A woman decides to ask her husband out on a date to rekindle their flame. He refused, admitting he was ashamed of her, only to learn an important lesson from one of his good friends later.
Jack and Mary had been married for 23 years with four children who needed constant attention from Mary. Their life was a routine, something that no longer excited the couple.
Their daily routine differed from one another. Jack would come home from work, lay on the couch, and watch television until dinner. Meanwhile, Mary worked the entire day, cooking dinner, washing everyone’s clothes, caring for their youngest child, and guiding the other kids with their homework.
When Mary would finally have free time late at night, she’d watch romantic films and imagine herself in them. She’s been dreaming of going on a date, as she and her husband haven’t gone on one in a while.
Mary wanted to go on a date with her husband, as they haven’t been on one in a while. | Source: Shutterstock
However, when Mary looked at herself in the mirror, she was saddened by what she saw. She looked nothing like the women in the movies.
She glanced at her wedding photo in front of the mirror and couldn’t believe her eyes. She now saw a tired, sad old woman instead of the cheerful young girl she once was.
Shaking the thought, she decided to change her reality. The next day, when Jack returned from work, she sat him down at the dinner table.
“Jack, I was thinking… maybe we can go on a date? There’s a nice place that opened downtown. Maybe we can go check it out,” she suggested.
Jack scoffed and was surprised that Mary even initiated it. “Date? Why would we go on a date? Is today a special day or something?” he asked.
Mary always looked tired, as she looked after the entire household every single day. | Source: Pexels
Mary shook her head. “Well, we don’t have to wait for a special day to go out on a date… we can make any day special,” she smiled kindly.
Instead of feeling touched by Mary’s gesture, Jack started to feel irritated. “Look at you!” he told Mary. “You look terrible. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Mary felt hurt by her husband’s harsh words, especially since she looked that way because she had just finished cleaning their house. “I just finished doing all the housework; that’s why I look like this,” she justified.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You look like this every day. You used to take care of yourself, fix your hair, dress up well, but now you look like an old maid. I don’t know when you started to let go of yourself,” Jack told her.
Mary’s eyes filled with tears. “Even when you cry, you look terrible. Do you want the truth? I’m ashamed of you. I can’t take you out like this,” Jack said before walking out the front door.
Mary couldn’t help but cry after hearing such hurtful words from her husband. | Source: Pexels
Jack went to his friend Samuel’s house and invited him to a bar for a beer. But Samuel turned him down immediately. “Sorry, mate. I’m going on a date with my wife. There’s this new place downtown I wanna take her to.”
Jack was offended that his friend refused a trip to the bar for a date with his wife. Then he saw Samuel’s wife heading down the stairs. She looked beautiful in her dress and had a big smile as she held flowers in her arms.
“Sam, I just found this bouquet on the table in our room. Did you put them there?” she beamed, kissing Samuel on the cheek.
“Yep, surprise! Also, here…” he said, taking a paper bag from behind the front door. His wife opened it and inside was a beautiful evening dress.
“Oh, Sam. This is beautiful! You are the best husband! Let me change quickly. I will wear this dress on our date,” she said excitedly, rushing back upstairs.
Samuel surprised his wife with flowers before their date. | Source: Pexels
Jack was stunned at what he had just witnessed. “Sam, your wife is beautiful, and you two look so in love! My wife always looks miserable. She barely ever smiles nowadays,” he said.
“When was the last time you asked Mary out on a date?” Samuel asked his friend.
“I can’t remember… two years ago, maybe?” he replied.
“You last asked her out on a date two years ago, and now you’re complaining to me that she doesn’t smile?!” Samuel said, hitting his friend playfully on the arm.
Shaking his head, Samuel decided to give Jack a valuable piece of advice. “You know, mate. I make every single day special for my wife. She’s the light of our home. She deserves all the love and appreciation from me. She’s always been beautiful, but every day, she puts in extra effort to look even more beautiful – because she feels loved.”
Samuel makes every day special for him and his wife. | Source: Pexels
Jack stood there, quietly absorbing what Samuel was saying. He realized he had a responsibility he hadn’t been fulfilling toward his wife.
“When I take my wife on a date, it’s not because it’s a special day. It’s because I choose to make every day special. Try it, mate. It might work wonders on your marriage,” Samuel suggested.
Jack nodded, realizing that what Samuel said was what Mary was trying to tell him earlier. “Thanks, Sam. Well, enjoy your date tonight. I’ll go back home now.”
