When I think about what happened, it reminds me that lies can hurt any marriage. My husband Will had been keeping something from me, and when I found out, it would change everything. What I discovered was not what I thought it would be, and it shocked me.
I’m 28 years old and my name is Elizabeth. My husband and I had always been a team, going through life’s changes together. I thought that. I had a lot of changes when I got pregnant. Will started staying at work late, and his reasons started to sound weak. Something felt wrong, and I couldn’t shake it.
I told him one night that I didn’t like how hard he worked late. He told her it was just a busy time at work and brushed it off. I knew better, though. His eyes showed that he felt bad, and my heart sank. “Will, I miss you,” I finally said, my voice shaking. “These days, we don’t talk much. “This child… I can’t handle this by myself.”
I thought I saw fear in his eyes for a split second when he looked up. He said in a whisper, “You’re not alone, Lizzie.” “I promise you’re not alone.”
As the weeks went by, my doubts only grew. I couldn’t hold back the urge to look at his phone one night. I was shocked by what I found. A message from a person named “P” showing love and thanks. My heart stopped. Who were they, and why did they say they loved my husband?
As I looked further, I came across the file about a second home. A second home! It seemed like everything was falling apart around me. Where did he spend the nights? Who did he meet there?
The next day, I found out where Will was and my suspicions were proven. He was at the place written in the file. I had to understand what was going on. My heart was beating fast as I drove to the house.
I couldn’t breathe after seeing what I did. With its white doors and porch that went all the way around, the house was very pretty. What I saw next, though, shocked me. A little boy with a big smile ran out the door. He asked, “Are you here to help us?”
Before I could figure out what was going on, Will blocked my way at the door. “Lizzie, you shouldn’t be here,” he said in a shaking voice.
I wasn’t going anywhere, though. I made them tell me what was going on. What kind of boy was this? Why did Will own this house?
To my surprise, what I saw inside the house was nothing like what I thought it would be like. The kitchen was being worked on by family friends, Will’s brothers were putting together furniture, and my parents were painting the walls. There was a lot going on in the house.
“What is this?” In shock, I whispered.
Will grabbed my hands. “Hey Lizzie, I bought this house for us.” For myself, you, and the child. I meant for it to be a surprise.
When I knew the truth, tears ran down my face. Will had worked hard to give us a place to live so that we could begin our new life together.
At that very moment, I felt sad, guilty, thankful, and relieved all at the same time. I learnt that love isn’t about doing big things or being perfect. It’s about being there, even when things are a mess. And Will had shown up in the strangest way.
