My lifelong dream was to become a mother. Tanner, on the other hand, was determined not to have children. Our relationship grew strained as a result of unfulfilled expectations, and our conflicts increased in frequency. It everything came to a head one evening. I cried as I continued, “Tanner, I can’t keep pretending this doesn’t matter to me.” “I’d like kids. I must become a mother.”Tanner’s expression was one of anguish and frustration. “Giselle, I’ve always said that I don’t want children. I am unable to alter who I am.” I begged, “But we’ve built a life together.” “We can find a way to make it work.”Shaking his head, he spoke in a broken voice. “Finding a means is not the only thing to do. It has to do with essentially having different desires. Since I know I won’t be able to provide them with the love and care they need, I don’t want to have a child.” There was an unbearable silence for a while. Both of us knew what needed to happen. We ended up divorcing. Even though it was unbearable, I thought that was the only way we could both get the happiness we deserved. A few years passed. I started over, secured employment, and surrounded myself with friends who grew to be like family. However, I could never shake the pain that reminded me of the life I had once dreamed. I communicated with Tanner on occasion, primarily via quick texts. Despite living in the same town, we hardly ever saw each other. Up till recently… I noticed him as I was aimlessly perusing the aisles of the nearby store. With his cart brimming with children’s toys, Tanner stood at the cash register.My heart gave out. I had a wave of mixed feelings, including hurtful, profound despair and rage. Why would he purchase toys? Was the man who refused to have children suddenly a father? It seemed like a tragic turn of events. I couldn’t contain my curiosity, so I followed him. I followed him, feeling like a detective in one of those crime dramas, while he piled the toys into his car. He drove to a storage container instead of a family home. He spent a long time inside unloading the toys, and I watched. My mind was buzzing with ideas. Was a family behind him? concealing something from everyone? I followed him with my heart thumping in my chest till he finally went. Tanner took me to the home where we once shared hopes of our future together. No indications of a new partner or kids were present. It appeared as I had remembered, seemingly eternally preserved in time. I was overcome with fatigue and humiliation, but there was no going back now. I inhaled deeply before exiting the vehicle and approaching the door. I tapped, and my hand trembled. Tanner looked surprised, then puzzled, as he opened the door. “Giselle? Why are you in this place?”
