Jackson’s marriage was put under strain after Savannah expressed her displeasure over Mother’s Day. With Father’s Day approaching, he was hoping for a peaceful day to relax, but Savannah had other plans. When she gave him her unexpected gift, Jackson was shocked…
I parked in the driveway and turned off the engine. It was 8:00 PM and I knew I was late.
A man inside a car | Source: Pexels
I worked long hours for two weeks straight, barely seeing Savannah and our four children: Madison, 10, Olivia, 5, Ethan, 4, and our baby Lily, just 9 months old.
As I headed home, I hoped the gift I’d bought would make up for my absence on Savannah’s special day. It was a designer handbag she’d wanted for months, and I just hoped it would bring a smile to her face.
A woman holding a leather bag | Source: Pexels
I rang the doorbell and waited.
A few moments later, the door opened, and in the doorway stood Savannah with Lily in her arms, looking exhausted.
A woman with a baby in her arms | Source: Midjourney
“Happy Mother’s Day,” I said, handing her the gift.
“Really, you didn’t have to. Thanks, Jackson,” she replied, taking the gift. She led me to the dining table, where she carefully placed the box.
A gift package | Source: Unsplash
“Aren’t you going to see what it is?”
“All I wanted was some alone time today, darling,” she sighed. “I needed a break from being solicited at every turn.”
Her words hit me hard. “I’m so sorry, Savannah. I had to work and couldn’t get out until 6:30. And then I went to buy your present.”
A couple having a conversation at home | Source: Pexels
She sighed, setting the gift aside. “I understand. But you could have given me this gift any other day. Today I needed to rest.”
I saw the exhaustion in her eyes and heard it in her voice. The children had been demanding all day, and she hadn’t had a moment to herself. I wanted to make things better, but I was very tired myself.
A couple arguing | Source: Pexels
“I’ll make it up to you,” I promised. “Maybe this weekend I can take the kids out and you can have some time to yourself.”
Savannah nodded, though she didn’t seem entirely convinced.
A woman lost in thought | Source: Pexels
We spent the evening getting the kids ready for bed.
When they all fell asleep, it was almost 10 p.m.
A sleeping child | Source: Pexels
As we climbed into bed, Savannah looked at me with a hopeful expression. “Can you rub my back, baby? My shoulders are killing me.”
“Sure,” I replied, eager to do something to help him.
A man treating a woman’s back pain | Source: Pexels
I started to massage his shoulders, but I was so tired. The exhaustion from the long work weeks hit me all at once. I fought to stay awake, but my eyes grew heavy, and before I knew it, I was asleep.
Savannah’s disappointed sigh was the last thing I heard before sleep took over.
A sleeping man | Source: Pexels
The memory of Mother’s Day was still fresh in my mind when Father’s Day arrived.
I decided to leave work early, not because I had anything special planned, but because there wasn’t much work to do. I finished my tasks quickly and clocked in at noon.
A man at work | Source: Unsplash
At the office, my colleague, Bob, noticed my pace. “Jackson, you rushed through those reports today. What’s the rush?”
“It’s Father’s Day,” I replied, grabbing my coat. “I thought I’d take advantage of the light workload and get home early.”
Bob chuckled. “You’re lucky. Enjoy it, man. Make the most of it.”
A man sitting at a table with a laptop | Source: Unsplash
Once everything was done, I went home. I walked in the door around 12:30, satisfied with my decision.
Savannah greeted me with a warm smile.
A couple kissing | Source: Midjourney
“Happy Father’s Day,” she said, hugging me. “What do you want for dinner tonight?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, whatever you want is fine with me.”
Food and Wine | Source: Unsplash
Savannah nodded. “Okay. What do you want to do today? We could go fishing or swimming with the kids.”
I hesitated for a moment, imagining a peaceful afternoon in the garage. “Honestly… all I want to do is relax and work on my truck without interruptions,” I said. “You know, I was hoping for some time to myself.”
A couple arguing at home | Source: Midjourney
Savannah’s expression changed instantly. “No, you can hang out with the kids for Father’s Day.”
I frowned. “Why? It’s Father’s Day. Shouldn’t I be able to do whatever I want?”
