What happens when the joy of welcoming a newborn is eclipsed by betrayal, cruelty, or heartbreaking abandonment? These four emotional stories reveal how families navigated the deepest wounds caused by those they loved most… stories that will leave you gripping your heart.
A newborn’s cry should be the sound of hope, love, and new beginnings. But for these families, the arrival of their children was met with betrayal, manipulation, and heartbreak. Each story reveals the raw reality of navigating parenthood while enduring the deepest wounds inflicted by those closest to them.
A newborn baby | Source: Unsplash
Story 1: I Went to Pick Up My Wife and Newborn Twins from the Hospital — I Found Only the Babies and a Note
I was all smiles driving to the hospital that day, balloons bobbing beside me. I couldn’t wait to bring Suzie and our newborn twin daughters, Callie and Jessica, home. I’d spent days perfecting the nursery, cooking a family dinner, and planning a warm welcome. But when I arrived, everything unraveled.
Suzie was gone.
A man holding balloons | Source: Midjourney
I found my daughters sleeping peacefully in their bassinets and a note waiting for me:
“Goodbye. Take care of them. Ask your mother WHY she did this to me.”
The words hit like a freight train. My hands shook as I reread them. This wasn’t real… couldn’t be. Suzie was happy, wasn’t she?
A man reading a note | Source: Midjourney
A nurse entered with discharge paperwork, but her calm expression crumbled when I demanded to know where Suzie was. “She checked out this morning,” she said nervously. “She told us you knew.”
I didn’t know. I drove home in a daze, my daughters in the backseat, and the note crumpled in my fist. At home, my mom, Mandy, greeted me on the porch with a bright smile and a casserole dish.
“Oh, let me see my grandbabies!” she exclaimed.
An excited woman | Source: Midjourney
I stepped back, holding the car seat protectively. “Not yet, Mom,” I said coldly, thrusting the note at her. “What did you do to Suzie?”
Her smile faded, and as she read the note, her face paled. “Ben, I don’t know—”
“Don’t lie to me! You’ve never liked her! You’ve always criticized and undermined her. What did you do that pushed her to take this extreme step?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran inside the house. “I’ve only ever tried to help.”
A woman reading a note | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t trust her anymore. That night, while the twins slept, I searched for answers. In Suzie’s things, I found a letter in my mom’s handwriting:
“Suzie, you’ll never be good enough for my son. You’ve trapped him with this pregnancy, but don’t think you can fool me. If you care about them, you’ll leave before you ruin their lives.”
I could not believe my eyes, and I confronted my mom immediately. She tried to defend herself, saying she was protecting me, but I was done.
“You drove her away! Pack your things. You’re leaving tonight,” I yelled, leaving no room for argument. She tried to pacify me, but I wasn’t listening.
She left, but the damage was done.
A man carrying twin babies into a house | Source: Midjourney
In the following weeks, I juggled sleepless nights and frantic searches for Suzie. I reached out to her friends and family, desperate for a clue.
Finally, her friend Sara confessed, “Suzie felt trapped… not by you, but by everything. Your mom told her the twins would be better off without her. Your mom had been so manipulative and controlling.”
The knife twisted deeper. Suzie had been suffering in silence, afraid I wouldn’t believe her.
A man with his head in his hands | Source: Midjourney
Months passed without a word. One day, I received a text from an unknown number. It was a photo of Suzie in the hospital, holding the twins. Beneath it was a message:
“I wish I was the type of mother they deserve. I hope you forgive me.”
“Suzie? Is it you? Oh my God… please come home. Please… please,” I pleaded as I called the number, but it was disconnected. My resolve to find her only strengthened.
A man speaking on his phone | Source: Midjourney
But days passed like leaves on a breeze, and I couldn’t find my wife. Then, a year later, on the twins’ first birthday, there was a knock at the door.
Suzie stood there, clutching a small gift bag, her eyes brimming with tears. She looked healthier, but the sadness lingered. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Suzie?!” I gasped, tears running down my cheeks as I pulled her into my arms. For the first time in a year, I felt whole.
