When Sarah Had Her Baby Boy, She Was Heartbroken by Betrayal, Never Expecting It
Sarah thought she was starting the most joyful part of her life when she had her baby boy Luc. Once she experienced the months of pregnancy, her mixed feelings switched to wonder when she held her son. Within a short time, her wonderful relationship fell apart when the person she loved the most betrayed her more cruelly than she ever thought possible. Following that, I had to show my strength, deal with priorities that didn’t make sense and realize what it truly means to be a parent.
I recently brought a new baby into my home: Luc. Doing it was very difficult for me. My pregnancy wasn’t easy — I dealt with nausea and pain at night, anxiety and went to the doctor almost every day. At the moment I heard him make his first cry and he gripped my hand, nothing else was important. He was without fault. He held every place in my life.
According to our plan, Tom, my husband, was to pick us up from the hospital and for the first time, we’d be going home as a family of three. The scene played in my mind over and over before it happened. I saw Tom going through the doors like someone filled with happiness, stretching out his arms to embrace his son for the first time. That vision was what saw me through the toughest times.Sarah holding Luc
Finally, discharge day arrived and I couldn’t wait for my GoPro adventure. I tried to keep Luc warm with the softest blanket we had. For me, cooing and yawning were like small miracles. I was seated by the window in the hospital, looking through the blinds and waiting for Tom’s car to appear.
Still, he never showed up.
Minutes passed. Then thirty. From there, give it an hour. I repeatedly refreshed my phone screen for missed messages but didn’t get anything. I made a call to him, but it went to his voice mailbox. My stomach started to feel uneasy.
Noticing I was uncomfortable, the nurse gently said, “Everything okay?”
“I think that’s right,” I said as I smiled weakly. My husband hasn’t arrived yet because he’s running behind.
But my feelings of worry kept getting more intense. For nearly two hours there was no sound from my phone until it suddenly buzzed. I felt a burst of excitement when I opened the message, but the excitement didn’t last long.
I’m sorry, I’ll arrive about one hour behind schedule. I’m at the mall now and they’re having a big sale on sneakers at the store I like. I couldn’t keep myself from being there.
I thought at first that it must be some kind of joke. How could anyone ever consider buying sneakers and not get their baby first? As everything became clear, the heartbreak became even more vivid.
I felt the tears filling up my eyes. The nurse knew something was off and asked if she could assist. I handed her the message, unable to say anything.
She shook her head and frowned. “Someone’s going to walk you home tonight.” I’m picking you up.”
There’s no need for you to see mine—
“I say it again,” she replied, talking in a confident tone. You and your son deserve much better than what’s happening now.
That is why she did it. She installed Luc’s car seat in back and encouraged me to get into the passenger seat, before driving to our home silently, as I looked out the window and my heart shattered mile after mile.
As soon as I arrived, Tom was happy on the couch, admiring his new sneakers he’d just bought. I was suddenly visible to him as I stepped through the door.
Even though he had left the shop with shoes instead of his family, he still asked, “What’s wrong?”
I was shivering because I was so tired, angry and hurt.
I said, as I cried, “You were not here to see us discharged.” You picked sneakers instead of choosing your son and me.
He whispered a nervous laugh, not yet realizing how bad his act was. “You might be able to Uber your way home instead.”
That was when I understood that something had gone wrong. This wasn’t only about being late for my ride. It was a feeling that made me feel my heart wasn’t as valued as a new pair of shoes. The trust I’d built in him broke apart into millions of tiny pieces.
I got my bags ready, said I was leaving, packed a few things for Luc too and left the house. I said, barely managing to meet his eyes, “You need to decide what matter to you the most.”
He stopped me, tried to hold me back, but I overcame his attempt, leaving him with a note on the table. That was all I needed to do for him at that time.
She looked at me with surprise when she opened the door. I held Luc as tears streamed down my face.
She asked, “What happened?”
I tried to hold back the tears. Tom chose his sneakers over the people he was traveling with.
She didn’t insist on knowing more. She gave me a tight hug and let us in.
For a whole week, Tom kept telephoning and texting nonstop. He said sorry with voice notes, sent messages saying he missed us and loved us. He came to my sister’s house several times, waiting by the door in the chilly weather so I’d come out. Still, I wasn’t prepared for it.
In time, my sister came up to me privately. It would help if you talked to him. He looks as though he hasn’t had any decent sleep in a long time.
It was my job, so I did it.
When I saw Tom, he was completely different — messy, pale and his eyes were red from crying.
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” he whispered. I didn’t get it. I didn’t notice the pain I was causing you. I do now, though. I hope you’ll let me prove I can do better.
I saw that his voice was trembling and his feelings of regret were true. But at that point, I wasn’t able to forgive unless I had certain conditions in place.
“Do you need a second opportunity?” I asked. At that point, taking care of the baby fully becomes your main task. 100% of it. The job includes changed diapers, rounds of feeding and many lost sleep.”
He blinked and then gave a nod. No problem, I’ll manage it. Anything.”
So, for two tough weeks, he got up hours before dawn to work. Sometimes he took care of changing diapers. He would wake up late at night. He grew skilled in stopping Luc’s crying, in warming hungry bottles and in functioning on very little sleep. There were times when I saw him ignore his mistakes, feel discouraged — but later, I saw how he progressed.
One grueling day left Tom with tears as he sat on the bed cradling Luc that same night.
I had no idea how difficult this would be,” he said. I went shopping, but you did everything else by your own effort. I behaved in a very selfish way. I send my apologies.”
I put my hand over his, so we could be close. It seems like you are beginning to get it.
He did what was asked. After that, he started acting differently, not just using different words. He attended every other major event. Suddenly, he was there for me as a friend and for Luc as a real Dad.
Even when our nearest and dearest people slip up the worst, believing in their journey to improve keeps our hope alive.
