My husband and I have been together for 11 years, and throughout that time, we never once managed to take a proper vacation. For the last three years, we had saved every dollar possible to finally enjoy our dream cruise.
But just four days before we were supposed to leave, disaster struck — my 15-year-old stepson was kil:led in a car acc:ident.
I was heartbroken for my husband, and the grief felt unbearable. Still, I couldn’t ignore the weight of how much I had invested in this trip — emotionally, mentally, and financially. I told him, “You can stay, but I won’t give this up!” He said nothing. He simply fell silent.
While I was on the cruise, he called me. I froze when I heard his voice. He said, “You are not coming back to this house ever again!”
I was stunned. While still on the cruise, I learned he had gathered all my things and put them out on the lawn — even asking my mother to collect them. In an instant, everything collapsed. The trip I had long dreamed of was suddenly overshadowed.
