I thought my husband would be there for me when my mom passed away, but instead, he chose a vacation to Hawaii over my grief. Devastated, I faced the funeral alone. But when he returned, he walked into a situation he never expected—a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget. I was at work when the doctor’s number flashed on my phone, and somehow, I knew what was coming. My heart sank even before I answered. Mom was gone. Just like that. One minute she was fighting a minor lung infection, and the next… nothing. My world stopped making sense.
I don’t remember much after that. One moment I was sitting in my cubicle, and the next I was home, fumbling with my keys, eyes blurred with tears. John’s car was in the driveway, another one of his “work-from-home” days, which usually meant ESPN muted in the background while he pretended to answer emails.“John?” My voice echoed through the house. “I need you.” He stepped into the kitchen, holding a coffee mug, looking mildly annoyed. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.” I tried to speak, but the words got tangled in my throat. I reached out to him, desperate for comfort. He sighed and gave me a quick, awkward pat on the back, like he was consoling a distant acquaintance. “My mom… she died, John. Mom’s gone.” His grip tightened for a moment. “Oh, wow. That’s… I’m sorry.” Then, just as quickly, he pulled away. “Do you want me to order takeout?
Maybe Thai?” I nodded, numb. The next day, reality hit hard. There was so much to handle—planning the funeral, notifying family, and dealing with a lifetime of memories. As I sat at the kitchen table, buried in lists, I remembered our planned vacation. “John, we’ll need to cancel Hawaii,” I said, looking up from my phone. “The funeral will probably be next week, and—” “Cancel?”
He lowered his newspaper, frowning. “Edith, those tickets were non-refundable. We’d lose a lot of money. Besides, I’ve already booked my golf games.” I stared at him, stunned. “John, my mother just died.” He folded the newspaper with the kind of precision that told me he was more irritated than concerned. “I get that you’re upset, but funerals are for family. I’m just your husband—your cousins won’t even notice I’m not there. You can handle things here, and you know I’m not great with emotional stuff.” It felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “Just my husband?” “You know what I mean,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze and adjusting his tie. “Besides, someone should use those tickets. You can text me if you need anything.” I felt like I was seeing him clearly for the first time in 15 years of marriage. The week that followed was a blur. John occasionally offered a stiff pat on the shoulder or suggested I watch a comedy to lift my mood. But when the day of the funeral came, he was on a plane to Hawaii, posting Instagram stories of sunsets and cocktails. “#LivingMyBestLife,” one caption read. Meanwhile, I buried my mother alone on a rainy Thursday. That night, sitting in an empty house, surrounded by untouched sympathy casseroles, something snapped inside me. I had spent years making excuses for John’s emotional absence. “He’s just not a feelings person,” I would say. “He shows his love in other ways.” But I was done pretending.I called my friend Sarah, a realtor. “Can you list the house for me? Oh, and include John’s Porsche in the deal.” “His Porsche? Eddie, he’ll lose it!” “That’s the point.” The next morning, “potential buyers” started showing up. I sat in the kitchen, sipping coffee, watching as they circled John’s beloved car. When his Uber finally pulled into the driveway, I couldn’t help but smile. It was showtime. John stormed in, face flushed. “Edith, what the hell? People are asking about my car!” “Oh, that. I’m selling the house. The Porsche is a great bonus, don’t you think?”He sputtered, pulling out his phone. “This is insane! I’ll call Sarah right now!” “Go ahead,” I said sweetly. “Maybe you can tell her about your fabulous vacation. How was the beach?” Realization slowly dawned across his face. “This… is this some kind of payback? Did I do something wrong?” I stood, letting my anger finally surface. “You abandoned me when I needed you most. I’m just doing what you do: looking out for myself. After all, I’m just your wife, right?” John spent the next hour frantically trying to shoo away buyers, while begging me to reconsider. By the time Sarah texted that her friends had run out of patience, I let him off the hook—sort of. “Fine. I won’t sell the house or the car.” I paused. “This time.” He sagged with relief. “Thank you, Edith. I—” I held up my hand. “But things are going to change. I needed my husband, and you weren’t there. You’re going to start acting like a partner, or next time, the For Sale sign will be real.” He looked ashamed, finally understanding the gravity of his actions. “What can I do to make this right?” “You can start by showing up. Be a partner, not a roommate. I lost my mother, John. That kind of grief isn’t something you can fix with a vacation or a fancy dinner.” He nodded. “I don’t know how to be the man you need, but I love you, and I want to try.” It’s not perfect now. John still struggles with emotions, but he’s going to therapy, and last week, for the first time, he asked me how I was feeling about Mom. He listened while I talked about how much I missed her calls and how I sometimes still reach for the phone, only to remember she’s not there. He even opened up a little about his own feelings. It’s progress. Baby steps. I often wonder what Mom would say about all this. I can almost hear her chuckling, shaking her head. “That’s my girl,” she’d say. “Never let them see you sweat. Just show them the ‘For Sale’ sign instead.” Because if there’s one thing she taught me, it’s that strength comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s pushing through the pain, and sometimes it’s knowing when to push back.
