The Secret Lives of Digital Photo Models, Vol. 1

(Brooke and I were given a digital picture frame as a gift. While hooking it up I found that there were several photos on there already. The instruction manual says that they are just sample pictures, meant to show you how the display will look. I like to think there’s more to the story.)

Diego peered deeply into Elizabeth’s eyes. Gunshots rang out in the distance. “You’ll get your dress dirty,” he smiled. She was too sad to laugh.

“Take me with you!” she pleaded. “I’m your wife now. We can be happy together in Mexico!”

“You can’t even make a taco,” he joked. She was growing tired of his jokes.

“These past fifteen days have been the best of my life,” she lamented. “I knew it wouldn’t last forever, but I always thought that maybe . . . somehow . . .”

The explosions grew louder. The ground shook and the air smelled of salt and gunpowder. Diego took one last look at Elizabeth; tears filled her eyes.

“I left money for you in the hotel safe,” he started. “It should be enough for you to-” she cut him off with a kiss, a deep, passionate embrace meant to convey to him through all the words she could not find that no matter what happened, he would always be her husband.

He hopped into the boat, untied the stern line, and turned the ignition. Looking back one last time, he cocked his head. “We’ll always have Senor Frogs,” he chuckled.

She couldn’t hear him over the rumbling of the engine, but she knew it was a joke. The boat sped away. He was always telling jokes.