A woman is angry and hurt when her husband forgets their 50th wedding anniversary and throws his belongings in the gutter — until he comes home with an unusual excuse.
Betty Carmichael was sure her husband had forgotten their anniversary yet again, only this time she wasn’t going to take it lying down. She had been married to Donald for fifty years and she deserved better!
She had stood by his side through thick and thin and given him three children and the best years of her life, and what did she get? Not even a bouquet of ratty daisies, let alone red roses.
Donald hadn’t brought Betty flowers in years. | Source: Pexels
Betty looked at the wall clock and frowned. 21:30. He hadn’t even bothered to come home for the special dinner she’d prepared! This was the last straw!
Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship, and doubt wears away at the love that holds it together.
Two hours later, Betty heard her husband’s car pull into the driveway and smiled grimly. Donald wasn’t going to enjoy his evening, not one little bit.
She immediately heard a shout: “BETTY! What is going on here!”
She marched outside and stood on the porch, her fists on her hips. “What do you want?” she asked.
Betty prepared a romantic dinner but Donald didn’t come home. | Source: Unsplash
Donald was standing in the garden and he looked very angry. He pointed a finger at an old worn-out recliner sitting on the lawn along with several boxes of books and bric-a-brac.
“What are my things doing out on the lawn?” he asked. “Have you run mad, woman?”
“Mad!” screamed Betty, and the lights went on in the house next door. “You are the one who must be mad! Do you have Alzheimer’s or amnesia? I’m kicking you out. I’m divorcing you!”
“Divorcing me?” gasped Donald, flabbergasted. “I’m seventy-eight years old and you’re seventy-five and you want a DIVORCE?”
“Yes!” cried Betty angrily. “Do you think that just because I’m seventy-five I’m no longer a woman? That you can take me for granted? Well, I won’t let you!”
Betty was sure Donald didn’t love her anymore. | Source: Pexels
“Betty,” Donald said. “Be reasonable. What is 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 you weren’t there, but you were definitely there for the wedding!”
“Bets,” Donald protested. “That was the happiest day of my life…”
“Then why don’t you remember it?” Betty asked. “Why don’t you bring me flowers or take me dancing? You don’t love me anymore. You haven’t loved me in years.”
Donald shook his head. “I love you, Betty,” he said. “You are the love of my life…”
Betty brought Donald’s favorite chair out in the street. | Source:Source: Unsplash
“Then why didn’t you come home for dinner?” Betty asked. “I made a special dinner and lit candles and set out flowers and you didn’t show up! Where were you? Out with another woman?”
Donald grinned. “Yes,” he said and stepped aside. Standing there was a slim girl in her twenties with Betty’s blue eyes and Donald’s wide smile.
“Hannah!” Betty cried and ran down the steps. She would have fallen if Donald hadn’t caught her. She threw her arms around the girl and started crying.
“Oh, Hannah,” she sobbed. “It’s been too long! I’ve missed you so much!”
Hannah came to visit her grandparents. | Source: Unsplash
“Hi, Gran Betty,” Hannah said. “I’m sorry we were so late, but my flight was delayed. Poor Gran Donald waited for hours!”
Betty turned to her husband. “You knew she was coming and you didn’t tell me?” she protested.
“I didn’t KNOW,” Donald said triumphantly. “I arranged it! It was supposed to have been your anniversary surprise, but the flight was late… You’ve been complaining about how much you miss your only grandchild, so I sent her a plane ticket!”
“Oh, Don!” Betty cried, and put her arms around her husband. “I’m sorry! I thought… I started thinking crazy things…”
Donald and Betty renewed their vows. | Source: Unsplash
“Betty,” Donald said tenderly. “I haven’t looked at another woman in fifty years and I’m not about to start now.”
“Donald,” Betty said. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“I don’t know,” Don said. “But I can tell you we’re going to have a hell of a time getting all my stuff back in the house where it belongs!”
With Hannah’s help, Don 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 our children and all our friends. I’ve arranged for Father Bartholomew to be there so we can renew our vows.”
Betty and Donald had a wonderful anniversary party. | Source: Unsplash
“But what am I going to wear?” gasped Betty.
“I don’t know about the dress, but I have a ring!” Don said, then he dropped down to one knee and pulled out a little 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 lovely in a pretty cream suit and a little 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 started imagining that Don didn’t love her anymore, and didn’t realize he had a sweet surprise for her.
- Marriage is about every single day, not just the special occasions. Betty forgot that Don was there for every difficult day and stood by her through thick and thin.
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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who was shocked and hurt when his wife of thirty years asked for a divorce even though he’d always been a faithful husband.
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.
Terry Crews’ wife says their marriage almost ended three times.
Terry Crews’ wife, Rebecca, shared that their marriage almost ended in divorce three times, but they worked through their issues after Terry decided to focus on “working on himself.”
In an interview with DailyMail.com, Rebecca, who’s been married to Terry for 35 years, spoke about how much she admires his determination but also revealed they’ve had tough times, even coming close to being homeless.
She explained that their shared faith has been important in their relationship. Even when things were difficult, they both kept trying, believing that they chose each other for a reason. Rebecca said they’ve had a few moments where they could have ended their marriage, but each time, one of them wanted to stay and worked hard to make things better.
Rebecca Crews, mother of five and the founder of a new boutique in Pasadena, shared more about her relationship with her husband, Terry. She explained that their marriage almost ended three times. The first time, she wanted out, but Terry fought to keep them together. The second time, he wanted to leave, but she fought for him. The third time, Terry had to face his addiction, and Rebecca kicked him out.
Terry begged her to stay, but Rebecca told him he’d messed up. He went to work on himself, became a better person, but Rebecca said he could still improve.
Both Terry and Rebecca have been open about their struggles, and in 2021, Terry admitted that his porn addiction nearly ruined their marriage.
When asked what makes a marriage last, Rebecca said it’s important to make sure both people are getting what they want. She knew what she wanted when she married Terry, and it turned out they shared similar goals. She warned that couples who don’t share the same dreams, like wanting children, can face big problems.
Rebecca added that even though it’s been tough, she always saw Terry as a good guy and her friend, and that helped them get through the hard times.
Rebecca Crews shared that she loved Terry as a person before she fell in love with him, and he’s still her friend. She joked that she can sometimes argue with him and then hug him right after, saying, “but you’re still my boo.”
Rebecca explained that while she holds Terry to a certain “standard,” forgiveness is important in making their relationship work. She said she often tells him, “You can do better,” and that he admits he’s not perfect. She believes forgiveness is key to staying married, but it has to be sincere. She added that you can’t just keep accepting bad behavior; sometimes you need to step back and let someone feel the consequences.
The couple, who have four daughters and a son, have been through tough times but live in Pasadena, California, and have been together for 25 years.
Rebecca Crews shared that there was a time in their lives when they were close to being homeless. They were just a week away from having to leave their place with nowhere to go when something came through for them at the last moment. They ended up moving just across the street in Burbank.
Now that all of their children have grown up and moved out, Rebecca said she and Terry have more freedom. They travel more and she can even join him while he’s working, making the empty-nester life fun. She joked that Terry can sometimes feel like another child!
With more time on her hands, Rebecca has been focusing on her clothing line. She’s grateful for the support from Terry, both financially and emotionally, and she credits him for helping her build her determination. Rebecca said it’s never too late to follow your dreams, and she now feels bolder and more confident. She even got emotional when her new store in Pasadena was opening, calling it a dream come true and seeing even bigger things ahead.
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