A doctor was called for an emergency at the hospital and didn’t have anyone to leave her three kids with, but suddenly, she saw the garbageman and got an idea. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she returned home.
“Now? Are you sure Dr. Morris is not available?” I asked Nurse Carey on the phone, although I was already changing my clothes and thinking hard.
“No, Dr. Sanders. Dr. Morris is currently driving across state lines trying to get here. You live close by, so I thought I would call. The interns have no idea what they’re doing. I know it’s your day off, but I didn’t know what else to do. Will you be able to come?” Nurse Carey said, trying not to sound worried, but I knew they needed me.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I just need to find a babysitter,” I replied and hung up, immediately dialing Vicky, who was the only person who could somewhat handle my three crazy kids.
I’ve been a surgeon for a long time, but I used to have my husband, Peter. My rock. He became a stay-at-home dad when the realities of having three children became too much. But he passed away from a sudden heart attack while I was in the middle of another surgery.
My entire house… wait, was this my house? It couldn’t be.
Now, I had to constantly find babysitters for the children when unexpected emergencies happened. I couldn’t handle them. I had no patience, and it was silly to think that any babysitter would be able to handle them either. Two babysitters quit after one day of work, and word got around that my kids Johnny, 9, Christie, 7, and Lucy, 3, were menaces.
I mean… they were not wrong. But they didn’t have to put me in this position. Now, only Vicky ever said yes. Usually, I paid through the roof for the local daycare center when I was scheduled regularly at work, but I couldn’t rush them in today. It was already noon on a Friday, and I would feel bad sending them.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“I’m sorry, Opal. I can’t babysit today. I’m sick and can barely move,” Vicky said when I called. I told her to get some rest and hung up the phone. I hated the staff at the hospital daycare, and they hated me in return. But I was out of ideas. I would have to wrangle with my children and go there.
But suddenly, I heard all the kids yelling, “Uncle Bob! Uncle Bob!”
I sighed. They didn’t have an uncle. The local garbageman was so friendly and sweet that they started calling him uncle as soon as they could speak. I had known him for over ten years, and my kids adored him.
Johnny opened the front door, and all my babies went outside to greet him. I might have to call the hospital, I thought. I was never going to get those kids back into the house to be dressed on time.
But I did smile at the sight of them playing with Bob. My kids had turned into devils when their father died. The therapist said it was normal and would pass, but I wasn’t so sure. I felt like a failure. Like my mothering instincts were faulty or something. I didn’t know what to do.
But as I watched the kids hug and ask Uncle Bob to play, I had an idea. “That’s it,” I told myself and ran to Bob.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Bob, I have a crazy request. I know you’re busy. But I was wondering if you would babysit my kids for 25 minutes. I have to check something urgent at the hospital, and I have no one else,” I begged, and my kids looked at me with wide eyes filled with happiness.
“Sure, Dr. Sanders. I can watch them for a while,” he replied, nodding and smiling. My children jumped and cheered.
“They’re more than a handful, though. I’m warning you,” I said sheepishly.
“Don’t worry. You go ahead. Your job is important,” he told me, and I ran off, hoping my house would not be entirely destroyed by the time I returned.
The situation took more than 25 minutes, as Dr. Morris got stuck in traffic, and the patient became even more urgent. I was rushed into an operating room, and I couldn’t get away until three hours later. I felt so bad for Bob, who obviously had his own work to finish.
I drove home as quickly as I could. “Bob! Bob! I’m sorry!” I yelled breathlessly as I opened my door, but I froze.
My entire house… wait, was this my house? It couldn’t be. My house was always littered with toys, crayons, paper, and sometimes smears of peanut butter. I know. Gross. Don’t judge me.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Dr. Sanders, how was your surgery? Everything alright?” Bob asked as he appeared from the hallway.
“What happened here? My house… is unrecognizable. And why aren’t the kids screaming and running around?” I asked, so confused and shocked.
“Lucy is napping, and Christie and Johnny are in their rooms, reading,” he told me, and I swear, my jaw hit the floor.
“What? Are you kidding me?”
“No, go see.”
I had to go, and my eyes couldn’t believe it either. But Bob had told me the truth. “How did you do this?”
“Oh, Dr. Sanders. I was a single father raising kids once. Mine were ten times worse than these three angels,” Bob laughed. “I taught them to pick up after themselves and narrated them fairy tales. Your kids ate that up. You might want to buy them more books.”
I nodded, starstruck. No one in my life had ever called my kids “angels,” and they had never been interested in the few books I got. “I can’t believe it,” I whispered.
“It was easy. But now I have to go,” Bob said, picking up his work jacket from the back of a chair.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pe
“Oh, yes. I’m so sorry about being late. I’m so embarrassed,” I said, touching my forehead. “I’ll pay you triple for that.”
“No. No. I don’t need money,” Bob shook his head, raising his hands.
“Please. For your time,” I insisted with my stern look. People at the hospital were afraid of that look, so I knew Bob would not be able to reject the money.
“Ok, I’ll treat the kids to something nice,” he laughed. “Goodbye, Dr. Sanders. Have a nice day!”