“I’d been such a fool to give in to your mom’s words and run away from my own family. I thought… I thought I wasn’t good enough, like she’d said,” she cried.
“Let’s not talk about her anymore. I’m glad that you’re back… to us,” I said, kissing her forehead as we approached our toddlers.
A man hugging a woman | Source: Midjourney
In the weeks that followed, Suzie opened up. Postpartum depression, my mom’s cruelty, and her own feelings of inadequacy had driven her away. Therapy had helped her find strength, but the scars remained.
“I didn’t want to leave,” she admitted one night, her hand trembling in mine. “But I didn’t know how to stay.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I promised.
And we did. Healing wasn’t easy, but love, resilience, and the shared joy of raising Callie and Jessica brought us back together. Together, we rebuilt what had almost been lost.
A man rocking a baby | Source: Midjourney
Story 2: I Came Home with My Newborn Twins to Find the Locks Changed, My Stuff Thrown Out, and a Note Waiting for Me
The day I was discharged from the hospital with my newborn twin daughters, Ella and Sophie, should have been one of the happiest of my life. Instead, it became an unforgettable nightmare.
My husband Derek was supposed to pick us up, but at the last minute, he called.
An upset mother with her newborn babies | Source: Midjourney
“Mom’s really unwell,” he said hurriedly. “I need to take her to the hospital. I can’t make it to you.”
I was stunned. “Derek, I just gave birth. I need you here.”
“I know,” he sighed. “But this is serious. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.”
An upset woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
Knowing his mother, Lorraine, and Derek’s tendency to prioritize her, I wasn’t convinced he’d return anytime soon. Reluctantly, I arranged a taxi to take me and the girls home.
When we arrived, I froze. My suitcases, diaper bags, and even the crib mattress were dumped on the lawn. Panic crept in as I paid the driver and approached the door, calling, “Derek?”
No answer.
A messy front yard | Source: Midjourney
I tried my key. But it didn’t work. The locks had been changed. My heart raced as I spotted a note taped to a suitcase:
“Get out of here with your little moochers! I know everything. — Derek”
My breath hitched. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. This couldn’t be Derek, the man who had been by my side through every moment of my pregnancy.
A shocked woman reading a note | Source: Midjourney
I called him, but it went straight to voicemail. Again and again, but no answer. Sophie and Ella started crying, their wails matching the panic in my chest. Shaking, I called my mom.
“Derek changed the locks,” I choked out. “He threw me out. There’s a note… Mom, I don’t understand.”
“WHAT?!” she exclaimed. “I’m coming right now.”
When she arrived, she hugged me tightly, her anger barely contained. “This doesn’t make sense. Derek loves you and the girls. Let’s go to my place until we figure this out.”
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
At her house, I tried to piece things together. The note didn’t make sense, and Derek’s silence only fueled my anxiety. Unable to sleep, I decided to confront him.
The next morning, I returned to the house. The yard was empty, and all my belongings were gone. I knocked on the door, then peered through the window. The sight froze me: Lorraine was sitting at the dining table, sipping tea.
When I banged on the door, she opened it just a crack, her face smug. “You’re not welcome here, Jenna. Didn’t you see the note?”
“Where’s Derek?” I snapped.
A shocked woman peaking through a window | Source: Midjourney
“He’s at the hospital, taking care of his mother.”
“You’re not sick!” I yelled. “And you’re NOT in the hospital!”
She smirked. “I’m feeling better now. Miracles happen.”
Realization dawned, heavy and suffocating. “You lied to him. You faked being sick to get him out of the house.”
“And?” she replied, unbothered.
“Why? Why would you do this?”
A nonchalant older woman standing by a door | Source: Midjourney
Crossing her arms, her lips curled into a cruel smile. “I told Derek from the start that our family needs a boy to carry on the name. But you? You gave us two girls. Useless.”
Her words knocked the air out of me.
“You threw us out over that?”
