The perfect lie.

"And how long have you and Celia been together?"

"We'll be married 13 years next month."

"Thirteen years is a long time, at least for living together. I imagine you've worked hard in all those years."

"Yes, but now it's all going down the drain because of a vile lie."

"Laura don't you think you're over reacting a little?"

"Overreacting? So you think a lie is so normal? What kind of psychologist are you?"

"Of course I'm not going to validate Celia lying to you, I'm just saying you should consider the context. She was pretending not to hurt you doesn't mean anything to you?"

"If it were about something else I could surely consider it, but with coffee, knowing how important it is to me. You can't imagine how much I enjoyed sitting next to her every morning sharing a cup of freshly brewed coffee, the one time of the day when everything was perfect; to find out after almost 13 years that Celia always hated coffee, and that since 6 years ago she started replacing it with a tinted water, is unforgivable."

"What is it that you can't forgive Laura, that Celia lied to you or that she doesn't like coffee?"

Laura did not answer, but deep down, she knew what the answer was. She could accept anything from Celia, except that she didn't like coffee, how could she live with such a person? She walked while she thought about it, she didn't want to get home, she knew that Celia would be waiting for her there with her crouching face.

After a few hours she decided to go home, she went through the door and indeed Celia was waiting for her. Unable to evade the conversation any longer they sat down to talk and before long the situation began to heat up.

"Is this for real Laura? You can't forgive me for lying to you, but I have forgiven you everything, even your infidelity."

"Don't come out with that now, you were supposed to be over it. Besides it's different, suppose I forgive you and we get on with our lives, do you think I could stand a Celia who doesn't share coffee with me in the mornings? That was one of my favorite rituals."

"Laura do you really want to end up for this? Sharing a cup of coffee with you in the mornings is my favorite ritual too, even if I don't like coffee, there is nothing I love more than being with you."

"I have to think about it Celia, it's not easy for me at all. I'll spend a couple of days at my mother's house, clear my head and then we'll talk better."

Laura did not even give Celia a hug before leaving. One afternoon while drinking a cup of strong coffee she took a deep breath and the solution to her problem came to her as if it came from the very aroma of coffee.

The next day she returned home and hugged Celia.

"I'm sorry for everything that's happened this past week honey, I think I over reacted a little. I found the answer I needed inside a cup of coffee."

"Tell me what you've been thinking, I'm willing to do anything to get you back Laura."

"Well, I know you love black tea, so our morning coffee ritual can become a tea and coffee ritual where we both enjoy it."

The girls continued their relationship, many years went by and Celia never realized that every morning when Laura made tea, she would sneak in a small dose of coffee, gradually increasing it until practically Celia's tea was just coffee. Laura got everything she wanted, to continue the relationship, to take revenge for Celia's deception and finally to be able to share a cup of delicious coffee together every morning with the woman she loved.