When a mysterious package arrives at Kate and Josh’s home, they are confused to see that the sender is Josh’s estranged father. But things get even stranger when Josh finds a ticking box inside the gift — a beautiful pillow. A confrontation occurs, and Josh is left battling with the truth. Should he forgive his father, or act like their relationship is nonexistent?
Josh had just taken their daughter, Emily for a stroll around the garden when the doorbell rang, signaling that the day needed to begin.
A person holding a baby’s hands | Source: Unsplash
“I have a package for you,” the delivery man said as I opened the door.
I signed and carried the box into the kitchen. Our third wedding anniversary was this week, and Josh was always ordering things for me.
A person with a brown cardboard box | Source: Pexels
“I just want to surprise you, Kate,” he said one day while we were lounging on the couch. “It’s just the little things, you know?”
So, naturally, as I took the package to the kitchen, I just assumed that it was from him.
A couple on a couch | Source: Pexels
Until I took a pair of scissors and cut through the thick tape. Opening the package, I found a beautifully embroidered pillow, a note sticking out beneath it. It would have matched our living room décor perfectly.
Happy Anniversary, Josh and Kate! – Taylor.
A package with a pillow inside | Source: Midjourney
For a moment, I reveled in the kindness of the gesture. But then I remembered that there was no way possible that Josh would accept this gift.
“Hey, what’s this?” Josh said, coming back into the kitchen with Emily on his shoulders. “Did we order something?”
A man carrying his daughter | Source: Pexels
“Well, it’s a gift,” I said cautiously. “From your father.”
Josh pulled the note from me, his eyes flying across the paper.
I wondered what he was going to do. Josh and his father had a very complicated relationship. When Josh was a child, Taylor had abandoned him and his mother.
He had been seeing another woman, and when it finally came down to a choice, Taylor had chosen the other woman.
A mother and son | Source: Pexels
Josh had been seven, and he had never recovered from it. He told me all about it one evening when we went out for dinner.
“A father is supposed to choose you, Kate. But he went ahead and left us behind so that he could start a new life with his mistress. That’s not how this works.”
A couple having dinner | Source: Pexels
I understood his point of view. Of course, he had just wanted his father to be there for him and his mother.
Instead, Taylor had other ideas.
“He said that he needed to be happy, and that my mother was too strict with him. He had a job, but he was always doing illegal things on the side. So he packed up his things and left.”
A man with packed bags | Source: Pexels
“What do you mean?” I asked, shocked that Josh had been exposed to something like that at such a young age.
“Money, swindling it. Gambling, all that,” my husband said as he picked up his glass of whiskey.
And that was it. Josh didn’t speak to him again until a year before we got married.
Taylor had heard about our upcoming wedding through other relatives, and he thought it was the perfect opportunity to try and make things right between them.
A person holding a phone | Source: Unsplash
But Josh refused.
“I don’t want him around us on our special day, Kate. It’s not going to benefit anyone. And if anything, seeing him will spoil everything for me.”
“And you don’t think you’d regret it?” I asked as I folded wedding invitations into envelopes.
“Not at all,” Josh replied, picking up an envelope. “For all we know, someone will come and crash the ceremony because he owes them money.”
A wedding invitation | Source: Pexels
And that was that. Topic closed.
I didn’t want to push it. I knew it was up to him to deal with it later if he regretted it. I would support him, but I wouldn’t want to overstep anything, especially because Taylor sounded like a lot to deal with.
A couple embracing | Source: Pexels
When Emily was born, Taylor tried to get into our good books one more time. He wanted to reach out and try to make things right with Josh so that he could have his role of being a grandfather.
“I don’t want him around us. I don’t want him around our child. Please, Kate, don’t fight me on this one. This man is bad news,” my husband said, carrying our baby.
A newborn baby’s feet | Source: Pexels
So that was it.
Which brings us back to the present.
Josh picked up the pillow and felt it up and down; he even put it to his ear, his eyes widening.
“Sweetheart, we can’t keep this pillow!” he said.
A shocked man | Source: Pexels
Without another word, he rushed over and threw it out the back door.
“Josh, what’s going on?” I exclaimed, leaving Emily in her high seat with fruit slices.
“It’s ticking, Kate! There’s something inside. He’s up to something.”