“Of course. I even made sure he couldn’t call you by taking his phone. He stayed there overnight, worried, thinking I was truly ill. I bribed a nurse this morning to keep him at the hospital longer to discuss my ‘illness.’ And you know what? It worked perfectly! My naive son believed me when I told him I needed some fresh air and was going for a walk. I just wanted to get back to our beloved home for a hot shower with my favorite bath bombs and some nice chamomile tea! And if you’re planning on exposing me to my son… forget it! Derek loves me too much to believe you, honey!”
A smug older woman | Source: Midjourney
Shaking with rage, I stormed out and drove straight to the hospital, finding Derek pacing in the waiting room.
“Jenna!” he said, relief flooding his face. “I’ve been trying to reach you, but I don’t have my phone.”
“Your mother took it,” I cut him off. “She faked being sick, locked me out of the house, and left that awful note.”
His face darkened with fury. “What?”
“She said it’s because our daughters aren’t boys.”
A man at a hospital | Source: Midjourney
Without another word, Derek grabbed his keys and drove us home. Lorraine’s smug expression faded when we arrived.
“Derek, darling—”
“STOP!” he snapped. “You lied to me, locked my wife and children out of our home, and wrote a fake note to drive them away. What’s wrong with you?”
She sputtered excuses, but he wasn’t having it.
An older woman having tea | Source: Midjourney
“Pack your things and leave. You’re done here.”
Tears streamed down her face. “You can’t mean that. I’m your mother!”
“And Jenna is my wife. Those are my daughters. If you can’t respect them, you’re not welcome in our lives.”
An angry man shouting | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll regret this,” she hissed as she packed her things, slamming doors as she went.
That night, Derek apologized repeatedly. He changed back the locks, blocked Lorraine’s number, and reported the bribed nurse. Over time, we rebuilt our life. Lorraine had tried to destroy us, but she only brought us closer together.
A happy woman with her man | Source: Midjourney
Story 3: My Husband Dumped Me as Soon as He Walked into the Hospital Ward and Saw Our Newborn Twin Daughters
After years of infertility, I thought giving birth to twin daughters would finally bring my husband Mark and me closer. The pregnancy had been grueling, but as I lay in my hospital bed, Ella and Sophie nestled at my sides, all the pain seemed worth it.
I sent Mark a text: They’re here. Two beautiful girls. Can’t wait for you to meet them.
A woman holding her newborn twin girls | Source: Midjourney
I imagined him rushing in, joyful tears streaming down his face. But when the door opened, his expression wasn’t joy. It was stone cold.
“Hey,” I said softly, trying to smile through my exhaustion. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
Mark’s eyes landed on the girls, his jaw tightening as disgust flickered across his face. “What the hell is this?” he muttered.
Confused, I frowned. “What do you mean? They’re our daughters!”
“You tricked me!” he snapped, venom lacing his words.
A man standing in a hospital room | Source: Midjourney
My heart sank. “What are you talking about? They’re healthy, Mark. Perfect. What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” He laughed bitterly. “You didn’t tell me they were girls! You knew I wanted boys. I thought we were having boys!”
I blinked, stunned. “You’re upset because… they’re girls?”
“Damn right, I’m upset!” He stepped back, his expression like he was staring at strangers. “This whole family was supposed to carry on my name. You’ve ruined EVERYTHING.”
An angry man | Source: Midjourney
My chest tightened as tears welled in my eyes. “Mark, please, they’re our daughters—”
“No,” he cut me off, shaking his head. “You betrayed me. These aren’t even mine.”
The accusation hit like a punch to the gut. I was speechless, my mind racing to comprehend how the man who had been my rock could say something so vile.
Before I could respond, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
A man gesturing angrily | Source: Midjourney
I stared at the door in shock, then down at my girls. Their tiny hands curled against my chest as if they knew I needed comfort. “It’s okay, sweethearts,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure it would be.
Days passed. I moved in with my parents, hoping everything would be alright and that Mark would return, apologizing for a silly misunderstanding. But he vanished without a trace.
