“Everything okay?” I asked as we sat down.
Fiona glanced up, startled. “Oh, yeah. Just checking something quick.”
I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. This was supposed to be our special night, but she seemed a million miles away.
The waiter appeared with menus. “Can I interest you in our anniversary special? A bottle of champagne to start?”
“That sounds perfect,” I said, smiling at Fiona. “What do you think, honey?”
She was staring at her phone again. “Hm? Oh, sure. Whatever you want.”
I sighed and ordered the champagne. As the waiter walked away, I reached across the table and gently touched Fiona’s hand.
“Hey, can we maybe put the phones away? It’s our anniversary.”
Fiona looked guilty. “You’re right, I’m sorry. It’s just this new video series I found —”
I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice. “Another prank channel?”
“They’re hilarious, Aidan! You should see some of these —”
I tuned out as she launched into a description of the latest viral prank. My mind wandered back to the past few weeks, and I felt my stomach tighten.
It had started innocently enough, Fiona showing me funny videos on her phone, and both of us laughing. But then she’d started trying to recreate them at home.
There was the time she jumped out from behind the shower curtain, nearly giving me a heart attack. The fake spider in Nora’s lunchbox that made our daughter cry. The “broken” glass prank that left Callum afraid to touch anything in the kitchen for days.
Each time, Fiona would laugh it off. “It’s just a joke!” she’d say. “Don’t be so serious!”
But I’d seen the fear in our kids’ eyes, felt the constant tension in my own shoulders. It wasn’t funny anymore. It was exhausting.
I snapped back to the present as the waiter returned with our champagne. Fiona was still talking, gesturing animatedly about some YouTuber’s latest stunt.
Fiona stood up abruptly. “I need to use the restroom. Be right back.”
I watched her walk away, a sense of unease growing in my stomach. Something felt off.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted behind me. I turned to see Fiona stumbling between tables, clutching her throat.
“I can’t breathe!” she gasped, falling to her knees. “Help me!”
The restaurant erupted in chaos. People rushed to her side, calling for help. I sat frozen, unable to process what was happening.
Then Fiona started laughing. “Just kidding!” she announced, getting to her feet. “It was a prank!”
The silence that followed was deafening. I felt the eyes of every patron boring into me. Fiona grinned, oblivious to the horror on everyone’s faces.
“Ma’am, that was extremely inappropriate,” the manager said, approaching our table. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
I stood up, grabbing my coat. “I’m leaving,” I said, my voice tight with anger. “Without my wife. You can get an Uber home on your own,” I informed her.
Fiona’s smile faltered. “Aw, come on. It was just a joke!”
I didn’t even respond. I couldn’t even look at her. I rushed out to the car and made off before she had time to respond — besides, she needed to settle the bill anyway.
As soon as I got home, I headed for the kids’ rooms. “Pack a bag,” I told Nora and Callum. “We’re going to Uncle Declan’s for a bit.”
An hour later, I was knocking on my brother’s door, two sleepy kids in tow. Declan took one look at my face and ushered us inside without a word.
“Guest room’s all yours,” he said, helping me with the bags. “Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head. “Not tonight. Thanks, bro.”
My phone buzzed incessantly with messages from Fiona. I ignored them all and tried to sleep.
The next morning, I woke to find 37 missed calls and twice as many texts. I scrolled through them, my anger reigniting.
“You’re overreacting.”
“It was just a joke!”
“How could you embarrass me like that?”
“You owe me an apology.”
I tossed the phone aside, disgusted. How could she not see how wrong she was?
As if on cue, my phone rang again. This time, it was Greta, Fiona’s mom. I hesitated before answering.
“Aidan! What’s this I hear about you abandoning my daughter at a restaurant?” Greta’s voice was shrill with indignation.
I took a deep breath. “Hi, Greta. It’s not what you think.”
“Oh? Then explain it to me, young man. Because from where I’m standing, you left your wife alone on your anniversary. That’s pretty low.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Fiona pulled a prank, Greta. A bad one. She pretended to choke in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “She did what?”
I recounted the events of the previous night, including Fiona’s recent obsession with pranks and how it was affecting our family.
When I finished, Greta was quiet for a long moment. Then she sighed heavily. “Oh, Aidan. I had no idea it had gotten this bad.”
“Yeah, well. Now you know.”
“I… I don’t know what to say. If things are really this bad, I… I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted a divorce.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Divorce? Is that where we were headed?
“I don’t know, Greta,” I said honestly. “I just need some time to think.”
