
When Alicia returned home from a business trip, she discovered a baby next to her husband on their bed. His explanation made no sense, but she was tired. However, the shocking truth made sense a few hours later when she woke up.
After an extended business trip to New York, Alicia was finally home in Miami and was looking forward to resting on her bed with her husband, Luke. She carefully walked around the house, taking off her jacket and trying not to make a sound. It was late at night, and Luke had no idea she was back.
She was supposed to return in three days, but Alicia managed to finish her work early and decided to catch a flight back as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that meant reaching Miami after midnight and getting home way too late. But that was fine. Luke would be surprised when he woke up next to his wife in the morning.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
They talked all the time while she was gone, but a month was way too much time for a business trip. Never again, Alicia thought when she finally reached their bedroom.
Luckily, she didn’t have to turn on the lights because the moon reflected enough light to see around. She saw her husband’s figure on the bed and heard his light snoring but moved quickly around the room, changing into her PJs.
But she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a tiny bundle on her side of the bed. There was a pillow at the edge so the baby wouldn’t roll and fall to the other side. But Alicia and Luke didn’t have kids. What’s going on here? Where did he get that baby?
Luke didn’t have any family as he grew up in an orphanage, so the child couldn’t be a niece or nephew. So what was happening here? she wondered in shock.
She went to the other side of the bed and shook her husband. “Luke! Luke! Wake up!” she tried to keep a whispering tone, but she was way too startled for anything. Fortunately, the baby didn’t hear, but her husband felt her hand on his arm.
“What? Who…. Alicia? What are you doing here?” he said groggily, his hand raising to his face and wiping sleep from his eyes.
“Meet me in the kitchen right now!” she stage-whispered and walked away.
Luke followed slowly and looked at his wife sleepily. “You’re here early.”
“Yes, whatever. Who is that baby, Luke? What’s going on here?” she questioned angrily.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I’m not sure, Alicia. Someone left him on our doorstep a few days ago, and I’ve been taking care of him,” Luke said and yawned heavily.
“What? That doesn’t make sense! Let’s call the police!”
“Yes, we have to do that, but I keep forgetting while taking care of him. Listen, I’m way too tired to have this conversation. And you’re probably tired from traveling too. Let’s go to bed and figure out what to do in the morning, okay?”
“No, we have to figure it out right now!” Alicia exclaimed in exasperation.
“Shush, please. It’s too late. You’ll wake the baby. Please, let’s go to sleep,” Luke insisted and walked back to the bedroom, not waiting for Alicia’s response.
“Fine,” she whispered and followed. She laid down on the other side of the baby, and it was okay because their bed was huge. Shockingly, Alicia fell asleep quickly and didn’t dream that night.
Seven a.m. that day…
Alicia woke up to a couple of muffled voices coming from the living room. She turned on the bed and saw that Luke and the baby were gone, so she rushed up and sauntered out of the room, trying not to alert anyone.
“Luke, when are you going to tell her? This can’t go on like this!” a woman’s voice said in annoyance.
“Please, keep it down. I don’t know how to tell her, okay?” Luke said in a lower tone, hoping that Alicia wouldn’t wake.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
But she was wide awake now. Who is that? Is this about the baby? Is she his secret baby mama? Alicia worried and wondered if she should show herself and confront them.
“Please, let’s give it some time. I’ll tell her when the DNA results come out,” Luke pleaded, and Alicia’s jaw dropped.
DNA test? He got someone pregnant, and now they were testing to see the parentage? I can’t let this go on, she decided. Alicia stepped directly into the living room and saw Luke talking to a woman who was just outside the front door.
“What’s going on here? I want the truth right now, Luke. I heard everything. What DNA test? Is that your baby mama?” she demanded, crossing her arms on her chest. Luke and the woman turned around with wide eyes.
But shockingly, the stranger smiled. “Baby mama?” she said and laughed.
“There’s nothing funny about this. Luke, did you cheat on me with this woman?!” Alicia almost shouted.
“No! No! I swear! I would never do that. Please, listen to me,” Luke begged, walking towards her with his hand in front.
“You have ten seconds!” Alicia seethed, her arms still crossed in anger.
“This is my sister, Linda.”