“Thank you!” I yelled out, exhausted.
***
My kids behaved for the rest of the day, and I almost cried. It was the best day ever.
So, I called Bob and offered him a full-time nanny job, tripling his current salary and adding more health benefits since I had connections at the hospital. He accepted in the end, and I was so thankful that I gave him a Christmas bonus and plane tickets to his family could visit Disneyland in California later that year.
My Best Friend Married My Ex-husband — Then She Called Me in the Middle of the Night, Terrified
When Sarah gets home from the usual errands with her kids, the last thing she expects is to hear her husband spilling his true feelings about her — that she is just a means to an end in his life. But Sarah isn’t about to let Ethan get away with his callous behavior. Instead, she decides to teach him a lesson.
They say marriage is built on love, trust, and respect. I thought I had all three with Ethan. For seven years, we shared a home, two kids, and what I thought was a good life.
A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney
Sure, there were the rough patches that popped up every now and again. But honestly, what marriage doesn’t have those? We always found our way back to each other. Or so I thought.
Then, last week happened.
It started like any other day. I picked up the kids, juggling their boundless energy with the chaos of school bags and snack wrappers. When we got home, I sent them upstairs to play and headed inside to get a moment of peace before dinner prep began.
Two kids in their school uniform | Source: Midjourney
That’s when I heard it. Ethan’s voice, clear as day, drifting out of the living room.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. He had a couple of his coworkers over, so I figured they were just chatting. But as I walked closer, I caught a snippet of his conversation.
“Take a page from my book, guys,” Ethan said, his tone dripping with confidence. “I got it all figured out. I took the ugly wife for the housework and raising the kids, and I take the pretty ones on vacation. I know what I’m doing!”
A man sitting on a couch and holding a can | Source: Midjourney
I froze.
My breath hitched, and I felt the grocery bag slip from my hand. My heart pounded, and the blood rushed to my ears as my husband kept talking, oblivious to my presence.
“I mean, come on. Sarah doesn’t even realize it. She thinks I’m some kind of saint. Meanwhile, I’ve got the house, the car, and everything handed to me on a silver platter. And the best part? She’s just happy to keep everything running while I have my fun.”
A shocked woman | Source: Midjourney
I felt sick.
My husband, the man I’d trusted with my life, was bragging about how he was using me.
To his friends.
I clutched the stair railing, struggling to stay upright.
A woman standing by a staircase | Source: Midjourney
“Wow, Ethan,” one of his coworkers said, laughing nervously. “You’re, uh, really living the dream.”
“I know, right?” Ethan replied, his voice full of disgustingly smug pride. “It’s all about playing your cards right. It’s easy, guys. I’ll coach you. Ugly wife in the left hand, pretty wife in the right.”
The word “ugly” kept ringing in my ears, like a cruel echo.
A man sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
I wanted to scream, to storm into the room and demand answers. But I didn’t. Instead, I stepped back quietly and slipped upstairs, ready to get into the shower and wash away the slimy feeling that had taken over me.
That night, Ethan acted like nothing had happened. He came into the kitchen and helped me cook the salmon and broccoli, a dish that the kids loved. He even kissed me on the cheek, asked about my day, and helped put the kids to bed.
It was almost comical how oblivious he was to the storm brewing inside me.
A tray of food | Source: Midjourney
“You okay?” he asked later when I was making mugs of hot chocolate for the kids. Finally, he seemed to realize that I was quieter than usual.
I forced a smile.
“Just tired. It’s been a long day,” I said.
“Well, don’t overdo it,” he said, patting my shoulder like he was doing me a favor.
Two mugs of hot chocolate | Source: Midjourney
I nodded, biting back the urge to scream.
The next morning, I got up early, my mind racing. Ethan left for work with his usual kiss on the cheek, and I plastered on a smile as he walked out the door.
As soon as he was gone, I started planning. I wasn’t just angry. I was determined.
A man wearing a suit | Source: Midjourney
By mid-afternoon, I had everything I needed: photos of Ethan with his “pretty ones,” screenshots of flirty messages, and a few financial records that painted a very clear picture of his double life.
I sat there with my laptop, feeling like how I felt at university when I was putting an assignment together. The same looming anxiety because of a deadline. The same dread as I put things together. Like everything was riding on this. And if I’m being honest… everything was.
I had no idea how long this had been going on for, but what I wanted was to make Ethan feel pain.
A woman sitting at a laptop | Source: Midjourney
I wanted to embarrass him and break his heart. I wanted him to understand how humiliating his words were. I wanted him to grow up and realize that he wasn’t behaving like the man worthy of a wife and children, unworthy of the life we had built.
He deserved nothing.
When he came home that evening, he had no idea what was waiting for him. I hadn’t bothered to cook for him. Instead, I had taken the kids to get Chinese food and dropped them off at my mother’s.
Children holding a bag of fortune cookies | Source: Midjourney
Ethan and I were going to have a showdown.
“Hey, babe,” he said, flashing his usual smug smile. “How was your day?”
“Oh, just the usual,” I replied casually. “But I did get something special for you.”
