I’m infertile. Three years ago, we had our son by surrogacy. Recently, I took my son to the hospital after he had a bad allergic reaction to peanut butter at daycare. It was scary—his throat swelled up so fast, he could barely breathe. They treated him quickly, thank God, but the doctor asked if either … Read more
I’d been preparing for months for my 38th big birthday party.My husband’s work wife was celebrating her birthday on the same day. My spouse deeply humiliated me right before my birthday party. He boldly said, “Her birthday is more important to me than yours, because she’s been there for me in ways you haven’t lately.” At … Read more
When I was a kid, Mom made a dish called “cheesy mashed potatoes.” It was basically mashed potatoes but orange because she mixed in cheddar cheese—or so I thought. Years later, my world crumbled when I overheard Mom telling my aunt, “We didn’t have enough money for real cheese, so I used those government blocks—they … Read more
I suddenly lost my dad when I was 10. The last gift he brought me was a singing teddy bear. 20 years later, I gave it to my son when he turned 7. We needed to add batteries to make it sing. I opened it, and I went numb. Next to the battery box, he … Read more
My husband once invited me to an expensive restaurant. We had coffee and a tiny dish, but when I saw the exorbitant prices on the menu, I suggested going home for pizza or rolls instead. I was worried he might be offended since he had made the effort to choose the restaurant and book a … Read more
My daughter loved the sea but feared swimming. Surprising her, I signed her up for lessons. The first day ended with her storming to the car, eyes wet. I peeked at the pool to see a group of giggling teens pointing at something. As I got closer, I saw what they had been laughing at—a … Read more
My son’s school called—they claimed he’d been rude to a teacher. I marched to his room, but he wasn’t there. A folder on his desk caught my eye, filled with awards and test scores. Each certificate bore another classmate’s name. I turned to see his tear-streaked face, but instead a shadow behind the door caught … Read more
Raising my daughter alone was tough, but I managed. One night, returning from a shift, I found a note on the table: “Surprise, Mom! I’m spending the weekend with Dad.” My heart sank. I never told her what broke us apart. As I grabbed my car keys, the phone rang. It was Emily, her best … Read more
At college, there was this girl who never spoke to our teacher, not even a word. One day, the teacher got furious and said, “Hey! Did no one teach you how to speak?” She abruptly stood up, walked to the whiteboard, grabbed his marker, and wrote: “I can speak. I just choose not to. Not … Read more
We rent out our flat cheaply because the old next-door lady is crazy. She starts making loud noises at 4 a.m. to annoy the neighbors. A young man came to rent. We told him about it and he just smiled. A year passed, we were stunned that he’s still there—nobody lasted more than 8 weeks. … Read more