After we hung up, I sat on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands. Was this really the end of our marriage?
I spent the day in a daze, mechanically going through the motions of caring for the kids. By evening, I’d made a decision.
I called Fiona. “Meet me at the restaurant tomorrow at 7 p.m. We need to talk.
She agreed immediately, sounding relieved. I hung up before she could say more.
The next night, I arrived at the restaurant early. My palms were sweaty as I clutched the envelope containing the divorce papers I’d had drawn up that afternoon.
Fiona walked in, looking smaller and more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her hair disheveled.
“Hi,” she said softly, as she took a seat alongside me.
“Hi,” I replied, my throat tight.
We sat in awkward silence for a moment. Then Fiona burst out, “Aidan, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you or the kids. I just got carried away with the pranks and —”
I held up a hand to stop her. Without a word, I slid the envelope across the table.
Fiona’s hands shook as she opened it. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was looking at.
“No,” she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Please, Aidan, no. We can work this out. I’ll stop the pranks, I promise. Please don’t leave me.”
I let her cry for a moment, my own eyes stinging. Then I took a deep breath.
“It’s a prank,” I said quietly.
Fiona’s head snapped up. “What?”
“The divorce papers. They’re not real. It’s a prank.”
Her mouth opened and closed, no sound coming out. I leaned forward, my voice intense.
“This is what it feels like, Fiona. This is how your pranks make us feel. Scared, hurt, betrayed. Is this what you want for our family?”
Fiona’s face crumpled. “No,” she sobbed. “God, no. I’m so sorry, Aidan. I never realized…”
I reached across the table and took her hand. “I love you, Fiona. But this has to stop. No more pranks. Ever. Can you promise me that?”
She nodded vigorously, squeezing my hand. “I promise. No more pranks. I’ll delete all those stupid videos. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I exhaled slowly, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “Okay,” I said. “Then let’s go home.”
As we stood to leave, Fiona hesitated. “Aidan? Thank you for not giving up on us.”
I pulled her into a hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair. “We’re in this together,” I murmured. “For better or worse, remember?”
She laughed softly, a sound I realized I’d missed. “I remember. Let’s aim for ‘better’ from now on, okay?”
I nodded, feeling cautiously optimistic for the first time in weeks. As we walked out of the restaurant hand in hand, I knew we had a long way to go. But at least now, we were on the same page.
And there wasn’t a prank in sight.
What would you have done?
ANTONIO BANDERAS’ STEPDAUGHTER DAKOTA JOHNSON STILL CALLS HIM ‘PAPI’ DESPITE HIS SPLIT WITH HER MOM
At 35, inexperienced Antonio Banderas suddenly became the father of 6-year-old and 10-year-old kids. Years have passed, and he lives an entirely different life, but he is still a part of their family.
Movie star Antonio Banderas married a woman with two young children and expressed that it was nerve-wracking to marry into a wholesome family of three while being inexperienced.
Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and actress Melanie Griffith met while still married to other people. Griffith was still married to actor Don Johnson whom she wed twice, but they officially separated in 1994.
Actor Antonio Banderas and actress Melanie Griffith pose at The Antonio Banderas’ Blue Seduction for Women fragrance launch at Cedar Lake on July 10, 2008 in New York City ┃Source: Getty Images
She later fell for Banderas, who happened to be her co-star at the time in the 1995 rom-com, “Two Much.” He was still technically married to his first wife, actress Ana Leza. However, the pair were going through a separation then.
A month after Banderas and Griffith finalized their divorces, they walked down the aisle again in an intimate ceremony on May 14, 1996, in London.
When asked what attracted him to the New York native, “The Legend of Zorro” star told AARP in November 2011 that he had “admired Melanie long before I met her.”
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith during 12th Carousel of Hope Ball at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California ┃Source: Getty Images
Banderas recalled the first time he saw Griffith in the 1988 movie, “Working Girl,” and was mesmerized by her beauty, “Wow, she’s so beautiful, so special,” he said. He later spotted her at the Oscar Awards on the red carpet but had forgotten her name:
“Pedro Almodovar said, ‘It’s Melanie Griffith, you idiot! She’s nominated for an Academy Award tonight!’ Six years after that, we’re married!”
When asked how they went from their working relationship to being romantically involved while starring in “Two Much,” Banderas revealed they were both “unhappy” in their marriages.
“Things don’t work out sometimes, and that’s the way it goes. But we recognized that we were unhappy. I saw her with her kids, and she was so beautiful as a mom,” said the Spain native.
