Erin tried giving him flowers, but Mike dismissed them, saying, “These are more for you, right? We are too old for this.” Confused, Erin asked, “Why can’t you accept it?” Mike replied, “I just want us to relax and stop trying so hard. We’re old. It’s time to just… be.” Erin’s heart broke as she struggled with the new arrangement. Mike didn’t kiss or hug her as often, and she felt shy around him for the first time in decades.
After two difficult months, Erin asked for a divorce, unable to live without love. Shocked, Mike agreed to move out, staying with their son Henry. Their daughters, Alexandra and Marissa, tried to change Erin’s mind, but she was resolute. “If the romance is over, there’s no reason to be married,” she told them.
A few months after the divorce, Erin had a health scare. When Mike heard, he rushed to the hospital, staying by her side and caring for her. After her discharge, Mike refused to leave, insisting on helping her at home. Their children knew the truth: Mike still loved Erin despite the divorce. The flowers and romantic gestures resumed, and when Erin recovered, she reciprocated, ensuring Mike never felt neglected again. They rekindled their romance and remarried on what would have been their original 58th anniversary.