{"id":101049,"date":"2024-12-02T09:38:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T02:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/?p=101049"},"modified":"2024-12-02T15:52:48","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T08:52:48","slug":"woman-had-not-received-a-gift-from-her-husband-for-years-but-this-christmas-a-strange-box-appeared-under-the-tree-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/woman-had-not-received-a-gift-from-her-husband-for-years-but-this-christmas-a-strange-box-appeared-under-the-tree-story-of-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman Had Not Received a Gift from Her Husband for Years, but This Christmas a Strange Box Appeared under the Tree \u2014 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

She slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to disturb Simon.\n

In the kitchen, the smell of sizzling bacon filled the air as she prepared his breakfast: two eggs sunny side up, bacon fried just so, fresh fruit arranged neatly on a plate, and for dessert, golden pancakes drizzled with jam.\n

Everything was done exactly how Simon liked it.\n

Margaret moved efficiently, her hands practiced from years of the same routine.\n

After wiping down the counters, she straightened the kitchen towel hanging on the oven and placed Simon\u2019s breakfast on the table.\n

Taking a deep breath, she called upstairs, \u201cSimon, dear, everything\u2019s ready!\u201d\n

$\"\"$ \n

A muffled response came from the bedroom.\n

\u201cFinally… I thought you were going to starve me.\u201d\n

Moments later, Simon trudged downstairs, already dressed in the navy suit Margaret had ironed the night before.\n

His tie hung loose around his neck, and he barely glanced at her as he pulled out a chair.\n

He picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, his brow furrowing immediately.\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cThe bacon isn\u2019t crispy again,\u201d he said flatly, letting out a heavy sigh.\n

Margaret\u2019s heart sank. \u201cSorry, dear, I thought I cooked it enough.\u201d\n

\u201cHow many times do I have to tell you?\u201d Simon muttered, shaking his head.\n

\u201cYou always manage to ruin breakfast. Never mind, I\u2019ll eat it as it is.\u201d\n

Margaret hesitated, standing by the counter with a damp cloth in her hands.\n

\u201cDear, I wanted to talk to you about something.\u201d\n

Simon\u2019s eyes didn\u2019t leave his plate.\n

\u201cWhat now?\u201d\n

\u201cGrace, our neighbor, is hosting a book club. I thought I might join\u2026\u201d\n

She spoke softly, rehearsed words tumbling out awkwardly.\n

Simon glanced up sharply.\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve talked about this already, Margaret.\u201d\n

\u201cBut I won\u2019t stay long\u2026\u201d\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you spending time with strangers. You should be here, where I know you\u2019re safe.\u201d\n

Margaret\u2019s shoulders drooped.\n

\u201cAlright, dear. I\u2019m sorry,\u201d she said quietly, retreating to the sink.\n

As she washed the dishes, her reflection in the window showed more than her hands working\u2014it showed a woman struggling to find her own voice.\n

Simon stood impatiently at the door, tapping his foot as Margaret approached. She held the tie in her hands, smoothing it out before looping it around his neck.\n

Her fingers moved carefully, trying to get the knot just right. Simon let out a sigh.\n

\u201cCould you hurry up? I\u2019m running late,\u201d he said, glancing at his watch.\n

\u201cJust one more moment,\u201d Margaret replied, her voice calm but focused.\n

She avoided meeting his eyes, instead concentrating on the tie. Finally, she adjusted the knot, stepping back to inspect her work.\n

\u201cThere, all done,\u201d she said, offering a small, hopeful smile.\n

\u201cFinally!\u201d Simon exclaimed, grabbing his briefcase. \u201cI\u2019m off.\u201d\n

\u201cSee you tonight, dear. I love you!\u201d Margaret called after him, but Simon didn\u2019t respond. He walked briskly to his car without looking back.\n

The door clicked shut, and Margaret stood in the silence for a moment.\n

Taking a deep breath, she turned toward the kitchen, already planning her day.\n

She started cleaning, her hands working quickly as she polished surfaces and straightened decorations.\n

The Christmas tree, standing proudly in the living room, was only half-decorated.\n

