When our kids fell ill and couldn’t go on our planned family vacation, my husband just ditched us and went alone. What he didn’t know was that his little “me time” getaway would cost him way more than he bargained for.
I trudged through the front door at 8:30 p.m., my feet throbbing after a grueling twelve-hour shift at the hospital. The cacophony hit me like a wall: cartoons blaring from the TV, Zach and Penny shrieking as they chased each other around the living room.
Children playing indoors rambunctiously | Source: Pexels
And there was Garrett, sprawled on the couch like a beached whale, beer in hand.
“Hey, babe,” he called out, not bothering to look up from his phone. “Rough day?”
I bit back a sarcastic reply. “You could say that. The ER was a madhouse.” I glanced at the disaster zone of toys and snack wrappers surrounding him. “Did you feed the kids dinner?”
Garrett shrugged. “They had some chips earlier. I figured you’d want to cook when you got home.”
I closed my eyes, counting to ten. This had become our new normal over the past few years. I’d come home from saving lives to find a house in chaos and a husband who couldn’t be bothered to lift a finger.
A woman in a nurse uniform crashed out on a couch | Source: Pexels
“Mommy!” Penny latched onto my leg, her blonde pigtails askew. “I’m starving!”
I forced a smile. “Okay, sweetie. Let’s get you both some real food.”
As I reheated leftovers, my mind drifted to our upcoming beach vacation. Maybe a change of scenery would help us reconnect, remind Garrett why we fell in love in the first place.
“So, you packed for the trip yet?” I asked, setting plates in front of the kids.
Garrett grunted. “Nah, I’ll throw some stuff in a bag tomorrow. No big deal.”
A man relaxing on a sofa | Source: Pexels
I sighed. “We leave in two days, Garrett. A little planning wouldn’t kill you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Relax, it’ll be fine. You worry too much.”
The night before our flight, I woke to the sound of retching. Zach was hunched over the toilet, his face pale and clammy. Within an hour, Penny was sick too.
I gently broke the news to Garrett over breakfast. “We’ll have to postpone the trip. The kids have a nasty stomach bug.”
A couple talking over a meal | Source: Pexels
He froze, fork halfway to his mouth. “What? No way. I’ve been looking forward to this for months!”
“I know, but they’re too sick to travel. We can reschedule”
Garrett’s jaw clenched. “I’m still going.”
I stared at him, sure I’d misheard. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I need this break, Nora. Work’s been insane lately.”
“And my job isn’t?” I snapped. “I’m a nurse, Garrett. I deal with real emergencies every day.”
A woman turning away from a man in frustration | Source: Pexels
He scoffed. “It’s not a competition. Look, you stay with the kids. I’ll go enjoy the beach for both of us.”
I watched in disbelief as he packed his suitcase, ignoring Zach and Penny’s disappointed faces. As the front door slammed behind him, something inside me snapped.
The next week was hell. I juggled caring for two miserable children, all while stewing in rage every time Garrett sent a smug beach selfie.
A woman cares for a sick child while making notes | Source: Pexels
On Friday, my phone buzzed with another photo: Garrett grinning over a fancy cocktail, caption reading “Living the dream!”
That was it. I had had enough, and I had a plan.
I marched into the garage, surveying Garrett’s precious “man cave.” His fishing gear, the boat he’d barely used, piles of expensive junk he’d accumulated over the years. A plan formed in my mind.
I spent the next few hours photographing everything, creating listings on the local buy-and-sell site. Within days, Garrett’s prized possessions were gone, replaced by a fat wad of cash in my purse.
A woman standing in a cluttered garage, surveying fishing gear and a boat | Source: Midjourney
“Guess what, kids?” I announced over breakfast. “We’re going on our own special vacation!”
Their eyes lit up. Zach pumped his fist. “Awesome! Where are we going?”
I grinned. “It’s a surprise. But I promise it’ll be even better than Dad’s boring old beach.”
We arrived at the resort a few days later, the kids bouncing with excitement. As I watched them splash in the pool, I felt lighter than I had in years.
A figure floating leisurely in a tropical resort pool | Source: Pexels
“Mom, watch this!” Zach called, attempting a cannonball. I cheered, then turned to help Penny blow up her water wings.
