Karl was forced to run away from his wedding, but Jessica never understood why he stood her up at the altar. Years later, she received a note in the mail with his name on it. No matter how much time had passed, Jessica never forgot him, and what he wrote was astonishing.
“You will leave this church immediately and never return. Do you understand me, boy?” Hubert Pennigton, Jessica’s father, threatened Karl with a stern look. They were standing in the men’s dressing room behind the church.
“I’m not a boy, sir. I’m a man, and I love your daughter. I will not abandon her. It’s our wedding day,” Karl insisted, pleading his future father-in-law to understand.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I never liked you two dating, and I’m not going to let this continue. My daughter will not be marrying a loser who works paycheck to paycheck,” the older man sneered. “Do you hear me? I have friends in high places, as well as connections in some others. I can make your life a nightmare. If you don’t disappear willingly, I’ll make you leave by any means necessary.”
“Is that a threat?” Karl asked, squaring up to Hubert, trying not to show how afraid he was. He knew Jessica’s family was connected to some important people and a few dangerous folks, too, so Karl knew the older man’s words were not in vain.
“I don’t make threats, boy, I make promises. Now, you will leave this place right now without anyone noticing and ghost Jessica forever, OR ELSE!” Hubert finished, raising his voice, in the end, to get his point across thoroughly. He poked his index finger in Karl’s chest painfully, gave him a disdainful look, and exited.
Karl didn’t know what to do. He truly loved Jessica, but her father would hurt them both just to get his way. He paced around the room for a few more minutes then decided to leave before his groomsmen came to find him. He was quick, exiting through the back of the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan and hailing a cab right there.
“Where to, sir?” the taxi driver asked.
“DTW, please,” Karl replied. He was going to the airport and flying across the country to get away from these people. I hope Jessica can forgive me, Karl thought while resting his elbow on the window sill and facing out.
All they had left was a single Polaroid photo, a painful reminder of a wedding that was never meant to be.
Fifty years later…
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
At 75, Jessica liked to sit outside on her porch and watch the kids running around Rosedale Park Historic District, one of the best neighborhoods in Detroit. She always took a cup of tea and a book to read. It was a peaceful time, but Jessica inevitably thought about her life during those times. Today was that kind of day.
She remembered her first wedding well, as it was the only time she was ever excited to have one. Karl was the love of her life, or so she thought. But when she reached the end of the aisle on her father’s arm, she saw everyone’s worried faces. Karl had disappeared, and no one knew why. They waited hours for him to return.
His groomsmen went to his house, and everything was intact. But Karl never returned, and Jessica cried on the steps of the Masonic Temple for several more hours. It was one of the best wedding venues in the city, and she always dreamed of getting married there. However, it was not to be. Her mother comforted her as best she could, but her father was actually happy.
Five years later, her father introduced her to Michael Keller, the son of a family friend. He was wealthy and connected, so her dad pushed until she accepted his proposal. They got married and had a daughter, Cynthia, almost immediately. However, Jessica filed for divorce the moment her father died.
Her husband had cheated throughout their entire relationship and was glad to separate from her, so it was a win-win situation for everyone involved. She took the then-six-year-old Cynthia, moved to her house in the Rosedale Park area, and forgot about her failed love life.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Years went by, and Cynthia grew up to become an amazing career woman. She got married right there at the Masonic Temple and gave Jessica three gorgeous grandchildren, who visited often.
I had a great life, Jessica thought to herself while sipping her tea. It was true, although she never tried dating again. But once in a while, she thought about Karl and still wondered why he had disappeared.
Suddenly, the mailman snapped her out of her inner musings with a bright smile and a loud, “Hello, Mrs. Pennington!”
“Oh, dear. You scared me,” Jessica answered after almost dropping her tea.
The mailman laughed and apologized humorously. “I’m sorry, ma’am. But I have a letter for you. I think someone wrote it by hand even. So fancy! People don’t do that anymore,” the mailman said, handing Jessica the letter. She thanked him with a smile, and he left, waving goodbye.
The last thing she expected to see was the name “Karl Pittman” on the envelope, but it was right there along with her name and address.
“I can’t believe this,” she breathed and settled her cup of tea on the porch railing with a shaking hand. Suddenly, she was back at that church, crying on her mother’s shoulders.
Her hands still shook as she tried to open the envelope. She took a big breath before starting to read what was Karl’s unmistakable handwriting.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Dear Jessica,
I don’t know if you’ll be glad to hear from me. But after all this time, I want you to know that not a day goes by where I don’t think about you. Your father threatened me on our wedding day, and I was young and afraid. I shouldn’t have listened, but I did, and I ran off. I moved to California with nothing but the clothes on my back.”
