A misunderstanding
Picture: A displeased woman

It was a scorching evening. I turned on the air-conditioner in the master bedroom, *eagerly* waiting for my wife to come home. I wanted her to feel relaxed after a hard day at work.

My wife came home and went inside the bedroom. *Her eyebrows furrowed*, she asked me, “Why did you turn on the air-conditioner?”

I thought that she was being unappreciative. *Anger surging within me,* I raised my voice at her.

“I just wanted you to feel comfortable,” I snapped at her, *fury radiating off me*.

*Her face instantly darkened.* She turned around without saying anything.

She then gave me the cold shoulder. The tension between us was so thick that one could have sliced it with a knife.

The next day, I plucked up my courage to reconcile with her. *Consumed with guilt*, I apologised for yelling at her. *Her lips were still twisted into a frown, but at least she was not glaring at me.*

“I thought that our son had switched on the air-conditioner accidentally,” she said sarcastically, “How was I supposed to know that you wanted to be Mr Gallant?”

I bit my lip. I was in the wrong, for I had misunderstood her intention. I muttered my apologies profusely.

The ice between us did not thaw that night. Fortunately, she decided to bury the hatchet.

In the end, I learnt an important lesson. I resolved to manage my emotions instead of lashing out at my wife in the future.