A person cutting fruit | Source: Pexels
“Ticking?” I said. “What do you mean?”
We both went outside.
We stood over the pillow lying innocently among our garden flowers. I hesitated, then reached down to listen.
Sure enough, there was a soft ticking sound.
Yellow garden flowers | Source: Pexels
“Oh,” I said, shocked. I had been convinced that Josh had been hearing things that weren’t there.
Why would Taylor want to hurt us in any way?
“Take out your phone and video this entire thing,” Josh said as he bent to pick up the pillow. “Just in case something happens or there’s something illegal in there.”
A woman holding a phone | Source: Pexels
With a deep breath, Josh tore the pillow open to reveal a small, mysterious box equipped with a timer.
“What the hell is that?” I murmured, dread creeping up my spine.
“Let’s find out,” Josh’s jaw was set. “Call him.”
I dialed Taylor’s number, my hands trembling.
A man holding a box | Source: Unsplash
“Hi, Kate,” he said, his voice cheery. “Did you get my package? I didn’t know what to get you, but I knew that I had to get something.”
“There’s something inside the pillow,” Josh said. “A box. It’s making a sound. What is it?”
“Please be honest,” I said.
“It’s a gift, Kate. For your anniversary,” Taylor’s voice was calm, almost soothing to me.
A woman on the phone | Source: Pexels
“The sound is probably the timer; it’s supposed to make a sound and open on the day,” he said. “There’s something in there.”
My husband snatched the phone from my hand.
“Do you really think we want anything from you? What’s really in the box, Dad? Is there something that shouldn’t be there? Something illegal?” Josh demanded.
An angry man on the phone | Source: Pexels
“Please, Josh,” he said. “It’s just a gesture. I mean absolutely no harm.”
“If you truly mean that, then stay out of our lives.”
“Wait, Kate,” Taylor said. “Just open the box, okay?”
Taylor sighed deeply, and Josh reached out and cut the call.
I looked at my husband; he seemed confused by it all. I knew that he was curious about what was inside the little box, but he was traumatized by everything his father had done.
An expressionless man | Source: Pexels
“What do you want to do?” I asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said, holding his head.
“Let’s open it,” I said. “If he wanted me to open it, then there’s no way that he’s trying to hurt us, darling. Okay?”
Josh nodded slowly, finally accepting it for what it was. His father had simply wanted to reach out to us and give us a gift. That maybe everything was as easy as it seemed.
A man holding a phone | Source: Unsplash
“But record it, okay?” Josh said.
I picked up my phone again and began recording.
My husband pried the box open, revealing its contents: a check for $100,000.
Josh stared at the check, his emotions flying across his face as he tried to make sense.
“What is he playing at, Kate?” Josh asked, stunned. “There’s no way that this is clean money. He must be trying to cover up for something.”
But before we could process this further, Taylor called back.
An uncertain man | Source: Pexels
I answered, hesitant.
“We found the check,” I said. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I’m dying, Kate,” he confessed quietly. “I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, and I know that Josh hates me. But that money is for you guys. And if Josh doesn’t want it, then keep it for Emily’s future. For school. Nobody needs to know that it came from me.”
A bank cheque | Source: Flickr
I walked inside the house, realizing that we had left Emily alone for too long. Not that it mattered, because our daughter was sitting quietly by herself and eating her fruit.
Josh was right behind me.
“Dad,” he said, taking the phone from me. “If you’re really serious about your health, then please, we need to talk. No more games.”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“Thank you, Josh,” Taylor’s voice came through the phone. “You tell me when.”
We arranged to meet Taylor at a park later that week; it wasn’t far from us, and we often took Emily there.
As the day arrived, Josh was visibly nervous, fidgeting as we waited on a secluded bench.
When Taylor arrived, he looked frail and worn.
A secluded park bench | Source: Pexels
“I’m so sorry for everything. I was a terrible father. I don’t have much time left, but I want to spend it making amends.”
Josh took a long breath.
“It’s not easy, Dad. But I’m willing to try. For Emily’s sake, so that one day, she’ll know that her grandfather carried her through school.”
A smiling little girl | Source: Pexels
While Josh and my father-in-law spoke, I set up the picnic that I had brought along with me. I figured that if anything awkward happened, we all still needed to eat.
