A woman is angry and hurt when her husband forgets their 50th wedding anniversary and throws their belongings in the gutter… until he comes home with an unusual excuse.
Betty Carmichael was sure her husband had forgotten their anniversary again, but this time she wasn’t going to buy it. She’d been married to Donald for fifty years and she deserved better.
She had been by his side through thick and thin and had given him three children and the best years of his life, and what had she gotten? Not even a bunch of tattered daisies, let alone red roses.
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Betty looked at the clock on the wall and frowned. 9:30 p.m. He hadn’t even bothered to come home for the special dinner she had prepared! That was the last straw!
Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, and doubt wears away at the love that holds it together.
Immediately he heard a scream: “BETTY! What’s going on here?”
He stepped outside and stood on the porch, fists on his hips. “What do you want?” he asked.
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Donald was standing in the garden, looking very angry. He pointed to an old, worn-out recliner on the lawn, along with several boxes of books and knick-knacks.
“What are my things doing in the grass?” he asked. “Have you gone mad, woman?”
“Crazy!” Betty screamed, and the lights in the house next door came on. “You’re the one who must be crazy! Do you have Alzheimer’s or amnesia? I’m kicking you out of the house. I’m divorcing you.”
“Divorce you?” Donald exclaimed, stunned. “I’m seventy-eight and you’re seventy-five and you want a DIVORCE?”
“Yes!” Betty cried angrily. “Do you think that because I’m seventy-five I’m no longer a woman? That you can take me for granted? I won’t let you.”
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“Betty,” said Donald, “be reasonable. What’s this all about?”
“You forgot our anniversary again!” Betty said angrily. “We’ve been together for fifty years and I have to remind you of my birthday. I understand that you weren’t there, but I’m sure you were at the wedding!”
“Betty,” Donald protested, “that was the happiest day of my life…”
“Then why don’t you remember?” Betty asked. “Why don’t you bring me flowers or take me dancing? You don’t love me anymore. You haven’t loved me for years.”
Donald shook his head. “I love you, Betty,” he said. “You’re the love of my life…”
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“So why didn’t you come to my house for dinner?” Betty asked. “I made a special dinner, lit candles and put flowers in the house, and you didn’t show up! Where were you? Out with another woman?”
Donald smiled. “Yes,” he said, and stepped aside. There stood a slim girl in her twenties, with Betty’s blue eyes and Donald’s wide smile.
“Hannah!” Betty screamed and ran down the steps. She would have fallen if Donald hadn’t caught her. He hugged her and started crying.
“Oh, Hannah,” she sobbed. “It’s been too long! I’ve missed you so much.”
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“Hi, Grandma Betty,” Hannah said. “I’m sorry we’re so late, but my flight was delayed. Poor Grandpa Donald was waiting for hours.”
Betty turned to her husband. “You knew I was coming and you didn’t tell me?” she protested.
“I didn’t KNOW that,” Donald said triumphantly. “I arranged it! It was supposed to be your anniversary surprise, but the flight was delayed… You’ve been complaining about how much you miss your only granddaughter, so I sent her a plane ticket!”
“Oh, Don!” Betty cried, throwing her arms around her husband. “I’m sorry! I thought… I started thinking crazy…”
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“Betty,” Donald said tenderly, “I haven’t looked at another woman in fifty years, and I’m not going to start now.”
“Donald,” Betty said, “what have I done to deserve you?”
“I don’t know,” Don said. “But I can tell you that it’s going to be a lot of work to get all my stuff back to the house where it belongs!”
With Hannah’s help, Donald and Betty got everything tidied up and sat down for a midnight snack. “By the way,” Donald said, “I have another surprise for you. Tomorrow night we’re having a party with all of our children and all of our friends. I’ve arranged for Father Bartholomew to be there so we can renew our vows.”
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“But what am I going to wear?” Betty exclaimed.
“I don’t know anything about the dress, but I do have a ring!” said Donald, who knelt down and took out a jewelry box. “Betty Delancy Carmichael, will you marry me again?”
The next day, the Carmichaels celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in style and Betty looked gorgeous in a pretty cream-colored dress and a small veil. As Donald kissed her, she vowed never to doubt him again as long as she lived.
What can we learn from this story?
- Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, and doubt wears away at the love that holds it together. Betty began to imagine that Don no longer loved her, and she didn’t realize that he had a sweet surprise in store for her.
- Marriage is about every day, not just the special occasions. Betty forgot that Don was there for her through all the tough days and supported her through thick and thin.
