A man who is always busy at work comes home early on Christmas Day from a business trip to find a Welsh family living there instead of his wife and kids.
Ted had a lot to do. He always put clients, meetings, and business deals ahead of his family. So Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s came and went, and Ted was always away on business.
He often told his wife Marissa, who was used to him being away from home, “I’m doing all this for us, darling.”
“I know, but Ted, the kids miss you,” she told him.
He said, “I’ll send them gifts.” “I love you all. I’ll see you soon.”
Ted was even busier than usual that year because he wanted to surprise his family with a new house. He had to go away on business for Christmas, but he came home early to surprise his family, only to find that they had moved.
The day was windy. Ted parked his car in the driveway, and when he looked in the garage and saw a car he didn’t recognize, he was confused. He smiled when he saw the Christmas decorations in front of the house. He thought that we must have guests.
Ted walked to the front door after unloading the gifts he had bought for Marissa and their kids. He could have surprised them by coming in through the back door, but he remembered that Marissa had told him the door was stuck and she would fix it later.
Ted didn’t have an extra key, so he rang the doorbell.
“Marissa, hun? It’s me! Ted!” He spoke up.
He rang the bell again when no one answered.
What is she doing? How come she doesn’t open the door? he wondered.
Ted rang the bell three more times and was about to call Marissa when he heard hurried footsteps coming toward the door. Soon after, a tall man with tattoos on his left arm came out and asked in a deep voice, “Yes? Who are you?”
“Is this supposed to be funny? What’s your name? Ted laughed as he pushed the man out of the way and went inside.
“Marissa? Kids? Daddy’s home! I got you all gifts!”
When Ted walked into the living room, he stopped in his tracks. A woman who wasn’t his wife and three kids he didn’t know were decorating the whole house. There was also a huge Christmas tree next to the fireplace.
“What’s happening? MY HOME IS HERE! Did you all break in?! Where are my wife and kids? Ted asked with anger.
“Hey, hey, man!” the tattooed man said. “About two weeks ago, I rented this house. When we moved in, this house was empty. I’m Darren Welsh. Were you, like, the last person who lived there?”
“What?” Ted said. “Just moved? But Marissa didn’t tell me! How could that even be? I won’t leave this place until I know for sure. I have something to say to my wife.”
Ted tried to call Marissa, but the first few times, the call didn’t go through. He tried to call her again, but she didn’t answer.
What’s her problem? Why the hell is this happening? he wondered.
Ted then called Pamela, his mother-in-law, and was shocked by what she told him.
“Ted, you lied to my daughter! How do you think she’ll pick up when you call? She and my grandchildren are here. Don’t worry, Christmas will be great. You’ve never been there for them in the first place.”
Ted was surprised. Due to his busy schedule, he hadn’t been able to talk to Marissa in a few weeks. Pamela had to tell him that she had asked for a divorce and that the papers were waiting for him at his lawyer’s office.
Ted went to his lawyer’s office and was shocked to find out why his wife was leaving him.
“A few weeks ago, Marissa came to see me, Ted, and said she had to leave quickly. “She asked me to give you this letter,” the lawyer said as he handed Ted the envelope. “She said that you’re a great father no matter what, and that even after the divorce, you can still see the kids. She doesn’t want the children to grow up without a father.”
Ted opened the letter and started to read. He was shocked and confused.
“Ted,
I don’t know when we stopped talking to each other so much that your coworkers told me about your affair. I went to a party at their house and… I don’t know what you saw in your secretary, but I won’t bother you with me or our kids… I guess she’s young and pretty and has plenty of time to travel with you. Is that why you slept with her instead of me?
She was brave enough to send me your messages and tell me how much she loves you. By coming to our house, she did it in front of our kids. Maybe that’s why you went away and didn’t want to come to us. You’ve met someone new, right?
I don’t want to say anything until you read this letter, because what will it change? Ted, you are a liar and a cheat.
Sam and Lily are going to miss their dad, but I’m not going to. So long, Ted. Have a hell of a time with your secretary!”
Ted put his face between his hands. “All of this is wrong! I need to go home to see my family!”
Ted went straight into Pamela’s house as soon as she opened the door.
“Ted? “What the heck are you doing?” Ted got down on his knees and started crying before Marissa could finish.
“Baby, how could you think that I was cheating on you? Do you know what’s keeping me so busy lately?”
“Ted, get out! She said, “Right now!” “The kids are seeing their father beg their mother, and I don’t think it’s a happy scene!”
“Marissa!” said Ted. “I’m not being unfaithful to you. I have never lied to you. I don’t know about these messages, but you can check my phone. I love you and our kids with all my heart!”
“Enough already, man!” Marissa’s dad stepped in. “This will be discussed in court! Leave my house right now!”
Ted begged and pleaded before he finally told his family about his big surprise. He told Marissa about the house he wanted to give her for Christmas and showed her the plans on his laptop, explaining that he was busier than usual and didn’t have time for them. He had spent three years making the plan. The cost of building that house was high, and he had hired the best builders for the job.
“Okay, but how do you explain this…” Marissa then showed him the texts from his secretary that she had received. Something didn’t make sense.
It turned out that Ted’s secretary liked him, so she made up those messages to make Ted and Marissa think something was wrong. She knew that Ted didn’t talk to his family all the time, so she used that to keep them apart.
“I’m so sorry, hun,” Marissa said. “I shouldn’t have been so skeptical! “What a muddle!”
Ted gave her a hug and told her, “It’s okay, honey.” “I love you and I love our kids,” he said.
She said, “I love you too, honey.”
The misunderstanding was quickly cleared up, and everyone was able to enjoy a calm Christmas dinner. Ted chose to put his family ahead of his work because you can make money again if you lose it, but you can’t get a family back.
