My husband, Clark, booked first-class tickets for himself and his mom, leaving me and our kids in economy. But I wasn’t going to let that slide. I made sure his “luxury” flight came with some turbulence, turning the trip into a lesson he wouldn’t forget.
I’m Sophie, and Clark is one of those workaholics who thinks his job is the most important thing in the world. I get it, he works hard, but being a mom isn’t a walk in the park either! So, here’s what happened.
We were going on a family vacation, and Clark booked our tickets. When we got to the airport, I realized he and his mom were flying first class, while I was left with the kids in economy. I felt embarrassed and angry that he didn’t think of me or the kids.
Instead of sulking, I decided to make things uncomfortable for him. I sent the kids up to first class every few minutes. “Go ask Daddy for a snack,” or “Tell Grandma you want to sit with her.” The kids didn’t stop, and soon, Clark’s peaceful flight turned into chaos. His first-class luxury wasn’t so relaxing anymore.
By the end of the flight, Clark wasn’t as smug. Lesson learned: if you’re going to leave your wife and kids in economy, don’t expect a smooth flight!
Oh boy, was I wrong.
As we got to the airport, I asked Clark where our seats were, juggling our toddler and a diaper bag in the chaotic airport. Clark was busy on his phone, barely looking up. “Oh, about that…” he mumbled.
I felt uneasy. “What do you mean, ‘about that’?”
He finally looked up, giving me a sheepish grin I’ve learned to dread. “Well, I managed to upgrade me and Mom to first class. You know how she is on long flights, and I really need to rest.”
Wait, just the two of them? I stared at him, waiting for a joke that didn’t come.
“Let me get this straight. You and your mother are in first class, and I’m in economy with both kids?”
Clark shrugged like it was no big deal. “Oh, come on, it’s just a few hours, Soph. You’ll be fine.”
Then his mom, Nadia, showed up with her designer luggage, smiling. “Oh, Clark, are we ready for our luxurious flight?” She smirked at me, and I swear I could have melted from her gaze.
They left me with the kids and walked off to enjoy their first-class experience. But I wasn’t going to let it slide. As I boarded with the kids, a plan began forming in my mind. This flight was about to get interesting.
When we got to our seats, I noticed the difference between first class and economy immediately. There they were, already sipping champagne while I struggled with our luggage. My five-year-old wanted to sit with Daddy, but I had to explain that “Daddy and Grandma are in a special part of the plane.”
The kids were settled, and I noticed something important—I had Clark’s wallet. Earlier, at the security checkpoint, I had quietly taken his wallet out of his bag without him noticing. I smiled to myself. This was going to be fun.
Two hours into the flight, the kids were asleep, and I was enjoying the quiet. I saw the flight attendants serving gourmet meals in first class. Clark was ordering expensive dishes and top-shelf liquor, indulging in every luxury.
Soon after, I saw Clark frantically searching his pockets. He had realized his wallet was missing. The flight attendant stood there, waiting for him to pay. Clark tried to explain that he couldn’t find his wallet, but the flight attendant wasn’t having it.
Watching this unfold from economy was like my own private show. A flight attendant came by to offer me something, but I just asked for water and some popcorn, ready to enjoy the rest of the drama.
Clark came down to economy, looking worried. He crouched next to my seat and whispered, “Soph, I can’t find my wallet. Do you have any cash?”
I pretended to be concerned. “Oh no! That’s terrible. How much do you need?”
“About $1,500,” he said, wincing.
I nearly laughed out loud. “What did you order, the entire menu?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he whispered, panicking. “Do you have it or not?”
I rummaged through my purse. “I’ve got $200. Will that help?”
He took the cash but looked desperate. “Maybe your mom has her credit card?” I suggested sweetly.
Clark went pale. He realized he would have to ask his mom for help. His perfect first-class experience was completely ruined.
For the rest of the flight, Clark and his mom sat in stony silence. Meanwhile, I enjoyed my economy seat with a sense of satisfaction.
As we were landing, Clark made one last trip to economy. “Sophie, are you sure you haven’t seen my wallet?”
