Emma and Jack had been married for thirty-two years.<\/p>\n
They loved each other deeply, but somewhere between raising three children, paying bills, fixing the roof twice, and becoming grandparents, romance had quietly packed its bags and moved out.<\/p>\n
Jack wasn’t rude or uncaring.<\/p>\n
He was simply… comfortable.<\/p>\n
His daily routine never changed.<\/p>\n
Wake up.<\/p>\n
Drink coffee.<\/p>\n
Read the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Mow the lawn.<\/p>\n
Watch westerns.<\/p>\n
Go to bed by 9:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
If Emma tried to hold his hand while watching television, he’d absentmindedly pat it and ask where the TV remote was.<\/p>\n
One afternoon, after another disappointing anniversary dinner that ended with Jack falling asleep in his recliner before dessert, Emma scheduled an appointment with her doctor.<\/p>\n
“Doctor,” she sighed, “I think my husband has forgotten we’re married.”<\/p>\n
The doctor chuckled.<\/p>\n
“What seems to be the problem?”<\/p>\n
“He has absolutely no interest in romance anymore.”<\/p>\n
The doctor smiled knowingly.<\/p>\n
“Have you ever suggested Viagra?”<\/p>\n
Emma laughed so hard she nearly fell out of the chair.<\/p>\n
“Doctor, that man won’t even take an aspirin. Last winter he tried to ‘walk off’ the flu.”<\/p>\n
The doctor rubbed his chin.<\/p>\n
“In that case, I have another idea.”<\/p>\n
He leaned closer and lowered his voice dramatically.<\/p>\n
“Try what I call Montana Viagra.”<\/p>\n
Emma raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
“Montana Viagra?”<\/p>\n
“Crush the pill into a fine powder, stir it into his morning coffee, and don’t say a word.”<\/p>\n
She hesitated.<\/p>\n
“Will it work?”<\/p>\n
The doctor grinned.<\/p>\n
“Oh, you’ll know if it works.”<\/p>\n
The following Saturday morning, Emma decided to give it a try.<\/p>\n
She crushed the tiny pill, mixed it carefully into Jack’s favorite dark roast coffee, and placed the mug in front of him.<\/p>\n
Jack thanked her without looking up from the newspaper.<\/p>\n
He took one sip.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Then finished the whole cup.<\/p>\n
Emma quietly waited.<\/p>\n
Nothing happened.<\/p>\n
Jack folded the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Still nothing.<\/p>\n
Emma began wondering if the doctor had been wrong.<\/p>\n
Then…<\/p>\n
Jack suddenly froze.<\/p>\n
He slowly stood up.<\/p>\n
His eyes grew wide.<\/p>\n
He looked at Emma as if he had just seen her for the first time in thirty years.<\/p>\n
“My goodness…”<\/p>\n
He whispered.<\/p>\n
“You look incredible.”<\/p>\n
Emma blinked.<\/p>\n
Before she could answer, Jack swept the newspaper, sugar bowl, napkins, and fruit basket right off the table.<\/p>\n
Crash!<\/p>\n
Oranges rolled across the floor.<\/p>\n
The cat sprinted out of the kitchen in terror.<\/p>\n
Jack grabbed Emma, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her like they were newlyweds again.<\/p>\n
Emma burst into laughter.<\/p>\n
“Jack!”<\/p>\n
He didn’t answer.<\/p>\n
He simply swept her off her feet and carried her across the room.<\/p>\n
When everything was over, they both sat on the floor laughing so hard they couldn’t breathe.<\/p>\n
Emma smiled.<\/p>\n
“Well…”<\/p>\n
“…that certainly worked.”<\/p>\n
The next Monday, she called the doctor’s office.<\/p>\n
The nurse immediately transferred her.<\/p>\n
“Doctor,” Emma said dramatically, “it was a complete disaster!”<\/p>\n
The doctor sounded alarmed.<\/p>\n
“Oh no! Did your husband have a bad reaction?”<\/p>\n
“Worse!”<\/p>\n
“What happened?”<\/p>\n
“The second he finished his coffee, he jumped up, cleared everything off the table, ripped my clothes off, and made passionate love to me right there!”<\/p>\n
There was a long pause.<\/p>\n
Finally the doctor said,<\/p>\n
“Well…”<\/p>\n
“…that doesn’t sound like a disaster.”<\/p>\n
Emma sighed dramatically.<\/p>\n
“Maybe not for you…”<\/p>\n
“…but we’re never allowed back in Starbucks again.”<\/p>\n
The doctor was speechless.<\/p>\n
Then he burst out laughing so hard he nearly dropped the phone.<\/p>\n
A few days later, Jack finally learned what Emma had done.<\/p>\n
“You put medicine in my coffee?”<\/p>\n
She nodded nervously.<\/p>\n
“I’m sorry.”<\/p>\n
Jack pretended to think for a moment.<\/p>\n
“So…”<\/p>\n
“…does that mean every Saturday morning coffee comes with a surprise now?”<\/p>\n
Emma laughed.<\/p>\n
“Only if you promise not to throw furniture anymore.”<\/p>\n
He smiled.<\/p>\n
“No promises.”<\/p>\n
From that day forward, they didn’t need any more “Montana Viagra.”<\/p>\n
They started taking morning walks together, going on weekly date nights, and laughing more than they had in years.<\/p>\n
Whenever they passed a Starbucks, Jack would grin.<\/p>\n
Emma would shake her head.<\/p>\n
“No.”<\/p>\n
“We’re not risking a lifetime ban at another location.”<\/p>\n
And every time, they both laughed all the way home.<\/p>\n
Because they finally remembered something that had been missing for years:<\/p>\n
Romance doesn’t stay alive because of magic pills.<\/p>\n
It survives because two people never stop finding reasons to laugh together.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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