“You’re a natural with them,” a voice behind me said. I turned to see a woman about my age smiling. “Single mom?”
I hesitated. “It’s… complicated.”
She nodded knowingly. “I’ve been there. I’m Tessa, by the way.”
We chatted as the kids played, swapping stories about work and parenthood. It felt good to connect with someone who understood.
Two women sit by a pool, talking and laughing while children play in the background | Source: Midjourney
“So, what’s your story?” Tessa asked, sipping her lemonade.
I sighed. “My husband decided to go on our family vacation without us when the kids got sick. Left me to deal with everything while he partied on the beach.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Seriously? What a jerk!”
I nodded. “Yeah, it was the last straw. I’ve been putting up with his selfishness for years, but this — I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“So what did you do?” she asked.
A close up of a woman sitting beside a resort pool, talking | Source: Midjourney
A mischievous smile crept across my face. “I sold all his precious toys and used the money to bring the kids here.”
Tessa burst out laughing. “Oh my God, that’s brilliant! How’d he take it?”
“He doesn’t know yet,” I admitted. “But I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.”
As if on cue, my phone started buzzing. Garrett’s name flashed on the screen.
“Speaking of the devil,” I muttered. “I should probably take this.”
Tessa gave me an encouraging nod. “Go get ’em, tiger.”
A woman sitting beside a pool looking at her mobile phone | Source: Pexels
I stepped away from the pool, taking a deep breath before answering. “Hello?”
“Where the hell is all my stuff?” Garrett shouted, not bothering with a greeting.
I leaned against a palm tree, surprisingly calm. “Oh, you noticed? I thought you’d be too busy ‘living the dream’ to care.”
“Don’t play games, Nora. What did you do?”
“I sold it,” I said simply. “All of it. Your precious fishing rods, that boat you never use, everything.”
A woman talking on a mobile phone beside a resort pool | Source: Midjourney
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then, “You what? How could you!”
“How could I?” I interrupted, my voice rising. “How could you abandon your sick children for a beach vacation? How could you ignore everything I do for this family?”
“That’s different! I work hard to provide for you.”
“And I don’t?” I shot back. “I’m done, Garrett. Done with your selfishness, done with being taken for granted.”
He sputtered, “What are you saying?”
A man making a mobile phone call using earbuds | Source: Pexels
I took a deep breath. “I’m saying I want a divorce.”
The line went quiet. When Garrett spoke again, his voice was low and dangerous. “You’ll regret this, Nora. I’ll make sure of it.”
I hung up, my hands shaking. Part of me wanted to cry, to mourn the life we’d built together. But a larger part felt… free.
I walked back to the pool, where Tessa was indulging in a cocktail.
“Everything okay?” she asked, concern etched on her face.
A woman reclining beside a pool, cocktail in hand | Source: Pexels
I nodded, managing a small smile. “Yeah, I think it will be. I just told my husband I want a divorce.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s huge. How do you feel?”
“Scared,” I admitted. “But also relieved? Like I can finally breathe again.”
She squeezed my hand. “That’s totally normal. Trust me, it gets better.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the kids, building elaborate sandcastles and splashing in the waves. For the first time in years, I felt genuinely happy.
A child playing on a beach | Source: Pexels
That night, as I tucked the kids into bed, Zach looked up at me with serious eyes. “Mom, are you and Dad getting divorced?”
My breath caught in my throat. “Why do you ask that, sweetie?”
He shrugged. “I heard you on the phone. And you seem happier here without him.”
I sat on the edge of his bed, choosing my words carefully. “Your dad and I have been having problems for a while now. We’re going to try to work things out, but… yes, we might get divorced.”
A woman sits with a young boy wearing a serious expression | Source: Midjourney
Zach nodded solemnly. “Okay. As long as you’re happy, Mom. That’s what matters.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I hugged him tight. “When did you get so wise, huh?”
After the kids were asleep, I stood on the balcony, watching the moonlight dance on the waves. My phone buzzed with a text from Garrett:
“This isn’t over. I’ll see you in court.”
A pair of hands holding a mobile phone | Source: Pexels
I took a deep breath, letting the ocean air fill my lungs. The road ahead would be tough, but I felt ready to face whatever came my way.