Jessica had to stop reading for a few moments and wipe a few tears off. She knew her father had something to do with it. She knew Karl loved her and wouldn’t have done it otherwise. It didn’t change anything, but it soothed that old ache that never went away. Karl was right to leave. Her father never made threats he wasn’t serious about and didn’t take “no” for an answer. She focused on the letter again and continued reading.
“I never married nor had children. You were the love of my life, and I wanted nothing else. I hope this letter finds you well. I’m leaving my phone number, and there’s my address, so you can write me back if you want. I don’t know how to use Facebook, and all that stuff kids have these days. But I hope to hear from you.
Sincerely, Karl.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Jessica’s tears kept falling for several minutes after finishing the letter, but then she laughed. She also had no idea how to use all that technology available these days. Therefore, she got up and went inside to find her stationery. It was time to write back.
For the next few months, they wrote to each other often, recounting even the smallest moments in each other’s lives. Until Karl finally called her and they stayed on the phone for hours. A year later, he moved back to Detroit, and they rekindled their lost relationship.
They were old and might not have much time together, but they were going to enjoy one another’s love for as long as they could.
What can we learn from this story?
- It’s never too late to find love again. Jessica gave up on relationships for many years until she found the love of her life again at 75.
- Tell your partner the truth. If Karl had told Jessica about her father’s threats, they could’ve run away together or dealt with it in some form. But he took off, and they would never know what could’ve been.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who stole his grandmother’s money, but she got her revenge.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
Former child star, Amanda Bynes spotted out and about with new unrecognizable look
The past few years have not been easy for Amanda Bynes. The former child actress has completely given up on her Hollywood career after experiencing several crises connected to her mental health.
She has since debuted a fresh appearance that has truly taken folks by surprise.
Amanda Bynes used to be one of the most recognizable young people on the globe. But when her battle with mental illness began to worsen, the budding young star ceased making appearances on television and in movies.
The actress has recently been transparent about her struggles with substance misuse. She described her life after acting as “just stuck at home, getting high, watching TV and tweeting,” adding, “I got really into my drug usage and it became a really dark, sad world for me.”
At the time, Bynes said, “I’ve been sober for almost four years now,” and she gave her parents credit for “really helping me get back on track.”
Lynn and Rick Bynes, her parents, agreed with her decision to end her conservatorship. Since 2013, the former child actress has been under conservatorship. In 2017, her guardianship of the property ended.
In a statement provided by her lawyer David Esquibias on March 22, 2022, Bynes stated, “I have been working hard to improve my health so that I can live and work independently, and I will continue to prioritize my well-being in this next chapter.” Regarding taking back control of her life, the actress stated, “I am excited about my upcoming endeavors — including my fragrance line — and look forward to sharing more when I can.”
Judge Roger L. Lund of the Ventura Superior Court ruled to dissolve the conservatorship, stating that there were no longer “grounds for establishment of a conservatorship of the person.”
For up-to-date photos of the former child star, continue reading.
However, things kind of fell apart last year. The actress called emergency services herself and was put on a 72-hour psychiatric detention. “She hasn’t been in contact with her family for quite some time,” according to a source who was close to the situation at the time.
On March 19, the actress was spotted strolling around Los Angeles’ streets nude. In order to receive assistance, she then flagged down a passing car and dialed 911 for herself.
The actress reportedly explained to the driver that she had been recovering from a mental episode. After that, she was brought to the local police station, where staff members decided she needed to be placed under a 5150 mental hold.
The actress hasn’t made headlines since the 2023 episode until now. It appears that Amanda Bynes has changed, as seen by recent images of her.
The 38-year-old former child star, who had jet black hair and incredibly long nails, was spotted last week.
She had on khaki shorts and an oversized gray t-shirt. She accessorized her ensemble by wearing a crossbody purse on her shoulder.
The former actress, who cut her hair late last year because she was unhappy with how it was “growing out so awkwardly,” announced in March of this year that she was “going to start wearing wigs now.”
She has already discussed how her unhappiness this year caused her to acquire a lot of weight, and she is hoping to reduce more than 50 pounds in order to reach her desired weight goal.
However, other people were offended by the image and the hurtful remarks. “This should never have made it onto the Internet,” one individual commented. This woman is experiencing a severe crisis related to her mental health. You deserve so much humiliation. Give her space.
Another supported Bynes by saying, “My heart hurts for her.” Another person had a similar feeling, writing, “Please stop posting Amanda; she’s had enough scrutiny and hurt in her life. I wish the internet would leave her alone.” She has endured enough suffering.
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