My wife left me and our kids two years ago, at the worst possible time.
When Anna stormed out of our apartment with a suitcase and a cold, “I can’t do this anymore,” I was left standing there with our four-year-old twins, Max and Lily.
We were a family for a minute, and then I was left alone with two kids and a mountain of expenses.
I was working as a programmer for a computer business that was promising big money, but something fishy happened and the company went bankrupt before we knew it. I went from making six figures to collecting unemployment checks overnight.
I could see the disappointment in Anna’s eyes the day I told her the news. She was the head of marketing and one of the most presentable women I’d ever seen. But I never imagined she’d leave during hard times.
I drove for ride-sharing companies at night and delivered groceries during the day.
I was also babysitting the kids. Max and Lily were upset and constantly asking about their mom.
Luckily, my parents were there. They helped me with the twins at night and whenever I needed them, but they couldn’t help me financially.
However, Max and Lily were my lifeline. Their little arms hugging me at the end of a long day, their tiny voices whispering, “We love you, Daddy,” pushed me forward. I couldn’t let them down.
I’m glad that the second year after Anna left was so different. I got a freelance coding project, and the client was so impressed with my skills that he offered me a full-time remote job at his cybersecurity firm.
The salary wasn’t six figures, but it was steady. We moved into a nicer apartment, and I started taking care of myself again. I went to the gym, cooked healthy meals, and got the kids on a routine.
And then, exactly two years later, I saw Anna again.
While Max and Lily went to preschool, I was sitting at a cafe near our new house, finishing up some work.
She was sitting alone at a corner table, her head down, tears streaming down her cheeks.
This woman looked exhausted. Her coat was faded, her hair was dull, and the heavy circles under her eyes showed signs of sleep deprivation.
So what happened? Why was she crying in a random trendy coffee shop? I knew I shouldn’t pay attention to it. I should have ignored her, finished my drink, and left immediately. But she was the mother of my children, after all.
Her eyes met mine, and her expression changed from awesome to humiliated.
Leaving my cup and laptop on the table, I walk up to the woman who destroyed our home.
“You abandoned us. You left without any remorse. And now, two years later, I find you crying in a cafe? What’s going on?”
She shook her head again. “I can’t explain it, but leaving you felt so wrong. I lost my job almost immediately after that. I was surviving on my savings, my parents sent me some money, but within a few months it was gone. People I considered my friends disappeared when I needed them most.”
“I miss you,” she whispered, snorting. “I want to go back.”
Anna reached across the table, her hand coming close to mine. “David, please. I know I don’t deserve this, but I’ll do anything to make it right. I lived in cheap apartments, bouncing from one temporary job to the next. I had time to think. Now I understand what I’ve lost.”
I pulled my hand back. “You haven’t thought about Max and Lily, have you? Not once in two years. In fact, you haven’t even mentioned them since I sat down at the table.”
As I thought about the situation, I felt more and more disgusted.
I could see the disappointment in Anna’s eyes the day I told her the news. She was the head of marketing and one of the most presentable women I had ever seen. But I never imagined that she would leave during hard times.
I drove for carpooling companies at night and delivered groceries during the day.
I also babysat. Max and Lily were upset and constantly asked about their mother.
Luckily, my parents were there. They helped me with the twins at night and whenever I needed them, but they couldn’t help me financially.
But Max and Lily became my lifeline. Their little arms wrapped around me at the end of a long day, their tiny voices whispering, “We love you, Daddy,” pushed me forward. I couldn’t let them down.
I’m glad the second year after Anna left was so different. I got a freelance coding gig, and the client was so impressed with my skills that he offered me a full-time remote job at his cybersecurity firm.
The pay wasn’t six figures, but it was steady. We moved into a nicer apartment, and I started taking care of myself again. I went to the gym, cooked healthy meals, and set up a routine for the kids.
I drove for ridesharing companies at night and delivered groceries during the day.
I also babysat. Max and Lily were upset and constantly asking about Mom.
Luckily, my parents were there. They helped me with the twins at night and whenever I needed them, but they couldn’t help me financially.
However, Max and Lily were my lifeline. Their little arms hugging me at the end of a long day, their tiny voices whispering, “We love you, Daddy,” pushed me forward. I couldn’t let them down.
I’m glad that the second year after Anna left was so different. I got a freelance coding project, and the client was so impressed with my skills that he offered me a full-time remote job at his cybersecurity firm.
The pay wasn’t six figures, but it was steady. We moved into a nicer apartment, and I started taking care of myself again. I went to the gym, cooked healthy meals, and set up a routine for the kids.
And then, exactly two years later, I saw Anna again.
While Max and Lily were at preschool, I was sitting at a cafe near our new house, finishing up some work.
She was sitting alone at a corner table, her head down, tears streaming down her cheeks.
This woman looked exhausted. Her coat was faded, her hair was dull, and the heavy circles under her eyes showed signs of sleep deprivation.
So what happened? Why was she crying in a random, trendy coffee shop? I knew I shouldn’t pay attention to it. I should have ignored her, finished my drink, and left immediately. But, after all, she was the mother of my children.