Finding Freedom after Deceit

As the echoes of my twins' farewells drift through the house, I observe their interactions with a detached sense of curiosity. The sound of their youthful exuberance is a stark contrast to the solitude of my own childhood. 

Yet, I cannot dwell on such comparisons. Things are different now, and I have grown accustomed to the solitude that accompanies my maturity. Despite lacking the camaraderie of childhood friendships, I find solace in the quiet rhythm of my own company. 

Nevertheless, I await their return with a sense of duty, prepared to fulfill my role as a parent with the same measured demeanor that governs every aspect of my life.

I help them change clothes , Madison is her bubble self as always , I just observe Avery as we go back to the kitchen to get them late lunch. As I prepare sandwiches for them, Madison and Avery settle at the kitchen table, their expressions a mixture of solemnity and agitation. 

Sensing their discomfort, I pause in my task, giving them my full attention. 

"What's on your minds, my loves?" 

I inquire, my tone gentle yet probing. Madison fidgets with her sandwich, her voice tinged with frustration as she recounts the events of the day. 

"Mom, there's this kid at school," 

She begins, her words punctuated by a heavy sigh. 

"He's been picking on Avery, saying mean things about him not having a dad." 

This isn't new to me. Madison is always her brother's voice. She gets mad when he's not okay and he is just so adorably overprotective of his sister. Avery is a very quiet boy , but sensitive a lot. Things get to him easily and he just shuts down , and does not talk to anyone but his sister. I'm used to it.

My heart sinks at the revelation, a surge of protectiveness welling within me. Avery nods in agreement, his expression somber. "Yeah, Mom," he adds, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "He keeps teasing me about not having a dad to play soccer with." 

Anger simmers beneath the surface as I listen to their words, but I remain composed, offering them a reassuring smile. 

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with that," 

I murmur, my voice soft yet resolute. 

"But remember, you are strong and capable, and Mommy is always here to support you, no matter what." 

I can see it in their eyes. They are confused as hell. It's like they can see exactly how dysfunctional this situation is. I have no idea how to tell them that I also have no idea where their father is and that I don't think I'll ever find him.

After eating lunch , Avery says he wants to take a nap , while Madison insists that she want to help me with the dishes. I know I bought pizza , intending not to cook but I have no choice now. I need a serious distraction. 

As I go about my daily tasks, the tension in the air becomes palpable as Madison, with a furrowed brow, suddenly broaches a sensitive topic. 

"Mom,"

She begins, her voice trembling with a mixture of curiosity and frustration, 

"Why doesn't Dad live with us?" 

My heart clenches at the abruptness of her question, the wounds of the past reopening with painful clarity. Summoning all my composure, I meet her gaze with a measured expression.

"Madison, sweetheart," 

I reply, my voice strained with emotion, 

"It's complicated." 

But before I can offer further explanation, Madison's impatience boils over, her voice rising with an edge of defiance. 

"That's not an answer, Mom! Avery is sad and I don't like seeing him sad. Please call daddy to come back now, we need him." 

She exclaims, her frustration bubbling to the surface. I cannot believe they are already this talkative. I wasn't expecting these kinds of questions anytime soon. It came sooner , it's such a shock. Again , how to tell five year old kids that you don't know their father's name or his whereabouts?

"I want to know his name Mommy" 

My breath catches in my throat, the weight of her requests heavy upon me. In that moment, the floodgates of emotion threaten to burst open, but with a trembling hand, I reach for the strength to navigate this delicate conversation, knowing that the truth may wound as deeply as the silence.

I have to lie. I have to try and come up with a solid story to pin them on their "non existence father."

"I'll tell you when your brother wakes up, okay?"

"Okay mommy, can I have some snacks please?"

"Okay baby."

One evening , Margaret had decided to spend the night because I got back from work a little later than usual , so she suggested that she sleep in and I was happy with that. She had done everything around the house. I just took a bath and ate , then I went to kiss my kids goodnight.

As the evening settles into a quiet calm, my phone lights up with Daniel's name flashing on the screen. I was honestly not expecting his call , he has been respecting my boundaries at work and I was at peace with that. 

Even Sally and Bridget had laid off me. I answer, unsure of what to expect. 

"Hello?"

I greet cautiously, my voice betraying the uncertainty swirling within me. Daniel's warm tone washes over me, a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. 

"Kattie," 

He begins, his voice laced with sincerity, 

"I've been thinking a lot about us lately." 

My heart skips a beat at his words, a rush of conflicting emotions flooding through me. How did we end up here, with me agreeing to be his girlfriend? The memory eludes me, lost amidst the whirlwind of emotions that has consumed me in recent days. With a heavy sigh, I brace myself for the conversation that follows, knowing that the path ahead is fraught with uncertainty and possibility.

I remember our very first official date as a couple , everything was 10 times better than the last date we had when we were still getting to know each other. 

As Daniel and I sit across from each other at a cozy table in the restaurant, the atmosphere tinged with a sense of excitement and anticipation. His eyes sparkle with warmth as he reaches across the table to take my hand in his, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips. 

"Kattie," 

He begins, his voice soft yet filled with conviction, 

"I've been looking forward to this moment for so long." 

His words wash over me like a wave, stirring a whirlwind of emotions within me. With a hesitant smile, I meet his gaze, my heart fluttering with a mix of nervousness and exhilaration. Honestly , my emotions are numb , I don't know how to react.

"Me too, Daniel," 

I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. 

"I'm grateful for this opportunity to spend time with you, to get to know you better." 

In that moment, as we share a smile filled with promise and possibility, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, this could be the beginning of something truly special.

Eight months of dating , everything was perfect until I found out that Daniel is a married men who is intending on making me his second wife and bare him children because his wife is barren

The revelation hit me like a thunderbolt, shattering the illusion of perfection that had enveloped our relationship for the past eight months. Daniel, the man I had trusted and grown to love, was not who he seemed. 

As the truth unfolded before me, my heart sank with a mixture of disbelief and betrayal. How could he have kept such a monumental secret from me? The weight of his intentions – to make me his second wife and bear him children because his wife was unable to – bore down on me, suffocating me with its implications. 

In that moment, the love and trust I had invested in him crumbled to dust, leaving behind a gaping void of pain and disillusionment. As I grappled with the reality of his deceit, I knew that I could no longer remain entangled in this web of lies and deception. 

With a heavy heart and a resolve born of newfound strength, I made the agonizing decision to walk away, leaving behind the shattered remnants of a love that was never truly mine to begin with.

The unexpected call from Daniel's wife caught me off guard, I don't have any idea how she found out that I have been seeing Daniel because we kept our relationship between ourselves.

As she pleaded with me to stay away from her husband, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over me. The truth of Daniel's deceit had already shattered the fragile façade of our relationship, leaving behind a trail of heartache and betrayal. And now, faced with the raw pain in his wife's words, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of empathy. 

Despite the turmoil raging within me, I knew deep down that leaving him was the only choice I could make. So when his wife's tearful plea echoed in my ears, it only served to reinforce the decision I had already made. With a heavy heart and a sense of resignation, I assured her that I would honor her request, knowing that in doing so, I was finally setting myself free from the tangled web of lies and deceit that had ensnared us all.

I made sure that I let her know that I didn't know about her existence , otherwise I would never date a married man. We surprisingly ended up being friends. In a strange weird way , we connected and I told her everything about my own failed marriage. 

I forgave Daniel , but I couldn't work for him anymore , under circumstances.