【Short Story】Thank you

I had ChatGPT translate a short story I wrote in Japanese, and made some additions and corrections. The original Japanese story is here.

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'Thank you. And I apologize for any inconvenience.'

   Upon returning from shopping, there was the note and divorce papers on the table. I instinctively tore them up.

   I quickly put away the things I had just bought, tidying up the house while calling out my wife's name. I searched every corner, including the closet, toilet, bathtub, and any place she could hide. Her shoes were not at the entrance. She seemed to have left in formal leather shoes, not her usual comfortable ones.

   When I called her, the ringtone echoed next to the TV. If she took the phone with her, I could track her with GPS. I left the house with my phone, keys, and running shoes.

   I had realized about a year ago that my wife had early-onset dementia. I didn't know what triggered the illness. There were occasional forgetfulness, but I never thought it was pathological. I thought she just wasn't paying attention to my words and scolded her for being absent-minded.

   Seeing packs of milk she bought two days in a row, our daughter, who was visiting, pointed it out. Neither my wife nor I could easily accept that she had dementia before reaching sixty. When we was dragged to the hospital by my daughter, the fact was hard to believe.

   Even if the progression was suppressed with medication, it wouldn't be cured. My wife was always looking for something. The house overflowed with things, and until she found them (or forgot that she was looking for them), she would get angry if I tried to tidy up. Putting labels on drawers and writing down what was inside reduced the frequency somewhat, but she would still get upset if there was something bothering her until she found it in the middle of the night.

   My wife always consulted me about something. Even the gift for the first grandchild's birth was discussed with me until it was handed over to our daughter, and two or three congratulatory envelopes were prepared. When she realized she had already consulted on the same matter, she would apologize, looking apologetic. At first, I would listen with inner irritation, but seeing her hunched over, apologizing, made me sad. Therefore, I tried to listen carefully, as if it were the first time, and strived for the end of the consultation to be "thank you" rather than "I'm sorry."

   Divorce papers and the like would be difficult to retrieve with my current wife. She probably acquired them as a "safety net" in her youth. Comparing the handwriting in the note with that on the divorce papers, it was clear that the writing was from her younger days. Perhaps it was because she entrusted our daughter with everything, or maybe it was because of frequent drinking parties for work. It was frustrating not knowing when she had filled them out. It was frustrating that I had allowed her to think about leaving me with that.

   I ran to the nearby park, convenience store, and the nearest station. There was no sign of my wife. Suddenly, the phone I had in my pocket vibrated. It was from a cafe near our home. I thanked the caller and immediately headed there.

   Entering the cafe, the owner discreetly pointed to a seat by the window. Under the soft light of the stained glass, my wife was eating apple pie. I composed myself, sat casually at the opposite seat.

"Oh, what a coincidence."

   My wife looked at me, smiling happily.

"I've always been curious about this place. The exterior is stylish, so I thought I'd give it a try. Hey, this apple pie is really delicious. Take a bite."

   I accepted the fork she innocently offered.

"Oh, it's true. It's very delicious."

"Isn't it?"

   My words were met with several nods from my wife.

"If it's such a lovely place, we should have come sooner."

"Yeah, it's close to home, and now that I've retired, I have plenty of free time. Let's come together next time. Invite me when you go out."

"Sure, I'll do that."

   It was probably a sincere agreement. Smiling at each other for the umpteenth promise.

   We rarely went out as a family before retiring. My wife always went out alone, with my daughter occasionally accompanying her. Perhaps things would have been different if we had gone out together from a younger age. Recent promises didn't stick in her memory.

   After making sure my wife finished eating, I stood up to pay. I whispered a thank you to the owner, and he nodded slightly without lifting his gaze.

   Outside the shop, my wife buried her face in her scarf to shield it from the wind.

"Hey, how about cream stew for dinner today?"

"Sounds good. It's getting cold, so it's perfect."

"We should buy milk on the way back."

"Actually, I went shopping just now. I bought milk too."

"Oh, really?"

"I have the ingredients for cream stew, so let's go home before we catch a cold."

   My wife tilted her head slightly and looked up at me. I smiled, gently pushed her back, and started walking.