I put on my best innocent face. “No, honey. Maybe you left it at home?”
Clark was frustrated, running his hands through his hair. “This is a nightmare.”
“Well,” I said, “at least you got to enjoy first class, right?”
He glared at me. “Yeah, real enjoyable.”
After the flight, Clark was sour, muttering about his missing wallet. His mom disappeared into the bathroom, avoiding the tension. I suggested he might have left it in first class, which didn’t improve his mood.
As we left the airport, I felt a little giddy. I still had his wallet and planned to treat myself to something nice before returning it. A little revenge never hurt anyone.
So, if your partner ever tries to upgrade themselves and leave you behind, a bit of creative payback might just be what you need. After all, in the journey of life, we’re all in this together—whether in first class or economy!
Husband Returns from Business Trip and Sees Newborn Baby on Table with Two Notes beside — Story of the Day
A man is accused of being the father of a baby abandoned on his doorstep and it costs him his marriage and his way of life.
Kyle Greenbecker had spent a year working on an oil pipeline in Alaska, but finally, he was on his way home to his beautiful wife. He and Lisa met in high school, and Kyle had never regretted marrying her at nineteen.
Maybe he was old-fashioned, but Kyle was proud that Lisa was the only woman he’d been intimate with in his life. He didn’t need and didn’t want anyone else. It never occurred to him that Lisa would ever doubt him — and with good reason.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
When his plane landed, Kyle collected his luggage and walked out with the other passengers, scanning the crowd for Lisa’s beloved face, but she wasn’t there to pick him up.
Probably, Kyle thought, she’d been held up at work with some emergency. He sent her a quick text telling her he was on his way home but got no reply. He hopped into an Uber and in an hour he was walking up to his front door.
The lights were on in the lounge, but Lisa wasn’t there. He made his way to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway, stunned. Resting on top of the kitchen table was a bassinet, and Kyle could see a small arm waving aimlessly.
He took a step closer. There was a bassinet with a baby on his kitchen table! The child was looking back at Kyle with that astonished look babies have, and Kyle stared back just as astonished.
Then he saw a folded paper on the table next to the bassinet. He picked it up and unfolded it. Inside was another sheet of paper with a message in a handwriting he didn’t recognize: “You had your fun, now take responsibility for your child.”
Meanwhile, the note addressed to him in Lisa’s elegant script read:
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Kyle, yesterday I found this child on our doorstep with that note attached. I always suspected you cheated on me during your business trips, but I didn’t hold a grudge on you for that — after all, I had plenty of flings while you were away — but saddling me with someone else’s child is too much. I’ve filed for a divorce, and I earnestly hope I will never see you again.
“P.S. And about the baby, don’t worry, I only left when I saw you walk up the drive. Enjoy your life, Kyle, I certainly intend to enjoy mine.”
Kyle sat down and dropped his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. This child wasn’t his, he’d never cheated on Lisa, ever! A soft cooing sound made him raise his head.
The baby was waving its little hand in the air, so Kyle brought his own hand closer and to his surprise, the child grabbed onto his index finger with incredible strength.
“Well, baby,” Kyle said. “I guess it’s just us two, and I don’t know what to do with you!”
The baby cooed again and gurgled, then screwed up his face in an alarming way and turned bright red. “Oh my God!” cried Kyle. “What’s happening?” A certain smell quickly elucidated him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Yep, it was diaper time. But was there even a diaper? On the floor next to the table was a large backpack with several snap pockets that he’d never seen before. Kyle found a bewildering array of items inside and the diapers.
He quickly googled diaper change and watched carefully as a woman on YouTube demonstrated on a life-like doll how to change a diaper.
Kyle started following her instructions but things didn’t run that smoothly. The woman’s life-like doll didn’t move its legs, or sink its kicking heels in the stinking and unmentionable contents of the dirty diaper! After wiping the baby clean, Kyle realized it was a girl, and he didn’t know anything about girls!
“I won’t be giving you dating advice,” he told the baby solemnly. “But I can teach you how to ride a bike.”
Kyle realized in that moment that he intended to keep this baby.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
He picked up the freshly diapered baby and said, “You need me, and I guess I need you too. So how about it, kid?”