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Alicia’s arms dropped. “What?”
“Linda and I met two weeks ago by chance. Look, baby. She looks just like me. We met at the supermarket and were shocked by our resemblance to one another. We started talking and realized we were both orphans. Now we’re waiting for the results of a DNA test to confirm it. But we’re pretty sure because our childhood experiences were similar. I believe I remember playing with her at the orphanage, but it’s a blurry memory,” Luke explained the shocking story.
“That’s crazy,” Alicia whispered, looking at the woman. But Luke was right. The woman looked awfully like him. If identical twins of different genders were possible, they would be the perfect example.
Luke continued. “We’ve gotten pretty close since then, and she had an emergency last night. She asked me to watch her baby, Tony. I was too tired to explain earlier, but there it is.”
Alicia calmed down and invited Linda inside to hear the woman’s side of the story. It was pretty remarkable. Luke also begged forgiveness for not telling her sooner, but he didn’t want to ruin her important business trip with this complicated news.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Anyway, the results are supposed to come out in a few days, and then, we’ll see. You can see them along with my husband and corroborate that we’re not lying. But I really hope it’s true because not having any extended family is the worst,” Linda commented after they talked for a while.
Alicia was glad to hear that Linda had a husband. It made the story much more plausible, and she forgave Luke for the lie pretty quickly because Tony was super cute.
A few days later, the results confirmed they were siblings, and they decided to spend more time together. Alicia was glad that Luke had a nephew to dote on, and she always thought that family mattered more than anything in the world.
What can we learn from this story?
- Don’t lie to your spouse. Things could’ve gone south for Luke if Alicia didn’t patiently wait for an explanation. So it’s best not to lie to your partner.
- Family is the most crucial part of life. Cherish your family members because tons of people wish they had them.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a girl who asked her parents to adopt a kid she found on the bus.
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. If you would like to share your story
My Sister’s Boyfriend Was Mocking the Family Cookout I Hosted — He Received a Reality Check Soon

When my sister Amanda brought her new boyfriend Jeff to our family cookout, we expected a laid-back afternoon of burgers and laughter. Instead, Jeff’s arrogant critique of our setup led to an unforgettable showdown at the grill, revealing more about him than any of us anticipated.
My sister Amanda brought her new boyfriend, Jeff, to our family cookout yesterday. It was a casual get-together with about thirty people. Everyone contributed something for the sides.

Barbecue | Source: Pexels
Amanda only brought a single bag of store-brand potato chips. Jeff, on the other hand, made himself at home by grabbing a beer right away before even saying hello to anyone.
We were having hamburgers and hot dogs, just relaxing with the family. Nothing fancy, just the way we liked it. The first plate of hot dogs was done, and we were waiting on the burgers when Jeff asked, “Is this it?”

Jeff | Source: Midjourney
My wife, Sarah, smiled and said, “The hamburgers will be ready soon.”
Jeff didn’t seem to care. “At my family’s barbecues, we have BBQ chicken, steak, shrimp, and many other options.” His voice had a hint of pride, and he looked around as if he was appraising our efforts.

Diverse barbecue platter | Source: Pexels
I could feel my blood boiling, but I kept my cool for Amanda’s sake. Jeff kept talking, his condescending comments filling the air. “You know, you guys should come to my place next time. I can show you how a real barbecue is done.”
Sarah glanced at me, her eyes asking for patience. Amanda was busy chatting with our cousins, oblivious to Jeff’s attitude.

Oblivious Amanda | Source: Midjourney
“Everyone has their own way of doing things,” Sarah said, trying to be diplomatic.
Jeff just shrugged. “Sure, but there’s always room for improvement, right?”
I clenched my teeth and took a deep breath. “Jeff, why don’t you sit down and enjoy what we have? It’s all about being together with family.”

Man in a suit | Source: Pexels
He nodded but didn’t seem to take the hint. Instead, he kept sipping his beer and critiquing everything. “The setup is a bit basic, don’t you think? At my family’s cookouts, we have a whole setup with tents and a proper grill.”
“Yeah, well, we like to keep things simple,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s about the company, not the presentation.”

Serious woman in her backyard | Source: Pexels
Jeff looked like he was about to say something else, but Sarah cut in. “Amanda, why don’t you tell us more about your new job?”
Amanda turned, her face lighting up. “Oh, it’s been great! I’m really enjoying the new responsibilities.”
Jeff didn’t let the conversation shift for long. “You know, Amanda, we should host the next cookout. Show everyone how we do it.”

