Suddenly Cold
She shifted uncomfortably and rolled over to lie on her other side. Sliding her fingertips over to the other side of the sheets, she wondered why the bed was cold. Realizing that she was alone, she called for her husband.
But she got no answer. She knew that he had been here just a few hours ago. Concerned, she wondered where he had gone – after all, it was the middle of the night.
Gone
With her heart sinking, Amanda realized that her husband had disappeared in the middle of the night. She checked the bathroom and the rest of the house, but he was nowhere to be found.
Panicking now, she frantically dialed his cellphone. No answer there either. And worse, Amanda was eight months pregnant. With a heavy heart, she wondered what she was going to do. How could she look after this baby on her own?
Her Worst Fears
Needing to know what was going on, Amanda decided to call her mother-in-law. A cold sweat beaded on her forehead when she told her that they hadn’t heard from their 40-year-old son either. Alone in her Lake View apartment in Florida, she had no idea what to do. With tears in her eyes, she sat staring at her phone, willing her husband to call her.
Over the course of the next day, her friends and family members sent a flurry of messages offering support, but all she wanted was a message from her husband, Jake. After a while, her helpless sobs turned into tears of anger.
The Search
The next morning, Amanda desperately tried to call her husband again, but now his phone had been turned off. Here she was, 36-years old, alone, and heavily pregnant. How could he do this to her?
She wouldn’t give up, so she kept on trying to call him. Her emotions fluctuated from concern to rage – deep down, she knew that he had abandoned her.
Getting Through
Amanda kept trying – but each unanswered ring only hammered the point home. At least his phone was on now, she thought angrily. Suddenly, there was an unfamiliar dial tone and she heard a faint voice, “Hello?”
“It’s me, Jake, where are you?” Amanda stammered through the tears. “I have been worried sick.” But would he be happy to hear from her?
Shock
After trying to reach her husband for so long, Amanda was actually shocked to hear his voice crackling on the line. “Where are you?” she repeated, with a mixture of hope and desperation in her voice. She didn’t even give him time to answer before she asked: “Why did you leave? What about the baby?”
Silence. Amanda waited a few seconds, then he spoke. “Amanda, I am overseas on site,” hesitating, he added: "It's complicated. I can't explain right now, but I'll make things right."
No News
As the days wore on, Amanda waited to hear from her husband again. Every night was a sleepless nightmare, as she lay wondering what was going on. She couldn’t help but think of all the worst-case scenarios.
She tried to get hold of her husband’s employer to find out exactly where Jake was, but she couldn’t stop worrying about seeing his name appear in the headlines. Each day, the uncertainty grew until she could feel it like a terrible weight around her neck.
He Didn’t Seem To Care
Amanda kept waiting for her husband to call her. With the baby due in just a few weeks, she started preparing herself to go through the life-altering event on her own.
Amanda’s third trimester was very hard on her. On top of the pregnancy, she was so lonely that she had to ask her mother to stay with her. How could she raise a baby alone?
News
Amanda was tearfully watching the sun disappear under the horizon when the phone in her hand started to buzz. “Hello?” she answered, her voice shaking.
Jake’s voice crackled over the line: “It’s me. Don’t worry Amanda, I have been working on something… something that will contribute to our future. I am sorry that I had to leave, but I’ll be back soon.”
Something Is Not Right
Amanda felt a surge of hope, but then her heart sank a little more. “You can’t just go like this, I need you here with me!” she pleaded.
"I know, I know. Just trust me,” he replied, “when I’m back it will all change.” Jake was trying to convince his estranged wife that the money he earned would be worth it.
On The Job
The line started to break up and then it went silent, leaving Amanda with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He was halfway across the world in Saudi Arabia working on an engineering project.
Was this a genuine promise or just another false hope? She clung to the fragile thread of optimism, willing it to lead her toward a brighter future.
Almost Nine Months Pregnant
Days turned into weeks, and Amanda's belly swelled with the anticipation of motherhood. It was almost time for her to give birth. The due date was only a few days away. Would Jake make it back to the USA?
Her phone remained silent, and doubts crept into her thoughts. Was he ever coming back, or was he just a phantom of the past?
All Alone
Amanda's heart felt like it had turned to stone when her husband walked out on her at 8 months pregnant. The betrayal echoed in the empty spaces of their once-happy home.
As her due date approached, she faced the daunting prospect of raising a child alone. Her mind was screaming about her husband abandoning her at 36 weeks, a story that seemed more like a soap opera plot than her reality.
Far Away Job
Weeks passed, and Amanda couldn't shake the gnawing worry about her husband's well-being. The overseas job he'd claimed to be on made communication scarce.
She tried calling him repeatedly, her heart pounding with each unanswered ring. She could only imagine the worst scenarios, fearing for his safety and sanity. Did he manage to book his tickets back to America?
Change Of Mind
The next day, her loneliness and anxiety reached a peak, and she decided to occupy her mind with a simple task—cleaning the oven.