An upset man | Source: Freepik
Savannah looked at me firmly. “Why should you get a stress-free, kid-free, relaxing day when you couldn’t even give me an ounce of that for Mother’s Day? You can hang out with the kids for Father’s Day.”
Her words took me by surprise. I opened my mouth to reply, but she continued, “This is my gift to you. Since you work a lot and don’t have time to be close to your children, I’m giving you this chance! Take advantage of it!”
A woman with two children | Source: Freepik
She handed Lily to me, making it clear that I was in charge of childcare for the day.
“Dad, can we watch a movie?” Olivia asked, holding out a DVD.
A smiling girl | Source: Freepik
I sighed, feeling the weight of the day. “Sure, let’s put it on.”
We put in the DVD and I settled down on the couch, hoping for a moment of peace. But peace was nowhere to be found. No sooner had the movie started than Madison asked, “Dad, can you get me some popcorn?”
A bowl of popcorn | Source: Unsplash
I got up and went to the kitchen, quickly making a bowl of popcorn. As soon as I sat back down, Ethan said, “Dad, I need a drink.”
Suppressing another sigh, I went back to the kitchen to get some drinks.
A mini fridge with drinks | Source: Unsplash
When I got back to the living room, Lily was acting up. I tried rocking her gently, but she started crying harder. I could feel my frustration rising. I just wanted a day to relax and work on my truck. Was that too much to ask?
Olivia, meanwhile, couldn’t sit still. “Dad, can you sit with me?” she asked, tugging on my sleeve.
Close-up of a smiling girl | Source: Freepik
“Sure, sweetheart,” I replied, slinging Lily over one arm and putting the other around Olivia. Just when I thought things were calming down, Madison decided to argue with Ethan over which character was better.
“Batman is better than Superman!” Madison said.
Two children arguing | Source: Freepik
“Superman is the strongest!” Ethan replied.
“Kids, keep your voice down,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “Let’s just watch the movie!”
A tired man | Source: Unsplash
But they continued to bicker, and I found myself playing referee. All the while, Lily continued to fuss and Olivia squirmed in her seat.
My frustration was growing. I was hoping for a relaxing day, but instead I had to deal with all this chaos.
A frustrated man | Source: Unsplash
I thought it was unfair. On Mother’s Day, Savannah had made it clear she needed rest, and I hadn’t been able to give it to her. Now, on Father’s Day, she was getting her revenge, and I couldn’t even have a moment to myself. I just wanted a day, and I wasn’t able to have it, right?
After putting the kids to bed, I sat alone in the living room, the house finally quiet.
A tired man | Source: Midjourney
Savannah’s words kept repeating in my head: “Why should you have a stress-free, child-free, relaxing day when you couldn’t give me even a sliver of that for Mother’s Day?”
I thought back to his frustrated expression earlier in the day. It wasn’t just about today.
“You know, Jackson,” she had said earlier, “for several Mother’s Days and birthdays, you’ve always been at work. I’ve never been able to do what I wanted.”
A woman talking to her husband | Source: Pexels
I tried to explain, “Savannah, you know my job doesn’t give me days off for these holidays. I can’t help it.”
“But my job does,” she said. “My employer gives all the moms off for Mother’s Day and all the dads off for Father’s Day, as well as all the birthdays. I always get the day off, but you never do. It’s hard to do anything special for myself when I’m alone with the kids.”
A woman complaining to her husband | Source: Pexels
I felt a pang of guilt. She was right. She always had a day off, but I was never there to help make it special. It was hard for her, and I hadn’t really understood until now.
I leaned back against the couch, running my hand through my hair. “Am I wrong to be upset about the Father’s Day gift?” I wondered aloud.
A frustrated man leaning on the sofa | Source: Freepik
I knew I had no valid argument. Savannah was right. For years, she had sacrificed her special days because of my schedule. I wanted to justify my frustration, but her reasoning was clear.
However, I still didn’t think what she did was right. I had hoped to be able to take a break today, relax, and do something I enjoy. She could have been more mature and let me have my break!
Am I a bad husband for reacting like this?
A depressed man | Source: Pexels
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one : Tom works hard every day and is very proud of his job as a construction worker. So naturally, his heart broke when he discovered his children were ashamed of his profession. Determined to change their minds, Tom devised a plan to teach them a valuable lesson.
A construction worker | Source: Unsplash
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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