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith during the 55th Cannes film festival: Stairs of “Femme Fatale” on May 25, 2002 in Cannes, France ┃Source: Getty Images
Banderas explained that it is typical for co-stars to develop a connection while working together and that most of the time, after filming, everyone cuts ties, but the same cannot be said about him and Griffith.
They kept in touch frequently until they finally admitted they had feelings for each other. Something he noted “was not easy” to do. When the “Frida” star married the Golden Globe Award winner, she had two young children from her previous marriages.
Griffith had her first child, son Alexander, with actor Steven Bauer whom she wed in 1981 and divorced in 1989 following five years of marriage. She welcomed her eldest daughter Dakota with Johnson, whom she was married to between 1976-1976 and 1989-1996.
Banderas Became an ‘Inexperienced’ Stepdad to Griffith’s Kids
Asked how he tried to blend into the marriage being a stepfather to Griffin’s son and daughter, Banderas admitted that it was difficult because he had to reassure the kids that he was there to stay:
“It was hard because the kids had to accept me, and I was totally inexperienced. Suddenly, I had a 6-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. But as soon as the kids knew I was there to stay, they were fine. They needed solid ground in which they could grow.”
Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith and children during The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards – Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images
Once he came to that realization, the “Spy Kids” star began “establishing my relationship, giving them security, little by little doing the father thing.”
When asked how long it took to put the children’s minds at ease, Banderas divulged “it took less than a year” for his stepchildren “to realize that I was not temporary.”
Soon, his daughter Stella was born, which became overwhelming because he was still trying to get Alexander and Dakota to warm up to him.
Banderas Had a Huge Influence on His Stepdaughter’s Career
Banderas’ hard work bonding with his stepkids yielded positive results as he became instrumental in Dakota’s acting career. The “Fifty Shades of Grey” star first had her acting stint in her stepfather’s directorial debut, “Crazy in Alabama” in 1999, alongside her mother. Dakota played Sondra in the film.
As a young child, she spent time with Banderas on set and recalled bringing pop singer Madonna an Easter basket while filming “Evita” in Budapest in 1996.
ANTONIO BANDERAS’ STEPDAUGHTER DAKOTA JOHNSON STILL CALLS HIM ‘PAPI’ DESPITE HIS SPLIT WITH HER MOM
At 35, inexperienced Antonio Banderas suddenly became the father of 6-year-old and 10-year-old kids. Years have passed, and he lives an entirely different life, but he is still a part of their family.
Movie star Antonio Banderas married a woman with two young children and expressed that it was nerve-wracking to marry into a wholesome family of three while being inexperienced.
Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and actress Melanie Griffith met while still married to other people. Griffith was still married to actor Don Johnson whom she wed twice, but they officially separated in 1994.
Actor Antonio Banderas and actress Melanie Griffith pose at The Antonio Banderas’ Blue Seduction for Women fragrance launch at Cedar Lake on July 10, 2008 in New York City ┃Source: Getty Images
She later fell for Banderas, who happened to be her co-star at the time in the 1995 rom-com, “Two Much.” He was still technically married to his first wife, actress Ana Leza. However, the pair were going through a separation then.
A month after Banderas and Griffith finalized their divorces, they walked down the aisle again in an intimate ceremony on May 14, 1996, in London.
When asked what attracted him to the New York native, “The Legend of Zorro” star told AARP in November 2011 that he had “admired Melanie long before I met her.”
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith during 12th Carousel of Hope Ball at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California ┃Source: Getty Images
Banderas recalled the first time he saw Griffith in the 1988 movie, “Working Girl,” and was mesmerized by her beauty, “Wow, she’s so beautiful, so special,” he said. He later spotted her at the Oscar Awards on the red carpet but had forgotten her name:
“Pedro Almodovar said, ‘It’s Melanie Griffith, you idiot! She’s nominated for an Academy Award tonight!’ Six years after that, we’re married!”
When asked how they went from their working relationship to being romantically involved while starring in “Two Much,” Banderas revealed they were both “unhappy” in their marriages.
“Things don’t work out sometimes, and that’s the way it goes. But we recognized that we were unhappy. I saw her with her kids, and she was so beautiful as a mom,” said the Spain native.
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith during the 55th Cannes film festival: Stairs of “Femme Fatale” on May 25, 2002 in Cannes, France ┃Source: Getty Images
Banderas explained that it is typical for co-stars to develop a connection while working together and that most of the time, after filming, everyone cuts ties, but the same cannot be said about him and Griffith.
