Our marriage had grown distant—Dan was consumed by work, and I felt alone. One evening, I planned a surprise dinner to reconnect, only to realize I’d left my charger at my mom’s. A quick trip, I thought. But when I got there, everything changed.I found Dan—at my mom’s house—shoes by the door, strange sounds coming from the bedroom. My heart sank. I rushed in, bracing for the worst.But instead of betrayal, I found Dan helping my mom, who had thrown her back out. He’d rushed over after she called in pain,
too proud to ask me for help. Relief and guilt washed over me. I had assumed the worst—but Dan was just being the kind man I married. Later, when we talked, we finally opened up. I admitted how alone I felt, and he apologized for being emotionally absent. That moment became a turning point. He promised to be more present—and he meant it. As life settled down,