As we left the park, Josh squeezed my hand, a weight lifted from his shoulders.
“Maybe it’s good that pillow showed up, after all,” he mused, a small smile breaking through.
Things could only get better from here, right?
A picnic setup | Source: Pexels
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one
Leighton, after witnessing how her parents celebrated their anniversary, is sure about one thing — when she gets married, she will do just that. But when her anniversary rolls around, her husband skips their romantic dinner and lies about a meeting.
A newlywed couple at the beach | Source: Pexels
Curiosity prevails, and Leighton follows Josh, only to find him at a motel with the first person he ever loved. Is there a hidden truth, or is the story exactly what it looks like?
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.
My Daughter, 5, Brought Me a Picture from Her Dad’s Suitcase, but When I Saw It, I Fainted
When Emma’s mother found an odd ultrasound in her father’s purse, she thought the world would end. This resulted in a revelation at supper that fundamentally changed the dynamics inside their family.
The front door squeaked open, letting my husband Jack’s recognizable silhouette fill the entryway. He looked tired from his travels, and his shoulders were sagging with fatigue, but as soon as he stepped into our cozy home, his eyes lit up with relief.
The random array of briefcases, baggage, and other items thrown at the doorway was a chaotic memorial to his last business trip, belying the confusion of his return. One suitcase had his coat hanging loosely from it, while another had a tangle of charging cords sticking out of it, all of which were silently documenting his hectic trips between airports and appointments.
In the middle of this dispersed scene, our daughter Emma’s bright eyes shone with the unabashed delight that only a child’s innocence can portray. Her four-year-old’s world was awash with curiosity and discovery.
There was much excitement about her father’s return, rumored to hold stories and perhaps even a hidden treasure from his travels. Her small, delicate hands were often employed to investigate the world around her and find new puzzles to solve. Her curiosity was as boundless as the sky.
Emma’s happy laughter echoed throughout the home as she ran between the bags, her tiny feet barely making a sound on the luxurious carpet. Her golden locks bounced with each step, giving Jack’s sullen countenance a bright contrast. She was the life force of our home, filling every nook and cranny with brightness and energy and acting as a constant reminder of the love that had once formed the cornerstone of our family.
I observed her and felt a mixture of love and horror. Emma’s innocence shielded her from the complexities of adult emotions and the minor tensions that had crept into our marriage. But in her innocent joy and discovery, she was about to uncover a secret that would tear apart the carefully maintained façade of our family life.
The scene was set in the most banal way imaginable: our kid, the picture of pure wonder, tripping over the mess, our weary husband making his way home, and the scattered remnants of his trips all over our foyer.
We were unaware that this ordinary day would take an unexpected turn, revealing realities lurking beneath the surface of our daily lives and upending the very foundation of our relationship.
Then, among the jumble of business papers and trinkets, Emma’s hand was unexpectedly snagged by something. Her eyes widened as she produced a small piece of paper, a glimmer of triumph and curiosity flickering inside.
Holding her prize behind her back, she approached me with a cunning glee and her voice was a mix of surprise and mischief. She said, “Mommy, you’ll never guess what I found!”
She stood in front of me, her tiny hands revealing the object of her finding, an ultrasound image. Her little, delicate fingers were a striking contrast to the image’s stark black and white. It displayed an almost indistinguishable tiny fetus with distinctly human features. The image’s caption read, “Hey Daddy, I’m coming shortly.” T,” a message that cut through the warm fabric of our family’s existence like a cold knife.
A abyss of shock and astonishment descended onto my heart. The room seemed to tilt and swing as I took in the sight, and the ultrasound image solidified in my memory at every angle and contour. It was dated as recently as last week, at which time Jack was supposedly busy with meetings and business affairs. The truth of what I was seeing was vastly different from the world I thought I understood.
I experienced a torrent of emotions washing over me. A web of confusion, betrayal, and burning pain intertwined to tighten its grip around my throat. My mind raced, trying to put the disparate pieces of information that had soured our recent conversations about his trip together. There were clear ramifications to this ultrasound scan, but my heart refused not accept them.