They kept in touch frequently until they finally admitted they had feelings for each other. Something he noted “was not easy” to do. When the “Frida” star married the Golden Globe Award winner, she had two young children from her previous marriages.
Griffith had her first child, son Alexander, with actor Steven Bauer whom she wed in 1981 and divorced in 1989 following five years of marriage. She welcomed her eldest daughter Dakota with Johnson, whom she was married to between 1976-1976 and 1989-1996.
Banderas Became an ‘Inexperienced’ Stepdad to Griffith’s Kids
Asked how he tried to blend into the marriage being a stepfather to Griffin’s son and daughter, Banderas admitted that it was difficult because he had to reassure the kids that he was there to stay:
“It was hard because the kids had to accept me, and I was totally inexperienced. Suddenly, I had a 6-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. But as soon as the kids knew I was there to stay, they were fine. They needed solid ground in which they could grow.”
Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith and children during The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards – Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images
Once he came to that realization, the “Spy Kids” star began “establishing my relationship, giving them security, little by little doing the father thing.”
When asked how long it took to put the children’s minds at ease, Banderas divulged “it took less than a year” for his stepchildren “to realize that I was not temporary.”
Soon, his daughter Stella was born, which became overwhelming because he was still trying to get Alexander and Dakota to warm up to him.
Banderas Had a Huge Influence on His Stepdaughter’s Career
Banderas’ hard work bonding with his stepkids yielded positive results as he became instrumental in Dakota’s acting career. The “Fifty Shades of Grey” star first had her acting stint in her stepfather’s directorial debut, “Crazy in Alabama” in 1999, alongside her mother. Dakota played Sondra in the film.
As a young child, she spent time with Banderas on set and recalled bringing pop singer Madonna an Easter basket while filming “Evita” in Budapest in 1996.
Her stepdad also cherishes such memories, and he once gushed:” She’s my daughter. I love her. I’ve been with her on my shoulders, traveling all around the world.”
Banderas also revealed Dakota’s sweet nickname for him while growing up, which is a combination of the word “daddy” in his native language and his name:
“Dakota called me Paponio, which is a mixture between papa, which is ‘daddy’ in Spanish, and Antonio. I’m her Antonio papa, so Paponio.”
Sadly, Banderas and Dakota’s mom filed for divorce in June 2014 following 18 years of marriage and released a joint statement that read:
“We have thoughtfully and consensually decided to finalize our almost twenty years marriage in a loving and friendly manner honoring and respecting each other, our family and friends, and the beautiful time we have spent together – Melanie & Antonio.”
The former couple had an amicable separation, and Griffith cited irreconcilable differences as the reason why she and Banderas parted ways.
Dakota Still Maintains a Loving Relationship with Her Stepfather
Many years later, her daughter presented Banderas with the Best Actor Award at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards in a touching speech. Dakota got emotional when lovingly talking about her stepfather while calling him by her childhood nickname:
“I come from a family of many a marriage, and I got very lucky. I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life.”
The Texas native said Banderas brightened their lives and shared his sense of “creativity and culture” with them, adding he brought “one remarkably magical little sister into our family.”
Chocking up, Dakota stated: “My stepfather! Antonio Banderas burst into our lives. He was so vibrant and fun and funny, and his English was abstract, and we found it amazing.” She said he “loved” her mom and her and her siblings so much that it changed their “lives forever.”
In his acceptance speech, Banderas dedicated the award to” two people” he loved, including Dakota, saying it was because she had always called him “Papi” and still does, which he loves. Following the event, the devoted stepdad told E! News Online that he “had no idea” that his stepchild would be honoring him with such a heart-warming speech:
“It was all a surprise. I knew that she was going to give the speech, but I had no idea whatsoever how she was going to do her speech. She didn’t tell me anything.
The proud father said it brought back all those memories he created with his blended family and that “it was a confirmation” that the time he spent with Griffith was not only about them but “about the family. They were all worth it.”
In February 2015, Banderas was promoting his animated film “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” which was to be released the same weekend as Dakota’s “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie, and mentioned what a stellar actress she was.
He emphasized that there was “no competition” between him and his stepdaughter because their audiences differed for the films. “I wish Dakota the best, not only because of this movie,” but because he and the rest of the family, including Dakota’s biological father, knew she was an excellent performer.
Banderas added that Dakota would have a thriving career because she is versatile in portraying different characters. She nails comedy, which was evident in the TV series “Ben & Kate,” and drama too, which showed in the movie, he said. He noted that it was a window of “opportunity” for Dakota and that he knew she would grab it with both hands and run with it.
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