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
A smiling man | Source: Midjourney
“Special? What’s the occasion? I’m the luckiest man alive, aren’t I? What’s for dinner?”
“I just felt like treating you,” I said with a sweet smile. “Come to the living room. I’ll show you.”
He followed me, curiosity plastered across his face.
“Sit, honey,” I said, gesturing for him to sit in the chair I’d placed in front of the TV. I’d even left a bowl of pretzels and a can of beer on the coffee table for him.
Beer and pretzels on a coffee table | Source: Midjourney
“What’s this about, Sarah?” he asked, still grinning.
“You’ll see!” I replied, handing him the can of beer.
I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
Then, the slideshow began.
A woman holding a TV remote | Source: Midjourney
At first, Ethan didn’t understand what he was seeing. The first few photos were harmless enough—scenic shots from vacations he’d taken under the guise of “business trips.”
But then the pictures shifted.
There he was, arm in arm with a woman I recognized from his Facebook friends list. Then another photo of him laughing with a different woman, drinks in hand.
A couple holding drinks | Source: Midjourney
“Sarah,” he began. “Look, I can explain.”
I held a hand up.
“Hush, honey,” I said. “Keep watching. Enjoy the show.”
More photos appeared, each one more damning than the last.
A pensive woman | Source: Midjourney
“You didn’t think I’d find out, did you?” I asked.
“Where did you get these?” he demanded, his smugness replaced by panic.
“You’re not exactly subtle, Ethan,” I replied. “But that’s not the point. The point is, I’ve put up with a lot over the years. And I’ve ignored all the red flags, much to my mother’s dismay. I’ve ignored every stupid excuse. But this? Bragging to your friends about how you’re using me? That’s a new low, even for you.”
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
“Sarah, please, let’s talk about this, honey,” he pleaded, his hands actually trembling.
“Oh, we’re going to talk,” I said, stepping closer. “But first, let me introduce you to someone.”
I opened the door, and in walked my divorce lawyer.
A man in a suit | Source: Midjourney
“What the hell? Who is this?” he sputtered.
“This,” I said calmly. “This is the beginning of the end, Ethan.”
The lawyer explained the terms:
Ethan would lose the house, which was my parents’ wedding present to us. He’d lose the car, which was in my name. And most of his paycheck would go toward child support.
An angry man | Source: Midjourney
“You can’t do this, Sarah!” Ethan shouted, his face turning red.
“Actually, I can,” I replied. “You made your choices, Ethan. Now you get to live with them.”
The next day, Ethan packed his things and moved out. He planned on couch surfing until things “settled for him.”
A man packing a bag | Source: Midjourney
At first, he tried to win me back with apologies and promises. He swore that he would change and that he’d been “stupid” and “selfish.”
But I wasn’t interested.
“I gave you everything,” I told him during one of his desperate calls. “But you threw it away. This is on you.”
The kids and I are doing fine. They’ll ask about Ethan occasionally, and they do get excited when I take them to meet him. But at the end of the day, we’re better off this way.
Two smiling children | Source: Midjourney
Months later, I heard through a mutual friend that Ethan was struggling.
“He’s still crashing on Joshua’s couch,” she said. “Apparently, he can barely keep up with his expenses.”
And it turned out that his “pretty ones” had all disappeared, leaving him alone to face the mess he’d made.
As for me?
A man sleeping on a couch | Source: Midjourney
I was thriving. Between work and all my free time, I started taking time off for myself. I rediscovered my love for embroidery, which is something I did with my grandmother when I was a child. And I even went on a few dates.
But the best part? Seeing my kids smile, knowing that they were growing up in a home filled with love and respect.
A woman doing embroidery | Source: Midjourney
Ethan thought he’d broken me. He thought he could take and take without consequences. But in the end, the only thing he broke was himself.
And honestly? I don’t feel bad about it.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
Enjoyed this story? Here’s another one for you:
My Husband Left Me and Our Toddler in Economy Class and Went to Business Himself – He Regretted It So Much in
When Claire, John, and their son, Ethan, board a flight to John’s parents, John mysteriously disappears to Business Class, leaving Claire to tackle the flight with the baby alone. But when they get to their destination, Claire’s father-in-law teaches John a lesson that he won’t forget.
About a week ago, my father-in-law really showed my husband that despite being married and having a son, he still had a lot to learn.
A couple with their toddler | Source: Midjourney
My husband, John, and I were gearing up for the long-awaited trip to his parents with our energetic two-year-old son, Ethan. John had been particularly stressed with work and kept going on about how much he needed a break.
“Claire, I can’t wait to finally relax,” John said as we packed our bags. “I just need some peace and quiet, you know?”
I smiled, though I was preoccupied with packing Ethan’s toys.
“I know, John. We all need a break. But it’ll be fun for Ethan to see his grandparents and be spoilt with their love for a bit.”
Little did I know, my husband had rather selfish plans in mind.
A woman packing suitcases | Source: Midjourney
At the airport, I was busy wrangling our toddler and managing the luggage while still trying to open a container of applesauce for Ethan. John mysteriously vanished.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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