She had hardly cooked since her husband left. Her friends and family were bringing her meals around to help her out. She was beginning to get lazy and decided to do some small chores to get her blood circulation going.
Something Inside
She opened the oven door and saw there was something inside. She hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. As she reached in, her fingers brushed against something unexpected.
She couldn’t bend down any further to see, so she reached in with both hands to see if she could feel what was left inside. Was it an old frying pan? She felt its smooth surface. It was big.
A Hidden Surprise
Pulling it out, she discovered a box with an envelope. Intrigued, she opened it to find a letter from her estranged husband. His words, a mix of apologies and explanations, left her conflicted. As she unfolded the letter, her husband's words leaped off the page like a beacon of hope.
Amidst the apology, he explained that the pressures of work had momentarily clouded his judgment, but he was determined to make amends.
He Left It There
Amanda was brought to tears by her husband’s thoughtful gift. She sat down to read it carefully.
"I know I've messed up," the letter began. "But I want you to know I've been thinking about you and the baby every day. Please, use the enclosed money for anything you need, and the voucher book is for when I return. I'm working hard to make things right."
A Sentimental Gift
The emotional mother-to-be opened the beautifully wrapped box. Tucked within the envelope was not just a letter but also a wad of cash, a lifeline for Amanda and the unborn child.
Alongside the money was a voucher book, filled with promises—a dinner date, a movie night, a weekend getaway. Each voucher was a pledge to rebuild the shattered trust.
Not Good Enough
Amanda's emotions swirled like a storm inside her. Anger clashed with a flicker of hope. She counted the money – It was $2000, so she felt a mix of gratitude and confusion.
The voucher book was a promise of a future, a glimmer that perhaps their story hadn't reached its final chapter. Would she be able to forgive him when he returned?
Due Date Draws Close
As the days passed, Amanda oscillated between anger and yearning for the man she once knew. She found herself contemplating the vouchers—dinner dates, spa treatments, and even a note promising a heartfelt conversation.
She was angry that he never told her he was leaving. The enigma of his intentions added an extra layer of suspense to her already tumultuous life.
What Do You Think
She reached out to a friend, debating whether to cash in on one of the vouchers or to continue living with the uncertainty. She needed to vent her frustrations.
The friend, sensing Amanda's turmoil, advised her to take control. "You deserve answers," she said. "Don't let the suspense eat away at you." Was her friend giving her the right advice?
The Last Letter
Amanda's hands shook as she clutched the letter, a mix of emotions flooding her. The storm outside seemed to echo the tumult within her. She wanted to talk to the father of her child.
With a trembling voice, she called her husband, and for the first time in weeks, their conversation held a flicker of the warmth that once defined their relationship.
The Rules
Summoning courage, Amanda decided to confront her husband, demanding clarity about his sudden departure and the enigmatic voucher book. “Put me on a video call, let me see your face,” she said sternly.
The conversation, conducted through a shaky video call, was emotionally charged. He explained the pressures that led him to leave and expressed remorse for the pain he'd caused.
Sad To Go
As Amanda listened, the suspense slowly unravelled. The pieces of their shattered life started to come together, forming a new mosaic of understanding. He couldn’t tell her about the job because he knew she wouldn’t like it.
They decided to work towards rebuilding, acknowledging that trust, once broken, could be mended, albeit with time. Would it work out with the new baby?
He Really Loves Her
Tears streamed down Amanda's face as she spoke, sharing the depth of her pain and the unexpected discovery in the oven. “I thought you were never coming back Jake!” she yelled.
The silence on the other end was replaced by a mix of remorse and relief. He vowed to make amends, to be there for her and their child, promising that the vouchers were just the beginning.
Our Way Forward
The voucher book became a roadmap for their reconciliation—a collection of moments meant to bridge the gaps that had grown between them. Amanda decided to give Jake the benefit of the doubt, after all, he was a good provider.
Each coupon redeemed was a step towards healing, a shared commitment to a future they were determined to rewrite. She was looking forward to cashing them out on him.
Almost Time
As the rain outside began to subside, Amanda felt a glimmer of hope. The oven, once a symbol of routine and monotony, now held the promise of a renewed future.
The journey ahead wouldn't be easy, but in that moment, clutching the letter and the vouchers, Amanda dared to believe that her story was far from over. Soon her bundle of joy would be here.
Husbands Homecoming
Jake called with news that he would be flying out the next day. Would he make it in time for his baby’s delivery?
The flight was long and gruelling. He received a message from his in-laws that Amanda's water had broken. She would be giving birth in a few hours, he had to come straight to the hospital.
A Fresh Start
As the baby boy arrived, the couple faced the challenges together, knowing that some stories, no matter how fraught with suspense, could find unexpected redemption.
The story of Amanda and her husband became not just a tale of abandonment, but a narrative of resilience, forgiveness, and the unpredictable turns life could take. Would the new baby be able to keep them together?