Rumors swirled that he was vacationing in a tropical paradise while I grappled with sleepless nights and endless diapers. The betrayal cut deep, but the worst was yet to come when his mother, Sharon, called.
An upset woman with her twin daughters | Source: Midjourney
“You ruined everything,” she hissed in a voicemail. “Mark deserved sons, not… this. How could you betray him like that?”
The messages didn’t stop. Sharon bombarded me with accusations: I had cheated, I was a failure as a wife, and my daughters weren’t good enough for their family.
The nursery became my refuge. Each night, I rocked Ella and Sophie to sleep, whispering, “I’ll keep you safe. We’ll be okay.” But inside, I was breaking.
One sleepless night, as I cradled the girls, a realization hit me: I was waiting for Mark to come back, but he didn’t deserve us. I needed to take action… not for him, but for my daughters.
Close up of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
I hired a lawyer who gave me hope.
“With Mark’s abandonment,” she explained, “you’re in a strong position. Full custody. Child support. We’ll handle visitation on your terms.”
For the first time in weeks, I felt a spark of power.
I began to rebuild. On social media, I shared photos of Ella and Sophie — tiny milestones, giggles, and gummy smiles. Each post was a celebration of our new life, without Mark. Friends rallied around me, and the posts spread through our circle.
Divorce papers | Source: Pexels
Mark didn’t stay away for long. One day, I hosted an open house to introduce my daughters to friends and family. The house buzzed with warmth and laughter, and the twins wore matching outfits with little bows.
Then the door flew open.
Mark stood there, wild-eyed and furious. “What the hell is this?” he barked.
I stood my ground. “It’s our life, Mark. The one you walked out on.”
“You turned everyone against me!” he accused, his voice rising.
“You did that yourself when you abandoned your family because you didn’t get the sons you wanted,” I replied.
“You robbed me of my legacy!” he roared.
A furious man | Source: Midjourney
I stepped closer, meeting his gaze. “You didn’t deserve us, Mark. You made your choice, and this is mine. You’re not welcome here.”
Friends surrounded me, their silent support forcing Mark to retreat. Humiliated, he stormed out.
A few weeks later, Mark received court papers detailing custody and child support. There was no escaping his responsibility, even if he refused to be a father.
As for Sharon, her final message went unread. I was done with their family.
That night, as I rocked my daughters to sleep, I felt a profound peace. Mark’s absence wasn’t a loss. It was freedom. And as I held Ella and Sophie close, I knew our future was brighter without him.
A woman glancing at her phone | Source: Midjourney
Story 4: My Husband Came to Take Me and Our Newborn Triplets Home – When He Saw Them, He Told Me to Leave Them at the Hospital
After years of struggling to have children, the birth of our triplets — Sophie, Lily, and Grace — was a dream come true. As I held my tiny girls in the hospital room, their peaceful faces filled me with overwhelming love.
But when my husband Jack walked in the next day to bring us home, something was wrong. His face was pale and his movements hesitant. He lingered by the door, refusing to come near.
A woman with her triplets | Source: Midjourney
“Jack,” I said softly, trying to ease his nerves, “come look at them. They’re here. These lovely little angels. We did it.”
He shuffled closer, his eyes darting to the bassinets. “Yeah… they’re beautiful,” he muttered, but the words felt hollow.
“What’s going on?” I pressed, my voice trembling.
He took a deep breath and blurted out, “Emily, I don’t think we can keep them.”
A nervous man | Source: Freepik
I stared at him, my heart plummeting. “What are you talking about? They’re OUR daughters!”
Jack looked away, his voice shaky. “My mom went to see a fortune teller. She said… she said these babies will bring bad luck. That they’ll ruin my life… even cause my death.”
I froze, disbelief washing over me. “A fortune teller?” I repeated, my voice rising. “Jack, they’re babies, not bad omens!”
He looked torn but nodded grimly. “My mom swears by her. She’s never been wrong before.”
Anger boiled in my chest. “And because of this, you want to abandon them? You want to leave your own daughters in the hospital?”