Their Hearts Were Broken When They Heard The Loud Cries Coming From The Trash
The scale of human cruelty cannot surprise us anymore. Every day, we witness sad stories caused by the heartless actions of some people.
Most of them are written according to a real-life scenario in which these helpless creatures are ready to give all their love, but those same people reciprocate in the worst possible way.
The beginning of today’s story is the best testimony to that. Several Good Samaritans, although used to various heartbreaking situations, could not even imagine what they would experience when they were passing by a container.
At one point, these good people heard loud cries coming from the trash, and when they realized what it was, their hearts were completely broken.
Life From The Bottom
When these people opened the bag from which loud cries were coming, they saw a tiny, one-week-old puppy inside. He was so young that he had not even opened his eyes yet and was trembling out of cold and fear.
Despite the initial shock from this heartbreaking sight, they managed to pull themselves together quickly. They put the puppy in a warm blanket and immediately brought him home.
When they finally came to their house, these people prepared a temporary resting place for the puppy and bought him high-quality milk. Because he was very hungry due to the lack of real mother’s milk, the puppy drank an entire bottle within 10 minutes.
As soon as he satisfied his hunger, they let him rest, and he fell asleep almost immediately. They enjoyed watching him resting as he looked like an angel in that warm, cozy bed.
After a week of sleeping and feeding on milk, the puppy finally opened his eyes and began to explore the world around him. His look was full of hope, and this motivated them to do everything to help him have the happiest puppyhood.
These good people provided him with the best milk they could find so that he could have all the needed nutrition in this crucial period of his life. They also gave him a lot of space in the house so that he was able to explore the surroundings and satisfy his curiosity.
While exploring, he met family cats and quickly fell in love with them. They were a bit suspicious at first, but they soon accepted his company, and from then on, a beautiful friendship was born.
Every day, this puppy looked better and was happier, and when he finally started walking after a month, nothing could stand in his way anymore.
Although they knew he still had a long way to go, his rescuers were now sure he had a bright future ahead of him.
Growing Up Quickly
Day by day, the sweet little furball was growing bigger and more beautiful. After a month, he was ready to transition from the milk to soft food. He wasn’t a picky eater, so they had no problem choosing the right ingredients.
Aside from preparing him the best-quality food full of nutrition, they also recognized his playful personality, so they started buying him toys to play with. He was over the moon when they brought him his very first toy, and that filled their soul.
After 51 days of the happiest puppyhood, he grew up and completely changed. His body weight increased quite a bit, and his fur was finally long and smooth. He became a real little beauty.
Although the puppy was now very comfortable and happy, they continued to take the best care of him and provide him with everything he needed.
As he was more grown up now, he also required larger clothes. They didn’t spare money and bought him the most comfortable clothes they could find. Out of all the family members, the puppy was the best dressed, and even the cats didn’t have better clothing than him.
From the best toys to the most comfortable T-shirts, the puppy enjoyed all possible benefits in a warm home. However, his biggest blessing was the fact that he was the most loved member of the family.
Yes, you heard that right – this puppy became a full-fledged member of the family as his saviors could no longer imagine life without him. At that moment, he was the most blessed dog in the world.
From The Cries To The Smiles
Soon after his new parents decided to adopt him, they brought him to the vet so that he could get the necessary vaccines, and they told the doctor to make a detailed examination. To their delight, the doctor confirmed that the puppy’s health condition was perfect.
After this happy news, his new life could finally begin. His appearance completely changed, as he wasn’t a puppy anymore but a big, handsome dog who never stopped radiating positive energy.
Most of all, he liked to go for long walks with his parents and enjoy the sun, but he also favored big parks where he met and played with other canines. He carried a broad smile on his face that never stopped delighting all those people who would see him.
This puppy became a walking smiley face that everyone loved to see and greet. However, they didn’t know that just a few months earlier, he cried in a place where no one wanted to look at him.
That’s what makes this story even more special and tells us that there is always a new opportunity to laugh, even when it seems like our whole world has collapsed.
This puppy is a living testimony to that.
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