I was at work when my phone lit up with the doctor’s number and somehow, I just knew. My stomach dropped before I even picked up.

Mom was gone. Just like that. One minute she was fighting a minor lung infection, and the next… Nothing made sense anymore.

I don’t remember driving home. One minute I was in my cubicle, and the next I was fumbling with my house keys, vision blurry with tears. John’s car was in the driveway.

He must’ve had another “work from home” day, which usually meant watching ESPN on mute while pretending to answer emails.

“John?” My voice echoed through our house. “John, I need you.”

He appeared in the kitchen doorway, coffee mug in hand, looking slightly annoyed at being interrupted. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.”

I tried to speak, but the words got stuck somewhere between my heart and my throat. Instead, I just shook my head and held out my arms like a child. He set down his mug with a sigh and gave me an awkward pat on the back, like he was comforting a stranger’s kid.

“My mom,” I finally managed. “She’s… she died, John. Mom died.”

His arms tightened for a fraction of a second. “Oh. Wow. That’s… I’m sorry, honey.”

He pulled back. “Want me to order takeout tonight? Maybe from that Thai place you like?”

I nodded numbly, not really hearing him. Mom was gone. The woman who’d taught me to ride a bike, who’d worked two jobs to put me through college after Dad left, who still called me every Sunday just to chat… gone.

The next morning, reality started setting in. There was so much to do! I had to plan the funeral, notify family and friends, and sort through a lifetime of belongings. I was making lists at the kitchen table when I remembered our upcoming vacation.

“John, we’ll need to cancel Hawaii,” I said, looking up from my phone. “The funeral will probably be next week, and—”

“Cancel?” John lowered his newspaper, frowning. “Edith, those tickets were non-refundable. We’d lose thousands. Plus, I already scheduled my tee times at the resort.”

I stared at him, sure I’d misheard. “John, my mother just died.”

He folded the paper with precise movements, like he was trying to contain his irritation.

“Look, I know you’re upset, but funerals are for family. I’m just your husband — no one will miss me there. Your cousins barely know me anyway.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. “Just my husband?”

“You know what I mean.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes, suddenly very interested in straightening his tie. “Besides, someone should use the tickets. You can handle things here, and you know I’m no good at all this… emotional stuff.”

I felt like I was seeing John for the first time in our fifteen years of marriage.

How had I never noticed the way his eyes glazed over whenever I talked about my feelings? The way he treated emotions like inconvenient interruptions in his carefully scheduled life?

The next week passed in a blur of tears and logistics.

John would occasionally pat my shoulder awkwardly when he found me crying, offering helpful suggestions like, “Maybe you should take a sleeping pill” or “Have you tried watching a comedy?”

The day before the funeral, he left for Hawaii with a quick peck on my cheek and a “Text me if you need anything!”

As if he’d be able to help from 4,000 miles away. As if he’d even want to.

I buried my mother on a rainy Thursday. While I was listening to the pastor talk about eternal life, John posted Instagram stories of sunset cocktails with little umbrella garnishes. “#ParadiseFound,” he captioned one. “#LivingMyBestLife.”

Sitting alone in our empty house that night, surrounded by sympathy casseroles I couldn’t bring myself to eat, something inside me snapped.

I’d spent fifteen years making excuses for John’s emotional constipation. “He’s just not a feelings person,” I’d tell my friends. “He shows his love in other ways.”

But what ways were those, exactly? Buying expensive gifts to avoid real conversations? Planning elaborate vacations he could escape to when life got messy?

My friend Sarah was a realtor. It took one call to set my plan in motion.

“You want me to what?” she asked, laughing in disbelief.

“List our house. Online only, open house tomorrow. And make sure to mention the car comes with it.”

“The convertible? John’s baby? Eddie, he’ll flip! That car is his pride and joy.”

“That’s the idea,” I replied. “He loves that car more than anything. More than me, definitely.”

“Are you sure about this? Grief makes people do crazy things…”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Can you do it?”

The next morning, right on schedule, a steady stream of “potential buyers” started arriving. I sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and watching through the window as they circled John’s precious Porsche like vultures.

When John’s Uber pulled up, I couldn’t help but smile. Game time.

John burst through the door, face red as a tomato. “Edith! Why are there people pawing at my car? Some guy just asked if the leather seats were original!”

I took another leisurely sip of coffee. “Oh, that. I’m selling the house. And the car is a great selling point, don’t you think? Really sweetens the deal.”

“Selling the—” He sputtered, yanking out his phone. “Are you insane? I’ll call Sarah and get this listing taken down immediately!”

“Go ahead,” I said sweetly. “I’m sure she’d love to hear from you. Maybe you can tell her about your vacation while you’re at it. How was the beach? The water looked lovely in your photos.”

He stared at me, realization dawning slowly across his face. “This… is this some kind of punishment? Did I do something wrong?”

“What do you mean? I’m just doing what you would do: looking out for number one.” I stood up, finally letting some of my anger show. “After all, I’m just your wife. Not family, remember?”

The next hour was chaos. John ran around, trying to shoo away potential buyers while simultaneously begging me to reconsider. One elderly couple was particularly persistent, the wife going on and on about how the Porsche would be perfect for her “weekend antiquing.”

I thought John might actually cry. I let him stew until Sarah texted that she was running out of friends to send over.

“Okay, fine,” I announced to John. “You’re right. I won’t sell the house.” I paused for effect. “Or the car.”

John sagged with relief. “Thank God. Edith, I—”

I held up a hand. “But things are going to change, John. I lost my mother, and you couldn’t even be bothered to reschedule a vacation. I needed my husband, and you were too busy posting beach selfies to care.”

He had the grace to look ashamed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”

“No, you didn’t. But you’re going to start. Because next time you pull something like this, it won’t be a fake listing. And you can bet your original leather seats on that.”

He nodded, looking like a scolded schoolboy. “What can I do to make it right?”

“You can start by acting like a partner instead of a roommate who occasionally shares my bed. My mom’s gone, John. She was the only parent I had left, and I’m going to need time to grieve. Real grief, not the kind you can fix with a fancy dinner or a new piece of jewelry.”

“I…” His brows knitted into a frown and he clenched his jaw. “I don’t know how to be the man you need me to be, Edith, but I love you and I want to try.”

Things aren’t perfect now. John still struggles with emotions that can’t be fixed with his credit card. But he goes to therapy twice a month, and last week, he actually asked how I was feeling about Mom.

He sat and listened while I talked about how much I missed her Sunday calls, and how sometimes I still reach for the phone to tell her something funny before remembering I can’t. He even opened up a little about his own emotions.

Baby steps.

Sometimes I think about what Mom would say about all this. I can almost hear her laugh and see her shaking her head.

“That’s my girl,” she’d say. “Never let them see you sweat — just show ’em the ‘For Sale’ sign instead.”

She’d taught me that strength comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s pushing through pain, and sometimes it’s knowing when to push back.

Here’s another story: Valeria’s perfect evening turns into a nightmare when her husband, John, inexplicably ridicules her in front of their friends and family. As she tries to uncover the reason behind his sudden cruelty, she stumbles upon a shocking accusation that threatens to tear their marriage apart. Click here to keep reading.

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.