When I arrived at the hospital to bring my wife and newborn twins home, I was met with a shocking reality—Suzie was gone. All she left behind was a note:
“Goodbye. Take care of them. Ask your mother WHY she did this to me.”
I was stunned. Suzie had seemed fine, but her message hinted at something far more troubling.
At home, I confronted my mother, suspecting her involvement. She had never approved of Suzie, but I hadn’t realized how deeply her constant criticisms had wounded her—until I found a letter from my mother. It called Suzie “not good enough” and accused her of “trapping” me with the pregnancy. The truth hit me hard: my mother’s words had driven Suzie away.
Through Suzie’s friend, Sara, I learned that Suzie had felt suffocated—not just by the pregnancy but by my mother’s relentless cruelty. She feared my mother would turn me against her. Leaving was her desperate escape from the emotional turmoil.
A year later, Suzie returned. She apologized for leaving, admitting she had battled postpartum depression and overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. Therapy had helped her heal.
“I never wanted to leave,” she whispered. “I just didn’t know how to stay.”
Together, we faced the pain, rebuilding our love and our family—stronger than before.