Emma didn’t realize the range of feelings her revelation had brought about as she looked up at me with naive, hopeful eyes, waiting for my reply. Her face, which ordinarily brought me comfort and joy, now conveyed the picture of an unfamiliar world that I was ill-prepared to confront. All of the things we held dear, including love and daily routines, seemed to crumble in that moment, revealing a layer of dishonesty that threatened to engulf all we held dear.
With a whirlwind of anger and pain inside of me, I sat by myself in our bedroom, clutching the ultrasound image with trembling hands. My thoughts was a war zone, propelled by the need to confront Jack immediately and the want to come up with a plan that would reveal his sincere deceit. Although I wanted to scream and shatter the facade of normalcy, there was a part of me that longed for a more measured approach, a way to assess the depth of his treachery.
The image of Emma’s defenseless face juxtaposed with the depressing ultrasound image made me more determined. I needed to know if Jack regretted anything, if the man I’d loved was still out there somewhere, or if it was all just a dream. I took the difficult choice to come up with a plan that would expose the true nature of his sincerity and dedication.
I returned the original ultrasound to the spot where Emma had discovered it, ensuring that it was among Jack’s belongings and watching over it patiently for the right moment. Then, with a seemingly sad but also liberating conclusion, I staged a fictitious event to simulate Emma’s discovery but with a twist. I created a fake ultrasound image, identical to the one Emma found, with my initials on it, hoping to fabricate a tale that would force Jack to come clean.
The whole evening was put up to give the sense of deceptive normalcy, complete with candles lit on the table and the aroma of a delicious dinner permeating the air. He grinned as Jack came in, anticipating a passionate reunion but oblivious to the storm that was gathering beneath.
The dinner passed quickly, and with each bite, I felt my chest getting tighter and tighter until the inevitable conclusion. Finally, I appeared to be sensitive and held up the fake ultrasound, saying, “Dear, there will be four of us soon.” The air thickened with the words hanging between us like a baited trap waiting for its prey.
Jack initially expressed excitement and amazement, but as the situation dawned on him, his look changed to one of total bewilderment, and then terror. His face fell and tears flooded his eyes as he whispered, “Dear, you know everything, it was a mistake.” She doesn’t have my heart. While I’m staying with you, we will raise our newborn together.
His words, which were meant to be an appeal for forgiveness and were laced with desperation and regret, served only to highlight the awful truth of his adultery and the weakness of our shared past.
Jack’s confession came gushing out, a heartbreaking symphony of words pleading for pardon, and it transformed my life forever. His tears, which had formerly symbolized our shared joy and sorrow, were now springing from a deceitful well.
My heart was no longer the haven of love and trust, but rather a fortress of treachery and wrath. His pleas for forgiveness and his claims that he had only erred once echoed hollowly across the space between us.
With his voice breaking under the weight of his own words, Jack added, “It was just a moment of weakness; I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“A mistake in judgement?” I shot back, my voice strong but the tempest within of me scorching. Is it by that name that you mean? A moment that disregards our family’s fundamental principles and betrays years of mistrust?
He reached out, seeking the comfort of a touch that had once soothed and united us, but I pulled back, our physical distance now more than mere proximity. “Jack, I thought we had overcome the challenges. that when we banded together, we could conquer any challenge. But what about this? “This is a hurdle too high, a breach too deep,” I said, gesturing with unsteady hands still holding the fake ultrasound.
His attempts to justify his actions and paint it as a fleeting error only made me more determined. I had never seen the man before; his once-recognizable features had been clouded by lies and negligence. Remorse and despair were all on him.
My resolve solidified when the realization of his betrayal set in. I exclaimed, my principles breaking through the emotional fog, “Jack, I can’t forgive this.” “Trust and respect were the foundations of our marriage and family, and you have destroyed both.”
The room was heavy with the silences and the broken pieces of a life we would no longer share. Resolving to face the ruins of our mutual past and the uncertainty of my future with Emma, I gathered what little self-respect and resolve I still had.
In the silence that followed, I assembled the essentials, each one representing a facet of the life I was leaving behind—a life marred by betrayal but not defined by it. Emma was my beacon of hope because she remained untouched by the hard realities of growing up complicated. Her innocence reminded me of the pure love that was still inside of me.
As I closed the door behind me, the act’s finality served as a grim witness to our marriage’s disintegration. There lay a journey of self-discovery and healing for Emma and me, one that would culminate in an honest and accountable future.
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