Young arrogant man wearing sunglasses | Source: Pexels
Amanda smiled awkwardly. “Maybe, Jeff. But let’s just enjoy today, okay?”
I couldn’t believe this guy. He hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself properly, and here he was, acting like he was better than us. I caught Sarah’s eye again. She gave me a small nod, silently telling me to stay calm.
My brother, Mark, walked over, holding a plate of burgers. “Burgers are ready!” he announced.

Sliced burger | Source: Pexels
“Finally,” Jeff said under his breath.
I shot him a look, but he didn’t seem to notice. Everyone started grabbing plates and loading up on food. I made sure to get a burger and sat down next to Sarah.
“Just let it go,” she whispered. “He’s new.”
“I know,” I replied, trying to keep my voice low. “But he’s really pushing it.”

The host watches Jeff | Source: Midjourney
By this point, everyone was noticeably uncomfortable, and my wife was giving me the “please do something” look. I finally had enough when Jeff said, “Man, you guys really need to step up your game. This is kind of embarrassing.”
Without missing a beat, I turned to him and said, “You know what, Jeff? If this is so embarrassing, let’s go to the store right now, and you can show us how it’s done. We’ll buy everything you mentioned, and you can cook it yourself.”

Picking meat at a store | Source: Pexels
Jeff looked a bit taken aback but didn’t back down. “Fine, let’s do it,” he said confidently.
I grabbed my keys, and Jeff and I headed to the store. We bought BBQ chicken, steaks, shrimp, and all the fancy sides Jeff had bragged about. When we returned, I handed him an apron and said, “Alright, Jeff, the grill’s all yours.”

Jeff burns the food on the grill | Source: Midjourney
Jeff started fumbling with the grill, clearly out of his element. It became quickly apparent that he had no idea what he was doing. He overcooked the steaks, turning them into tough, leathery messes. The shrimp were rubbery and over-seasoned. The BBQ chicken was burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.
As we all stood there, trying not to laugh, I raised my glass and said, “To Jeff, for showing us how it’s done.” The whole family burst into laughter, and even Amanda couldn’t help but chuckle.

Burnt food | Source: Pexels
Jeff turned beet red and muttered something about the grill being faulty, but the damage was done. His bravado was shattered, and he spent the rest of the evening sulking in a corner.
The next day, Amanda called me, apologizing for Jeff’s behavior. She admitted she hadn’t realized how arrogant and clueless he was until that cookout. A few weeks later, she broke up with him, realizing she deserved someone who respected her family and wasn’t all talk.

Arrogant young man | Source: Pexels
“Hey, remember Jeff?” Mark said at our latest cookout, flipping a burger with a grin.
“Oh, how could we forget?” Sarah replied, shaking her head with a laugh.
“I still can’t believe he thought he could show us up,” Amanda added, smiling but with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Smiling woman | Source: Pexels
“That was something,” I said, raising my beer. “To Jeff, the BBQ master.”
Everyone laughed, clinking their glasses together.
“You know,” Amanda continued, “I learned a lot from that day. It’s not just about what people say they can do, but what they actually do. Actions speak louder than words.”

Family barbecue | Source: Midjourney
“Absolutely,” Sarah agreed. “And you deserve someone who can really follow through on things.”
“I do,” Amanda nodded. “And I’ve found someone who does just that. Maybe I’ll bring him to the next cookout.”
“That’s great to hear,” I said, genuinely happy for her.

Family gathering in the yard | Source: Pexels
We all continued to reminisce, sharing stories and laughing. The memory of Jeff had become a funny, albeit embarrassing, chapter in our family’s history. It served as a reminder that no matter how fancy someone tries to make things, it’s the genuine effort and love put into something that truly matters.
“Who knew that one disastrous cookout would teach us so much?” Mark mused, taking a sip of his drink.

The host toasts to his family | Source: Midjourney
“Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons,” I said. “And sometimes, the best lessons come from the most unexpected places.”
“To family,” Sarah said, raising her glass.

Family cookout | Source: Pexels
“To family,” everyone echoed, smiling and enjoying the moment.
And so, even years later, the story of Jeff’s BBQ fiasco lived on, a legend within our family. It was a tale we would tell for years to come, always ending with laughter and a sense of togetherness.
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