Margaret pulled out boxes of ornaments, carefully hanging each one while humming softly. Time slipped by, unnoticed.\n

At exactly 10 a.m., a soft knock came at the window near the tree. Margaret\u2019s face lit up, and she hurried over, pushing the window open. \u201cRoy!\u201d she greeted, her voice bright.\n

\u201cYour delivery is here, Mrs. Margaret,\u201d Roy said with a grin, handing her a package through the window.\n

\u201cDo we really have to do this through the window every time? You know I have a door,\u201d Margaret teased, laughing.\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tradition now. We can\u2019t break it,\u201d Roy replied, his eyes sparkling.\n

Margaret chuckled, taking the package. \u201cAnd what\u2019s this?\u201d she asked as Roy handed her a second item\u2014a small ornament shaped like Santa.\n

\u201cFor you,\u201d Roy said with a smile.\n

\u201cOh my goodness, it\u2019s beautiful! Thank you!\u201d Margaret exclaimed, holding it up to admire.\n

\u201cYou act like no one\u2019s ever given you a gift,\u201d Roy said, his tone light but curious. \u201cDoesn\u2019t Simon spoil you?\u201d\n

Margaret\u2019s smile faltered.\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cSimon doesn\u2019t like giving gifts. He says I should just buy what I want. Surprises aren\u2019t really his thing.\u201d\n

Roy frowned slightly.\n

\u201cChristmas is coming up. Surely he\u2019s got something planned?\u201d\n

Margaret looked down at the ornament.\n

\u201cI bought myself a gift,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cIt\u2019s fine.\u201d\n

She turned the ornament over in her hands, a soft smile returning to her face.\n

\u201cThis reminds me of my childhood. When I was in school, my best friend and I used to decorate the Christmas tree together. This was our favorite ornament.\u201d\n

\u201cWhat school did you go to?\u201d Roy asked casually.\n

\u201cOakwood Valley High School,\u201d Margaret replied.\n

At her words, Roy\u2019s expression shifted. His face paled, and he looked momentarily frozen.\n

\u201cI have to go,\u201d he said abruptly.\n

Margaret blinked in surprise.\n

\u201cAlright. Thanks for the delivery. See you next Wednesday!\u201d she called after him, but Roy was already walking away.\n

She closed the window, holding the ornament tightly. For some reason, her heart felt a little heavier.\n

Evening fell, and the house grew quieter with each passing hour.\n

Margaret sat on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, glancing at the clock every few minutes.\n

$\"\"$ \n

The wrapped presents beneath the tree stared back at her, reminders of the effort she had poured into making the holiday special.\n

She reached for her phone again. Dialing Simon\u2019s number felt both desperate and pointless, but the knot in her stomach wouldn\u2019t let her rest.\n

The phone rang and rang until, finally, he picked up.\n

\u201cSimon, where are you? Are you okay?\u201d Her voice trembled, a mix of worry and hope.\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cIf I\u2019m not answering, maybe I\u2019m busy!\u201d Simon\u2019s tone was sharp, annoyed.\n

\u201cI was worried,\u201d Margaret said, lowering her voice. \u201cI thought something happened. I thought we\u2019d celebrate together.\u201d\n

\u201cI\u2019m busy. I\u2019ll be home later. Stop calling,\u201d Simon said curtly. In the background, Margaret heard laughter and clinking glasses. It was unmistakably the sound of a party.\n

\u201cAlright, I\u2019ll wait for you…\u201d she whispered, but he had already hung up.\n

Margaret lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a moment before setting it down.\n

When she glanced toward the tree, she noticed the room felt colder.\n

Her gaze shifted to the window, now slightly ajar. Frowning, she stood and walked over, pulling it closed. That\u2019s when she saw it.\n

A package sat neatly beneath the tree, wrapped in simple paper she didn\u2019t recognize. Margaret froze, her mind racing.\n

She knew every gift under that tree because she had bought and wrapped them all. This one wasn\u2019t hers.\n

Slowly, she knelt and picked it up. Her fingers trembled as she peeled back the paper, revealing a small box.\n

$\"\"$ \n

Inside, she found an old friendship bracelet.\n

Tears filled her eyes as memories flooded back\u2014laughter in the schoolyard, whispered secrets, promises exchanged under a tree.\n

