As I sat on the couch, scrolling through old vacation photos, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. My husband, Mike, had always found excuses to avoid traveling with me and our boys. I had grown accustomed to his absence, but the boys’ constant questions about why their dad never joined us on trips had started to take a toll on me.
This year, my mom had invited us to join her in the Virgin Islands, and I had decided to take the boys without Mike. As we settled into our rental, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Mike’s phone calls were brief and distant, and I found myself wondering if he was hiding something from me.
I decided to cut our trip short and return home early, determined to uncover the truth behind Mike’s behavior. As I walked through the front door, I was met with a surprise that would change everything.
Mike was sitting on the couch with a woman I had never seen before. My mind racing, I demanded to know what was going on. But Mike’s explanation was not what I had expected.
The woman, Dr. Keller, was Mike’s therapist. He had been seeing her to overcome his fear of flying, a phobia that had been holding him back from joining us on trips for years.
As Mike opened up about his struggles, I felt a mix of emotions: shock, understanding, and a deep sense of regret. Why had I never known about his fear? Why had he felt so ashamed to share it with me?
As we sat down to talk, I realized that Mike’s fear had been a secret that had almost destroyed our relationship. But it was also an opportunity for us to start anew, to rebuild our connection and face the future together.
The next morning, we sat at the kitchen table, planning our next trip together. The boys would be thrilled to have their dad join us on our adventures, and I was excited to start this new chapter in our lives.
As we spread out the map, Mike’s eyes sparkled with a sense of possibility. “Where do you want to go?” he asked, his voice filled with excitement.
I smiled, feeling a sense of joy and renewal. “Anywhere, as long as it’s together.”
