Fifteen years ago, my wife, Lisa, kissed our newborn son and left to buy diapers—but she never returned. After years of searching and raising Noah alone, I unexpectedly saw her last week in a supermarket.
At first, I thought I was dreaming, but it was really her. She looked older, but her gestures were unmistakable. I approached her, and after a moment of recognition, she apologized and explained that she’d left because she felt overwhelmed by motherhood and the life we were building. She’d gone to Europe, changed her name, and built a career, hoping to return when she could offer more.
She wanted to see Noah, but after all these years of struggle, I couldn’t let her disrupt our lives. I told her we had moved on, and walked away, leaving her begging me to stop.
Now, I wonder if I did the right thing. What would you have done in my place?