She hurried to her jewelry box, fumbling to retrieve her own matching bracelet. They were identical.\n

Her hands shook as she unfolded the note tucked beneath the bracelet.\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be waiting for you where we made our promise.\u201d\n

Margaret\u2019s heart pounded. She knew exactly where that was.\n

She glanced around the empty house, feeling the weight of its silence.\n

Wiping her tears, she grabbed her coat, clutching the bracelets tightly. For the first time in years, she felt a spark of something she thought she\u2019d lost\u2014hope.\n

Without looking back, Margaret stepped out into the night.\n

The taxi slowed to a stop in front of the old school, its headlights casting faint shadows on the worn brick facade.\n

The place looked the same, yet different, like a memory blurred by time.\n

At the door, an elderly guard stepped into view, his face wrinkled but kind. \u201cWho are you?\u201d he asked, his voice steady but curious.\n

\u201cSorry, my name is Margaret,\u201d she said quickly. \u201cI know this is strange, but I need to go inside!\u201d Her voice carried a mix of urgency and hesitation.\n

The guard\u2019s eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at his lips.\n

\u201cGo ahead, Margaret. His waiting for you,\u201d he said, pushing the door open with a nod.\n

She stepped inside, her boots echoing softly in the empty hallway. Following the faint glow ahead, she entered the assembly hall.\n

A tall Christmas tree stood in the center of the room, glowing warmly with twinkling lights and ornaments.\n

\u201cHi,\u201d a voice called out softly.\n

Margaret turned sharply, her breath catching as Roy stepped out from behind the tree. His familiar smile made her chest tighten.\n

\u201cIt was you!?\u201d she gasped. \u201cYou sent me the bracelet? You\u2019re the boy from school? But his name was Michael!\u201d\n

Roy chuckled softly. \u201cSorry for the confusion. I have a double name. My parents always called me Michael, but in high school, everyone knew me as Roy.\u201d\n

Margaret shook her head, tears welling up. \u201cHow did I not recognize you? I can\u2019t believe it.\u201d\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been years,\u201d Roy said, his tone gentle. \u201cI didn\u2019t recognize you either, not until you mentioned the school and the ornament.\u201d\n

\u201cAll these years\u2026 You kept the bracelet?\u201d she whispered.\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d he said, smiling. \u201cI made a promise.\u201d\n

Margaret looked at him, her emotions swirling. Tears spilled over, but she turned her face away as if ashamed. \u201cI can\u2019t\u2026\u201d\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cWhy?\u201d Roy asked, stepping closer.\n

\u201cI have to go home,\u201d she said softly. \u201cSimon will be back soon.\u201d\n

Roy\u2019s expression darkened.\n

\u201cBut he doesn\u2019t love you, Margaret. You know that. Do you really want to stay with someone who doesn\u2019t see you?\u201d\n

Her lips quivered. \u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 It feels wrong.\u201d\n

Roy reached for her, his arms wrapping around her trembling frame. \u201cI know, Margaret. I\u2019ve always known.\n

$\"\"$ \n

We almost lost each other, but I can\u2019t let that happen again.\u201d\n

His gaze held hers, unspoken promises in his eyes. Slowly, he leaned in. Margaret hesitated, her mind warring with her heart.\n

But then, for the first time in years, she chose herself. She leaned toward him, meeting his kiss.\n

For that moment, the world outside faded. Margaret felt warmth\u2014not from the glowing tree, but from a love she had almost forgotten was possible.\n

It wasn\u2019t perfect. It wasn\u2019t easy. But it was real. And for now, that was enough.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Margaret loved her husband and did everything he asked of her, which was a lot. But for years, she hadn’t been on the receiving end of that love. She had resigned herself to the idea that her life would always be this way \u2014 until she opened a strange box beneath the Christmas tree. The\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":101052,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[855],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-101049","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-story"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/My-husband-never-gave-me-gifts-like-EVER-Weve-been-together-for-years-and-I-feel-like-Im-just-his-maid.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101049"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101228,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101049\/revisions\/101228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}