When Jack returned home, he had a gift for Mary. “I’m sorry for hurting you with my words earlier today. I was being disrespectful, and you didn’t deserve that,” he said, handing her the gift box. “Would you like to go out on a date with me tomorrow? I booked us a table at that cool place downtown…”
Jack surprised Mary with a gift before asking her out on a date. | Source: Pexels
Mary looked at Jack, surprised. She was thrilled and smiled the same cheerful smile she used to show him every day when they were younger. She opened the gift box and saw a beautiful silver necklace.
“This is so beautiful, Jack. Thank you. I would love to go on a date with you tomorrow,” she replied.
The following day, Jack saw Mary transform right in front of his eyes. She looked breathtaking, and he was reminded that he had the most beautiful woman by his side. He was happy, and so was she.
Since then, both Mary and Jack have made it a point to work on their relationship. They rekindled the flame between them, and it did wonders not only for themselves but also for their family life.
What can we learn from this story?
- You don’t need a special day to celebrate. You can make every day special. Jack initially believed dates should only be celebrated on special occasions. His good friend Samuel made him realize that every day could be memorable, and it was up to him to make it that way.
- Show your loved ones your love, support, and appreciation every day. We often overlook the little things our loved ones do for us every day. It’s important to pay attention to them and show your appreciation so that love continues to bloom at home.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
If you liked this story, you might like this one about a wealthy inventor who abandoned his wife for a younger woman, only for her to save him from a thief later on.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
The Taste of Love: A Father’s Tribute
The kitchen, once a haven of warmth and laughter, now echoed with the clatter of pots and pans. John, a man more accustomed to spreadsheets than soufflés, stood amidst the chaos, his brow furrowed in concentration. Pancake batter, a lumpy, greenish-grey concoction, clung stubbornly to the sides of the bowl. His wife, Sarah, would have laughed, her eyes twinkling.
He missed her laughter. He missed her easy grace in the kitchen, the way she hummed along to the radio while whipping up culinary magic. He missed the way she’d kiss his cheek and say, “Don’t worry, darling, I’ve got this.” Now, he was adrift in a sea of burnt toast and forgotten recipes, his kitchen a battlefield rather than a haven.
His daughter, Lily, a bright-eyed girl of eight, watched him with a mixture of amusement and concern. “Dad,” she’d say, her voice gentle, “It’s okay if it’s not perfect.” But her words, meant to comfort, only served to deepen his sense of inadequacy. He longed to recreate the magic of Sarah’s cooking, to fill the void left by her absence with the comforting aroma of home-cooked meals.
One morning, determined to surprise Lily, John decided to try his hand at heart-shaped pancakes. He watched countless online tutorials, meticulously measuring ingredients, and even invested in a heart-shaped pan. The batter, this time, was a pale golden color, smooth and even. He poured it carefully into the pan, his heart pounding with a mixture of hope and trepidation.
Lily, ever the curious observer, watched him with wide eyes. “What are you making, Daddy?” she asked, her voice filled with excitement.
“Something special,” he replied, his voice a little hoarse.
As the pancakes cooked, a wave of memories washed over him. He remembered Sarah’s laughter, her playful banter with Lily, the warmth that radiated from their kitchen. He remembered the way Lily would eagerly devour Sarah’s pancakes, her face smeared with syrup.
Finally, he flipped the pancakes, his breath catching in his throat. They were golden brown and perfectly heart-shaped. He carefully transferred them to plates, adding a generous dollop of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Lily’s eyes widened as she saw the pancakes. “Wow, Daddy!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. “They look just like Mommy used to make!”
John’s heart swelled. He watched as Lily took a bite, her eyes closing in delight. “It tastes like the ones Mom made!” she declared, her voice filled with happiness.
Tears welled up in John’s eyes. He knew it wasn’t perfect, that the edges were a little burnt and the syrup a bit messy. But in that moment, it didn’t matter. He had made Lily smile. He had brought a little bit of Sarah back into their lives, one delicious pancake at a time.
From that day on, John continued to cook, his kitchen slowly transforming from a battlefield into a sanctuary. He learned new recipes, experimented with flavors, and even found himself enjoying the process. He knew he would never fully replace Sarah, but he could learn to cook with love, with memory, and with the hope of creating new memories with his daughter. And that, he realized, was a gift in itself.
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