A nervous woman in a maternity ward | Source: Midjourney
Jack couldn’t meet my eyes. “If you want to keep them, fine,” he said weakly, “but I won’t be there.”
Tears blurred my vision as his words sunk in. “If you walk out that door, Jack,” I whispered, my voice breaking, “don’t come back.”
He hesitated for a moment, guilt flickering in his eyes. But then he turned and left without another word.
The door closed behind him, and I sat frozen in shock. A nurse entered moments later, her face softening when she saw my tears. She placed a hand on my shoulder as I clutched my daughters closer, whispering, “I’ll always be here for you. I promise.”
An angry woman in maternity ward | Source: Midjourney
Over the following weeks, I adjusted to life as a single mother. Raising triplets alone was overwhelming, but my love for Sophie, Lily, and Grace kept me going. Friends and family helped where they could, but the weight of Jack’s abandonment lingered.
Then one afternoon, Jack’s sister, Beth, visited. She had been one of the few from his family to stand by me. That day, her expression was painful, and I knew she had something to say.
“Emily,” she began hesitantly, “I overheard Mom talking to Aunt Carol. She… she admitted there was no fortune teller.”
I froze. “What are you saying?”
Two nervous women talking | Source: Midjourney
Beth sighed, her face full of regret. “She made it up. She thought that if she convinced Jack the girls would bring bad luck, he’d stay close to her instead of focusing on you and the babies. Moreover, she had wanted grandsons. And she was really disappointed right from the gender reveal party. I guess she’d been planning this for a long time.”
Rage surged through me. “She lied to destroy our family,” I whispered, my hands shaking. “How could she?”
Beth nodded. “I don’t think she realized he’d actually leave, but I thought you should know.”
I didn’t sleep that night. I wanted to confront Jack, but more than that, I needed him to know the truth. The next morning, I called him.
A nervous woman in a chair | Source: Midjourney
“Jack, it’s me,” I said when he answered. “We need to talk.”
He sighed heavily. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Your mother lied,” I said, anger making my voice tremble. “There was no fortune teller. She made it up because she didn’t want to share you with us. She wanted grandsons. She was disappointed right from the gender reveal party.”
Silence stretched on the other end. Finally, he scoffed. “My mom wouldn’t lie about something this big.”
“She admitted it to her sister, Jack. Beth overheard her. Why would I make this up?”
“I’m sorry, Emily,” he said dismissively. “I can’t do this.”
The line went dead.
An angry woman talking on her phone | Source: Midjourney
Weeks turned into months. Each day, I grew stronger, building a life around my daughters. Friends and neighbors pitched in, and slowly, the ache Jack left behind faded. Sophie, Lily, and Grace became my world, their smiles and coos a balm to my soul.
Then one day, Jack’s mother knocked on my door. Her face was pale, her eyes full of regret.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “I never thought Jack would leave you. I just… I was scared of losing him.”
I crossed my arms, holding back my anger. “And what about your preference for grandsons over granddaughters? Your fear and selfishness destroyed my family,” I said coldly.
A sad elderly woman | Source: Pexels
She nodded, her face crumpling. “I’m so sorry. I’ll do anything to make it right.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing you can do. Please leave.”
She walked away, her shoulders slumped.
A year later, Jack showed up on my doorstep, looking gaunt and ashamed. “I made a mistake,” he said, his voice breaking. “I should have believed you. I’m sorry. I want to come back. I want to be a family again.”
But I had already made my choice.
“You left us when we needed you most,” I said firmly. “We’ve built a life without you, and I won’t let you hurt us again.”
I closed the door, my heart steady and strong.
An angry woman in her living room | Source: Midjourney
That night, as I rocked my daughters to sleep, I realized we didn’t need Jack. Our family was whole — just me and my girls.
Newborns symbolize hope and new beginnings, yet these stories reveal how family drama can cast a long shadow. In the face of heartbreak, the resilience of these parents shines, proving love for their children can weather any storm.