Kyle once again consulted the YouTube baby-guru to prepare the formula and settled the baby in the crook of his arm for her feed.
“You need a name, you know that? How about… Celeste? Do you like that? Or Lily…”
If anyone had told Kyle that he would settle into fatherhood so easily and so smoothly he would never have believed it. Lily had her moments and her tantrums, but somehow things worked out.
Kyle registered Lily as his child and enrolled her in daycare. For him, her birthday was on the day he’d found her. But it was on Lily’s second birthday that Kyle’s world fell apart.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
A woman knocked on her door. “I’ve come for my baby,” she said. Kyle just looked at her. She was tall, blonde, and thin, with huge breasts that were obviously a product of a plastic surgeon’s art.
“Your what?” Kyle asked.
A real parent is the one who loves and cherishes the child.
“My baby,” she snapped. “I left her here two years ago? Sorry about that, but I was a bit stoned and my boyfriend lives on the next block over and I got confused. You know how it is!”
“Sorry, I don’t know how that is because I’ve never abandoned a child on anyone’s doorstep,” Kyle said coldly. “I’d get a move on if I were you, or I’ll call the police.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Now look here,” the woman said sharply. “I figured I made a mistake about a week later when Burt didn’t take my calls, but now I need that baby!”
“You need her?” asked Kyle angrily. “What do you need her for?”
“Burt just got himself a Major League contract,” the woman said. “And that baby’s gone make sure some of those millions land in my bank account!”
Kyle ran the woman off, but he had a feeling he hadn’t seen the last of her. He was right. A week later he was summoned to family court. A Miss Cherish Vegas was contesting his adoption of baby Lily.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Suddenly, Kyle was showered with injunctions, was visited by Social Services at odd hours of the day or night, and his friends and co-workers were being questioned. Cherish really meant to get her hands on those millions!
Finally, the day of the hearing arrived. Kyle nervously handed over Lily to the social worker for the duration of the hearing and walked in. Cherish was there, of course, and a tall man with Lily’s blue eyes was on her side of the court. This could only be the famous Burt!
Cherish cried and sniveled and told the judge how much she loved and missed her baby, and how her wild college days (now long past and deeply regretted) had led her to place her in Kyle’s care.
The judge looked down at the papers in front of her. “By in his care, you mean on his porch, isn’t that right, Miss Vegas?” asked the judge.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Cherish flushed red. “Well, I’m still her mama! No one can deny that!” she screamed.
The judge looked at Burt. “You sir, you are the father?”
Burt lumbered to his feet and said, “I guess I must be…”
The judge fixed him with a flinty eye. “Are you prepared and able to take on the parental responsibilities for this child?”
Cherish screamed, “You bet he is, judge, he just signed a three million dollar contract to play ball…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Oh!” cried the judge. “Finally, the truth is out! Tell me, Miss Vegas, what name did you give your daughter?”
“Name?” asked Cherish, confused. “Why, she’ll have her daddy’s name., since he’ll be paying child support!”
Kyle stood up. “Your honor,” he said. “May I address the court?”
“Yes, Mr. Greenbecker,” said the judge. “Please do.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Ma’am, my daughter’s name is Lily, and she does have her father’s name — mine. Since the moment that child came into my life I’ve loved her, and she loves me.”
At that moment, Lily, who had been playing with the social worker’s necklace noticed that Kyle was standing up. “Daddy!” she cried and stretched out her arms.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me that the case has been decided by the principal party,” the judge said. “I hereby overturn all claims of custody of the child Lily Grennbecker and confirm Kyle Greenbecker’s custody and adoption.
That night, Kyle celebrated his victory in court and he and Lily spent the evening catching lightning bugs in the garden. “Stars!” cried Lily. But for Kyle, the brightest star of all was his little girl.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- A real parent is one who loves and cherishes the child. Kyle took care of Lily and loved her as if she were his own.
- A heartless woman will use anyone, even her child, for profit. Cherish didn’t want Lily, she just wanted Burt’s money.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who taught his son how to be the best husband in the world.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
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