My wife abandoned me and our children two years ago, at a time when things were at their worst.
When Anna stormed out of our apartment with nothing but a suitcase and the cold, “I can’t do this anymore,” I was left standing there with our four-year-old twins, Max and Lily.

We were a family for one minute, then I was alone with two kids and a mountain of expenses.

I was a software programmer at a computer business that promised great profits, but some shady things transpired, and it went bankrupt before we realized it. I went from earning a six-figure salary to receiving unemployment checks overnight.I could see the disappointment in Anna’s eyes the day I delivered her the news. She was a marketing executive and one of the most presentable women I’d ever seen. But I never imagined she would depart during difficult times.

I drove for ride-sharing businesses at night and delivered groceries during the day.
All the while, I was juggling childcare. Max and Lily were upset and kept asking about their mother.

Fortunately, my parents were close. They assisted with the twins at night and whenever I needed them, but they were unable to assist financially.

Max and Lily, however, were my lifeline. Their little arms around me at the end of a long day, their tiny voices whispering, “We love you, Daddy,” pushed me forward. I couldn’t let them down.

I’m glad the second year after Anna went was so different. I got a freelance coding project, and the customer was so impressed with my skills that he offered me full-time remote employment with his cybersecurity firm.

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The salary wasn’t six figures, but it was stable. We relocated to a cozier apartment, and I began to care for myself again. I went to the gym, cooked nutritious meals, and set a routine for the kids.

And then, exactly two years later, I saw Anna again.
While Max and Lily were at preschool, I was at a café near our new home catching up on work.

She sat alone at a corner table, head down, tears streaming down her cheeks.

This woman appeared worn. Her coat had faded, her hair was dull, and the heavy circles under her eyes indicated a lack of sleep.

So what happened? Why was she crying in a random trendy coffee shop? I knew I shouldn’t care. I should ignore her, finish my drink, and leave right away. But she was, after all, the mother of my kids.

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Her eyes met mine, and her expression changed from sh0ck to humiliation.

Leaving my cup and laptop on the table, I approach the woman who had broken our home.
“You left us. You walked out without any remorse. And now, two years later, I find you crying in a café? What’s going on?”

Her head shook again. “I can’t explain it, but leaving you was so wrong. I lost my job almost immediately after. I survived on my savings; my parents sent me some money, but they cut me off after a few months. The people I thought were my friends disappeared when I needed them most.”

“I miss you,” she croaked, sniffling. “I want to come back.”

Anna reached across the table, her hand hovering close to mine. “David, please. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’ll do anything to make it right. I’ve been living in cheap apartments, hopping from one temp job to another. I’ve had time to think. I realize now what I lost.”

I pulled my hand back. “You didn’t think about Max and Lily, did you? Not once in two years. In fact, you haven’t even mentioned them since I sat down.”

I became increasingly disgusted as I reflected on the situation.

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“Please, David. Just give me a chance.”

I stood, turning my back to her. “No,”

I returned to my table, snatched up my laptop, and left.