A woman holding a baby | Source: Pexels
At 55, I Got a Ticket to Greece from a Man I Met Online, But I Wasn’t the One Who Arrived — Story of the Day
At 55, I flew to Greece to meet the man I’d fallen for online. But when I knocked on his door, someone else was already there—wearing my name and living my story.
All my life, I had been building a fortress. Brick by brick.
No towers. No knights. Just a microwave that beeped like a heart monitor, kids’ lunchboxes that always smelled like apples, dried-out markers, and sleepless nights.
I raised my daughter alone.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Her father disappeared when she was three.
“Like the autumn wind blowing off a calendar,” I once said to my best friend Rosemary, “one page gone, no warning.”
I didn’t have time to cry.
There was rent to pay, clothes to wash, and fevers to battle. Some nights, I fell asleep in jeans, with spaghetti on my shirt. But I made it work. No nanny, no child support, no pity.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
And then… my girl grew up.
She married a sweet, freckled guy who called me ma’am and carried her bags like she was glass. Moved to another state. Started a life. She still called every Sunday.
“Hi, Mom! Guess what? I made lasagna without burning it!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
I smiled every time.
“I’m proud of you, baby.”
Then, one morning, after her honeymoon, I sat in the kitchen holding my chipped mug and looked around. It was so quiet. No one to shout, “Where’s my math book!” No ponytails bouncing through the hallway. No spilled juice to clean.
Just 55-year-old me. And silence.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Loneliness doesn’t slam into your chest. It slips in through the window, soft like dusk.
You stop cooking authentic meals. You stop buying dresses. You sit with a blanket, watching rom-coms, and think:
“I don’t need grand passion. Just someone to sit next to me. Breathe beside me. That would be enough.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
And that’s when Rosemary burst into my life again, like a glitter bomb in a church.
“Then sign up for a dating site!” she said one afternoon, stomping into my living room in heels too high for logic.
“Rose, I’m 55. I’d rather bake bread.”
She rolled her eyes and dropped onto my couch.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“You’ve been baking bread for ten years! Enough already. It’s time you finally baked a man.”
I laughed. “You make it sound like I can sprinkle him with cinnamon and put him in the oven.”
“Honestly, that would be easier than dating at our age,” she muttered, yanking out her laptop. “Come here. We’re doing this.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Let me just find a photo where I don’t look like a saint or a school principal,” I said, scrolling through my camera roll.
“Oh! This one,” she said, holding up a picture from my niece’s wedding. “Soft smile. Shoulder exposed. Elegant but mysterious. Perfect.”
She clicked and scrolled like a professional speed dater.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Too much teeth. Too many fish. Why are they always holding fish?” Rosemary mumbled.
Then she froze.
“Wait. Here. Look.”
And there it was:
“Andreas58, Greece.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I leaned closer. A quiet smile. A tiny stone house with blue shutters in the background. A garden. Olive trees.
“Looks like he smells like olives and calm mornings,” I said.
“Ooooh,” Rosemary grinned. “And he messaged you FIRST!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“He did?”
She clicked. His messages were short. No emojis. No exclamation marks. But warm. Grounded. Real. He told me about his garden, the sea, baking fresh bread with rosemary, and collecting salt from the rocks.
And on the third day… he wrote:
“I’d love to invite you to visit me, Martha. Here, in Paros.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I just stared at the screen. My heart thudded like it hadn’t in years.
Am I still alive if I’m afraid of romance again? Could I really leave my little fortress? For an olive man?
I needed Rosemary. So I called her.
“Dinner tonight. Bring pizza. And whatever that fearless energy of yours is made of.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
***
“This is karma!” Rosemary shouted. “I’ve been digging through dating sites for six months like an archaeologist with a shovel, and you—bam!—you’ve got a ticket to Greece already!”
“It’s not a ticket. It’s just a message.”
“From a Greek man. Who owns olive trees. That’s basically a Nicholas Sparks novel in sandals.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Rosemary, I can’t just run off like that. This isn’t a trip to IKEA. This is a man. In a foreign country. He might be a bot from Pinterest, for all I know.”
