Seeking the Truth
That night, I observed everything more closely. I noticed Paul glancing at Janice as she moved around the house—subtle, but noticeable. It left me feeling unsettled.
I needed answers.
The next day, I left work early without telling anyone. I parked down the street and crept toward the house. My heart pounded as I unlocked the door as quietly as possible.
Inside, the house was peaceful. Liam’s soft breathing came from the nursery. Lily was napping.
And Janice?
I moved up the stairs, nerves on edge. As I approached my bedroom, I noticed the door was slightly open. I could hear something inside.
A soft hum. The sound of movement.
I held my breath and gently pushed the door open.
And there she was.
An Unexpected Surprise
Janice stood in front of my mirror, adjusting a stunning dress. A dress I had never seen before.
Around her, neatly folded clothes were stacked in small piles.
She gasped when she saw me. “Oh! You weren’t supposed to see this yet!”
I stared at her, confused. “What’s going on?”
She hesitated, then smiled. “I… I wanted to surprise you.”
I folded my arms. “Surprise me with what?”
She gestured to the clothes. “You always take care of everyone else, but I noticed you never do much for yourself.”
I blinked, taken aback.
“We’re the same size,” she continued, “so I started sewing in my free time. I wanted to make something just for you.”
I let her words sink in.
I had jumped to the worst conclusion, and yet here she was—spending her free time doing something thoughtful for me.
“I—” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t expect this.”
Janice smiled knowingly. “I figured.”
She held up a beautiful dress. “Try it on?”
I hesitated, then slipped into the dress. As I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
For the first time in a long time, I didn’t just feel like a mom. Or a wife.
I felt like me.
Janice grinned. “See? You look amazing.”
I let out a small laugh, blinking away the moisture in my eyes. “Okay, okay… you win. This dress is perfect.”
That evening, I modeled every dress for Lily, twirling as she clapped and giggled.
Paul walked in just as I was adjusting the hem of a sleek blue dress.
“Wow,” he said, his eyebrows raising. “You look… incredible.”
I smiled. “Thanks to our amazing babysitter.”
And I never told him what I had suspected.
Some things are better left unsaid.