As I crawled into bed, I thought about the uncertain future ahead of us. It was terrifying, yes, but also exhilarating. For the first time in years, I felt like I was taking control of my life.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I let the sound of the ocean lull me to sleep, dreaming of the fresh start waiting on the horizon.
A tropical resort setting at night | Source: Pexels
What would you have done? If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you about a woman whose husband left her and her kids alone with heavy luggage while he was with friends, so she taught him a harsh lesson.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
Trace Adkins Reflects on Toby Keith’s Patriotic Legacy, Delivering an Emotional Rendition of ‘American Soldier’
Adkins said, quoting Keith, “Never apologize for being patriotic,” from the platform.
On July 29, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, Trace Adkins takes the stage at Bridgestone Arena. Image courtesy of Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Universal Music Group
In the two-hour NBC program Toby Keith: American Icon, Trace Adkins paid a moving homage to Toby Keith, recalling their many years of traveling together and the significant influence Keith had via his patriotism.
Adkins was one of the few artists that really know Toby Keith and the man behind the scenes, having been friends with Keith for many years and going on tours with. Adkins paused to remember the poignant message that Keith conveyed at the conclusion of each of his live performances before giving an incredibly emotional and beautiful rendition of “American Solider” in honor of Keith and his dedication to the military.
“I’ve known Toby for a very long time, and we did a lot of gigs together while on multiple tours together. I seem to recall that at the end of each performance he gave, he would always say, “Never apologize for being patriotic.” Every night, he said that, Adkins noted. And since, my God, he really did believe that, I realized while he was saying it that it was both a challenge to the rest of us and a window into Toby Keith’s personality.
Keith lived what he preached, and Adkins praised him for it. Keith had undertaken 11 USO Tours, performing in front of 256,000 soldiers and military families in 18 nations at over 285 engagements.
“He had a deep-rooted love and respect for the men and women who have served this country.” It was real, authentic, and meaningful. With a rich, baritone voice, he remarked, “I always respected him so much for that.” “Toby is someone I could talk about all night, but for now I’ll just say that I’m glad I got to know him and call him a friend. We miss you, Toby. Thank you.
Trace Adkins performed “American Solider” in a terrifying manner a short while later. On the screen behind him, pictures of Toby Keith and his numerous USO Tours displayed during his performance. Toby Keith: American Icon gave a truly remarkable performance, and it was undoubtedly an emotional time.
Written by Keith and Chuck Cannon, “American Solider” was published in November 2003. It can be found on the album Hi Shock’n Y’all and has an RIAA Platinum certification.
Among the many famous country musicians that gave their all to pay tribute to the late Toby Keith was Trace Adkins. Priscilla Block, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Scotty Emerick, Brett Favre, Brantley Gilbert, Riley Green, HARDY, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Krystal Keith, Ella Langley, Mac McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Leanne Morgan, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, and Lainey Wilson were among the performers and special guests on the two-hour special.
The special featured a variety of musical performances that showcased Keith’s amazing songwriting and music, but it also emphasized his kindness and generosity by supporting The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Families from both groups seemed to tell the stories of how they were helped and supported when things were really hard.
NBC broadcast Toby Keith: American Icon on Wednesday, August 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The next day, Peacock will offer the episode for streaming.
On February 5, 2024, the legendary country music performer Toby Keith departed from this life due to stomach cancer. He had an astounding 32 No. 1 hits over his career and sold an astounding 40 million albums.
Given that he has achieved a chart-topping hit for 20 years running, including “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American),” “I Love This Bar,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “As Good As I Once Was,” it should come as no surprise that he is considered one of country music’s biggest hitmakers.
In addition to being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (after being admitted into the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015), he has been awarded the National Medal of Arts and the prestigious Merle Haggard Spirit Award by the Academy of Country Music.
The Oklahoma native won three BMI Country Songwriter of the Year awards over his career in addition to the BMI Icon Award. In 2006, his popular song “As Good As I Once Was” won BMI’s Country Song of the Year.
To date, Toby Keith’s music has received 100 million terrestrial radio spins and over 10 billion streaming.
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