Rosemary rolled her eyes. “Let’s be smart about this. Ask him for pictures—of his garden, the view from his house, I don’t care. If he’s fake, it’ll show.”
“And if he’s not?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Then you pack your swimsuit and fly.”
I laughed, but wrote to him. He replied within the hour. The photos came in like a soft breeze.
The first showed a crooked stone path lined with lavender. The second—a little donkey with sleepy eyes standing. The third—a whitewashed house with blue shutters and a faded green chair.
And then… a final photo. A plane ticket. My name on it. Flight in four days.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
I stared at the screen like it was a magic trick. I blinked twice. Still there.
“Is this happening? Is this actually… real?”
“Let me see! Oh, God! Of course, real, silly! Pack your bags,” Rosemary exclaimed.
“Nope. Nope. I’m not going. At my age? Flying into the arms of a stranger? This is how people end up in documentaries!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
Rosemary didn’t say anything at first. Just kept chewing her pizza.
Then she sighed. “Okay. I get it. It’s a lot.”
I nodded, hugging my arms around myself.
***
That night, after she left, I was curled on the couch under my favorite blanket when my phone buzzed.
Text from Rosemary: “Imagine! I got an invitation too! Flying to my Jean in Bordeaux. Yay!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
“Jean?” I frowned. “She never even mentioned a Jean.”
I stared at the message for a long time.
Then, I got up, walked to my desk, and opened the dating site. I had an irresistible desire to write to him, to thank him and accept his proposition. But the screen was empty.
His profile—gone. Our messages—gone. Everything—gone.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
He must’ve removed his account. Probably thought I ghosted him. But I still had the address. He had sent it in one of the early messages. I’d scribbled it on the back of a grocery receipt.
Moreover, I had the photo. And the plane ticket.
If not now, then when? If not me—then who?
I walked to the kitchen, poured a cup of tea, and whispered into the night,
“Screw it. I’m going to Greece.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
***
As I stepped off the ferry in Paros, the sun hit me like a soft, warm slap.
The air smelled different. Not like home. There, it was saltier. Wilder. I pulled my little suitcase behind me—it thumped like a stubborn child refusing to be dragged through adventure.
Past sleepy cats stretched on windowsills like they’d ruled the island for centuries. Past grandmothers in black scarves were sweeping their doorsteps.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
I followed the blue dot on my phone screen. My heart pounded like it hadn’t in years.
What if he’s not there? What if it’s all a weird dream, and I’m standing in front of a stranger’s house in Greece?
I paused at the gate. Deep breath. Shoulders back. My fingers hovered over the bell. Ding. The door creaked open.
Wait… What?! No way! Rosemary!
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Barefoot. Wearing a flowing white dress. Her lipstick was fresh. Her hair was curled into soft waves. She looked like a yogurt commercial came to life.
“Rosemary? Weren’t you supposed to be in France?”
She tilted her head like a curious cat.
“Hello,” she purred. “You came? Oh, darling, that’s so unlike you! You said you weren’t flying. So I decided… to take the chance.”
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“You’re pretending to be me?”
“Technically, I created your account. Taught you everything. You were my… project. I just went to the final presentation.”
“But… how? Andreas’s account disappeared. And the messages, too.”
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“Oh, I saved the address, deleted your messages, and removed Andreas from your friends. Just in case you changed your mind. I didn’t know you knew how to save photos or the ticket.”
I wanted to scream. To cry. To slam the suitcase down and yell. But I didn’t. Just then, another shadow moved toward the door.
Andreas…
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“Hi, ladies.” He looked from me to her.
Rosemary immediately latched onto him, grabbing his arm.
“This is my friend Rosemary. She just happened to come. We told you about her, remember?”
“I came because of your invitation. But…”
He looked at me. His eyes were dark like the sea waves.
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“Well… that’s strange. Martha already arrived earlier, but…”
“I’m Martha!” I blurted.
Rosemary chirped sweetly.
“Oh, Andreas, my friend just got a bit anxious about me leaving. She always babysat me. So she must’ve flown here to check if everything’s fine—and you’re not a scammer.”
