I’m a surgeon with hours that can only be described as absurd. I do love my job. Saving lives is my calling, but sometimes my career asks too much of me. Too much of my time. I felt like I was missing every milestone with my family.
A female surgeon | Source: Midjourney
A female surgeon | Source: Midjourney
My husband, Mark, was the glue that held us together. He worked from home and took care of Emma, our six-year-old firecracker who never seemed to run out of energy or things to say.
Last year, on a day around mid-December, I made a rare escape from the hospital and promised myself the evening belonged to Emma. She had been asking to decorate a gingerbread house for weeks.
I couldn’t say no.
A woman with a box | Source: Midjourney
A woman with a box | Source: Midjourney
My daughter was extremely excited when I got home early and unearthed the gingerbread house kit from the pantry.
“Mommy, can we make it really pretty? With gumdrops and frosting and sprinkles and cookies?” she asked, jumping in place as I started putting the contents of the box on the counter.
“Of course, sweetheart. We’ll use every candy in the house and more if we have to,” I replied, ruffling her hair.
Soon, Emma’s giggles filled the kitchen while we spread frosting over the gingerbread walls and stuck gumdrops in neat little rows. For a second, I felt guilty, like I could be saving someone at that moment.
A little girl with a gingerbeard house | Source: Midjourney
A little girl with a gingerbeard house | Source: Midjourney
But I shook off the feeling when Emma beamed at me. “This is the best day ever!” she exclaimed.
My chest swelled with pride. “I’m glad, sweetie.”
After putting one last gumdrop on the roof, she stepped back to check out the house from all angles. “It’s so beautiful, Mommy. It’s like the secret house Daddy takes me to every weekend,” she said.
A chuckle escaped my lips before I could fully register her words. “I’m sorry, sweetie. What did you say?”
A woman looking shocked | Source: Midjourney
A woman looking shocked | Source: Midjourney
It took a while for her to answer me. She was too concentrated on inspecting the house in case it needed more candy. So, I asked again.
“The secret house,” she finally replied. “You know, the one with the pretty lady who gives me candy and calls me ‘dear.’ She’s really nice.”
My heart skipped a beat. “The pretty lady?” I asked, as calmly as I could.
Emma nodded and finally glanced up at me. “Yeah! Oh, wait.” She paused, her mouth dropping. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you. Daddy said it’s a secret. Oops! Are you mad?”
A little girl with her mouth agape | Source: Midjourney
A little girl with her mouth agape | Source: Midjourney
“Of course not, sweetheart,” I said with a forced smile. “Secrets are fun sometimes, right?”
She nodded, relaxed, and went back to decorating, while I felt something that I’d never felt before… insecurity.
Later that night, as Mark read Emma a bedtime story, I stood in our kitchen, replaying her words over and over. Was he… cheating?
My stomach churned at the thought, and my mind leaped to every worst-case scenario.
A worried woman | Source: Midjourney
A worried woman | Source: Midjourney
When we went to bed, I pretended to fall asleep right away, though I knew resting would be impossible. I wanted to confront him, but what if Emma had misunderstood?
I never had any reason to doubt Mark. Yet what else could involve a pretty lady and a secret house?
I knew communication was always the answer, and it had worked for us many times in the past. But something about this seemed too hard to ask.
“Hey, baby, are you cheating on me?”
A woman worried in bed | Source: Midjourney
A woman worried in bed | Source: Midjourney
Not exactly words any spouse wants to hear. I needed answers or proof before accusing him of something so serious.
My daughter said Daddy took her to the house every weekend, so my best bet was the upcoming Saturday.
In the meantime, I was patient and pretended nothing was wrong. When Saturday morning came, I was ready. I told Mark there was an emergency at the hospital.
“I’ll probably be gone all day,” I added, hoping I was showing the right amount of concern for a fake patient.
A woman wearing a winter jacket in a living room | Source: Midjourney
A woman wearing a winter jacket in a living room | Source: Midjourney
Mark knew how long my surgeries could be, so he didn’t question me. He just gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “No worries, baby. I’ll keep Emma entertained.”
After closing the door behind me, I went to my car and drove it around the corner. There, I waited. Just ten minutes later, Mark came out of the house, leading Emma to his car.
I followed them at a distance, feeling my trembling hands on the steering wheel. Was I doing the right thing?
A woman driving | Source: Midjourney
A woman driving | Source: Midjourney
They drove through town, toward the edge, where houses thinned a bit and trees thickened. It wasn’t in the forest, though. We were still near civilization.
In fact, I recognized the area because I passed through it every day to get to work. The hospital was around five minutes away.
The thought of Mark’s mistress living so close to my work felt like another betrayal. But I couldn’t think about it just then. I pulled myself together and concentrated on driving slowly while trying not to be noticed behind him.
A snowy town | Source: Midjourney
A snowy town | Source: Midjourney
Finally, Mark turned into the driveway of a house that looked like it belonged on a Christmas card. It only made everything worse.
The property had brown brick walls, a white trim, and a red door. Pine trees surrounded it, and snow blanketed the yard like powdered sugar. It was a dream come true; the kind of place you’d pick for a family.
A beautiful house covered in snow | Source: Midjourney
A beautiful house covered in snow | Source: Midjourney
My daughter was right. It was similar to the gingerbread house. The only thing that could possibly make it better were Christmas decorations.
I was so swept in a vision of this house with twinkling lights that I missed it when Mark and Emma got out of the car. I snapped out of it and saw them walking up to the porch while a woman stepped out of the front door.
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