Two reasons: one, it was one of your wedding presents to me and two, because when I'm in it, you fit very comfortably on my lap.

I haven't been able to sit in that chair since you left. But I knew I couldn't read your letter in any other chair.

Contrary to your belief, I have never stopped loving you. I have begun to become moderately to very angry with both you and Josh, but I have never stopped and will never stop loving you.

I'm not sure how much it shocks me that you finally kissed Josh. I think I knew it needed to happen. I'm pissed as hell, but not surprised.

Donna, Josh was your best friend and confidant for a while before I came into the picture. For almost five years, he was your entire world and you two built connections during that time that are unbreakable. But, as you stated, you are my wife.

And I want you to stay my wife.

Our marriage will never be the same; that I know. But I also know that it really can't get worse.

If you need to go be with Josh today after you read this, I understand. Just let me go with you this time.

I know one of the questions on your mind is what's going to happen now after I retire. Well, if Josh is still alive, he'll need a secretary. And there's not a better one on this planet than my wonderfully radiant wife of 25 years.

I love you more than I can ever express to you, and I forgive you.

Now, reach into the front section of my briefcase and pull out the manila envelope.

I love you,

Max"

Donna raised an eyebrow at her husband who had just returned with their coffee. "You don't even give me time to react? You just order me to do something?"

"Yup."

"Ok," she grinned as she opened the envelope and pulled out a Celebrity Cruise brochure with papers sticking out of it. "What the heck is this?"

"Well, the school year is over in four days. One week from today, I booked us passage on the Celebrity Millennium for a 10-day cruise through the Caribbean."

Donna's jaw dropped and she shrieked, "What?"

"Happy anniversary, honey," Max replied smugly.

"Maxwell Yates, you are so in trouble," Donna growled through tears.

Max laughed, "Yeah, you're a big threat. Come here," he smiled through his tears as he beckoned Donna to climb into his lap.

As they embraced and symbolically resealed their marriage covenant Donna whispered into Max's ear, "I don't deserve you."

"There is nothing I have done to deserve you."

The pair let their tears mix as their lips locked in the first kiss of their new marriage.

la la la laaa

"Donna, it's your cell phone," Max murmured.

"Let it ring."

"It might be Josh."

"No it won't. He's in pre-op."

"It's still ringing."

"You answer it."

Max sighed and retrieved Donna's cell phone. "Hello?"

"Max?"

"Yeah."

"It's CJ."

"Hey there."

"So are you going?"

"CJ knew about this?" Donna whispered

Max nodded as he replied, "Yeah."

"Are you coming?"

"I don't know, hold on," he pressed the phone to his chest and asked, "Are we driving to Baltimore today?"

"Why?" Donna asked.

"Well, my best friend is having brain surgery and I'd like too see him when he wakes up," Max replied.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah," he smiled.

"Then, yeah," she giggled. "We're coming."

"We're coming, CJ."

"Wonderful! Maybe that'll make him stop whining. See you later then."

Max clicked the phone off and smiled at Donna, "Josh was whining."

"Surprise of the century."

"And to think you loved him once."

"I know!" Donna exclaimed, "What was I thinking?"

"Well, you just hadn't met me yet."

"Oh, of course! How would I have chosen Joshua Lyman over the hot, beefy man meat before me? How could I have been so naïve? I deserve to be punished."

Max contorted his face to make it look as stern as possible, "Yes, you do. Now, what should your punishment be?"

Donna bit her lip to keep from laughing as she replied, "I'm sure you'll think of something."

Max laughed out loud. "I'm sure I will."

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