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Andreas was clearly charmed by Rosemary. He laughed at her antics.
“Alright then… Stay. You can figure things out. We’ve got enough room here.”
Whatever magic was supposed to be there—it had been hijacked…
My friend was playing against me. But I had a chance to stay and set things straight. Andreas deserved the truth, even if it wasn’t as sparkling as Rosemary.
“I’ll stay,” I smiled, accepting the rules of Rosemary’s game.
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***
Dinner was delicious, the view was perfect, and the mood—tight, like Rosemary’s silk blouse after a croissant.
She was all smiles and giggles, filling the air with her voice like perfume with nowhere else to go.
“Andreas, do you have any grandkids?” Rosemary purred.
Finally! There it was. My chance.
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I set down my fork slowly, looked up with the calmest face I could manage, and said, “Didn’t he tell you he has a grandson named Richard?”
Rosemary’s face flickered, just for a second. Then she lit up.
“Oh, right! Your… Richard!”
I smiled politely.
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“Oh, Andreas,” I added, looking straight at him, “but you don’t have a grandson. It’s a granddaughter. Rosie. She wears pink hair ties and loves drawing cats on the walls. And her favorite donkey—what’s his name again? Oh, that’s right. ‘Professor.'”
The table went quiet. Andreas turned to look at Rosemary. She froze, then let out a nervous chuckle.
“Andreas,” she said softly, trying to sound playful, “I think Rosemary is joking strangely. You know my memory…”
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Her hand reached for her glass, and I noticed it trembled.
Mistake one. But I am not done.
“And Andreas, don’t you share the same hobby as Martha? It’s so sweet how you both enjoy the same things.”
Rosemary frowned for a moment… then lit up. “Oh yes! Antique shops! Andreas, that’s wonderful. What was your latest find? I bet this island has tons of little treasures!”
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Andreas set down his fork.
“There are no antique shops here. And I’m not into antiques.”
Mistake number two. Rosemary is on the hook now. I continue.
“Of course, Andreas. You restore old furniture. You told me the last thing you made was a beautiful table still in your garage. Remember you’re supposed to sell it to a woman down the street?”
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Andreas frowned, then turned to Rosemary.
“You’re not Martha. How did I not see this right away? Show me your passport, please.”
She tried to laugh it off. “Oh, come on, don’t be dramatic…”
But passports don’t joke. A minute later, everything was on the table like the check at a restaurant. No surprises. Just an unpleasant truth.
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“I’m sorry,” Andreas said softly, turning back to Rosemary. “But I didn’t invite you.”
Rosemary’s smile cracked. She stood up fast.
“Real Martha’s boring! She’s quiet, always thinking things through, and never improvises! With her, it’ll feel like living in a museum!”
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“That’s exactly why I fell for her. For her attention to detail. For the pauses. For not rushing into things: because she wasn’t chasing thrills, she was seeking truth.”
“Oh, I just seized the moment to build happiness!” Rosemary yelled. “Martha was too slow and less invested than I was.”
“You cared more about the itinerary than the person,” Andreas replied. “You asked about the size of the house, the internet speed, the beaches. Martha… she knows what color ribbons Rosie wears.”
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Rosemary huffed and grabbed her bag.
“Well, suit yourself! But you’ll run from her in three days. You’ll get tired of the silence. And the buns daily.”
She stormed around the house like a hurricane, stuffing clothes into her suitcase with the fury of a tornado in heels. Then—slam. The door shook in its frame.
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Andreas and I just sat there on the terrace. The sea whispered in the distance. The night wrapped around us like a soft shawl.
We drank herbal tea without a word.
“Stay for a week,” he said after a while.
I looked at him. “What if I never want to leave?”
“Then we’ll buy another toothbrush.”
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And the following week…
We laughed. We baked buns. We picked olives with sticky fingers. We walked along the shore, not saying much.
I didn’t feel like a guest. I didn’t feel like someone passing through. I felt alive. And I felt… at home.
Andreas asked me to stay a bit longer. And I… wasn’t in a rush to go back.
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