Karl was forced to run away from his wedding, but Jessica never understood why he stood her up at the altar. Years later, she received a note in the mail with his name on it. No matter how much time had passed, Jessica never forgot him, and what he wrote was astonishing.
“You will leave this church immediately and never return. Do you understand me, boy?” Hubert Pennigton, Jessica’s father, threatened Karl with a stern look. They were standing in the men’s dressing room behind the church.
“I’m not a boy, sir. I’m a man, and I love your daughter. I will not abandon her. It’s our wedding day,” Karl insisted, pleading his future father-in-law to understand.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“I never liked you two dating, and I’m not going to let this continue. My daughter will not be marrying a loser who works paycheck to paycheck,” the older man sneered. “Do you hear me? I have friends in high places, as well as connections in some others. I can make your life a nightmare. If you don’t disappear willingly, I’ll make you leave by any means necessary.”
“Is that a threat?” Karl asked, squaring up to Hubert, trying not to show how afraid he was. He knew Jessica’s family was connected to some important people and a few dangerous folks, too, so Karl knew the older man’s words were not in vain.
“I don’t make threats, boy, I make promises. Now, you will leave this place right now without anyone noticing and ghost Jessica forever, OR ELSE!” Hubert finished, raising his voice, in the end, to get his point across thoroughly. He poked his index finger in Karl’s chest painfully, gave him a disdainful look, and exited.
Karl didn’t know what to do. He truly loved Jessica, but her father would hurt them both just to get his way. He paced around the room for a few more minutes then decided to leave before his groomsmen came to find him. He was quick, exiting through the back of the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan and hailing a cab right there.
“Where to, sir?” the taxi driver asked.
“DTW, please,” Karl replied. He was going to the airport and flying across the country to get away from these people. I hope Jessica can forgive me, Karl thought while resting his elbow on the window sill and facing out.
All they had left was a single Polaroid photo, a painful reminder of a wedding that was never meant to be.
Fifty years later…
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
At 75, Jessica liked to sit outside on her porch and watch the kids running around Rosedale Park Historic District, one of the best neighborhoods in Detroit. She always took a cup of tea and a book to read. It was a peaceful time, but Jessica inevitably thought about her life during those times. Today was that kind of day.
She remembered her first wedding well, as it was the only time she was ever excited to have one. Karl was the love of her life, or so she thought. But when she reached the end of the aisle on her father’s arm, she saw everyone’s worried faces. Karl had disappeared, and no one knew why. They waited hours for him to return.
His groomsmen went to his house, and everything was intact. But Karl never returned, and Jessica cried on the steps of the Masonic Temple for several more hours. It was one of the best wedding venues in the city, and she always dreamed of getting married there. However, it was not to be. Her mother comforted her as best she could, but her father was actually happy.
Five years later, her father introduced her to Michael Keller, the son of a family friend. He was wealthy and connected, so her dad pushed until she accepted his proposal. They got married and had a daughter, Cynthia, almost immediately. However, Jessica filed for divorce the moment her father died.
Her husband had cheated throughout their entire relationship and was glad to separate from her, so it was a win-win situation for everyone involved. She took the then-six-year-old Cynthia, moved to her house in the Rosedale Park area, and forgot about her failed love life.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Years went by, and Cynthia grew up to become an amazing career woman. She got married right there at the Masonic Temple and gave Jessica three gorgeous grandchildren, who visited often.
I had a great life, Jessica thought to herself while sipping her tea. It was true, although she never tried dating again. But once in a while, she thought about Karl and still wondered why he had disappeared.
Suddenly, the mailman snapped her out of her inner musings with a bright smile and a loud, “Hello, Mrs. Pennington!”
“Oh, dear. You scared me,” Jessica answered after almost dropping her tea.
The mailman laughed and apologized humorously. “I’m sorry, ma’am. But I have a letter for you. I think someone wrote it by hand even. So fancy! People don’t do that anymore,” the mailman said, handing Jessica the letter. She thanked him with a smile, and he left, waving goodbye.
The last thing she expected to see was the name “Karl Pittman” on the envelope, but it was right there along with her name and address.
“I can’t believe this,” she breathed and settled her cup of tea on the porch railing with a shaking hand. Suddenly, she was back at that church, crying on her mother’s shoulders.
Her hands still shook as she tried to open the envelope. She took a big breath before starting to read what was Karl’s unmistakable handwriting.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Dear Jessica,
I don’t know if you’ll be glad to hear from me. But after all this time, I want you to know that not a day goes by where I don’t think about you. Your father threatened me on our wedding day, and I was young and afraid. I shouldn’t have listened, but I did, and I ran off. I moved to California with nothing but the clothes on my back.”
Jessica had to stop reading for a few moments and wipe a few tears off. She knew her father had something to do with it. She knew Karl loved her and wouldn’t have done it otherwise. It didn’t change anything, but it soothed that old ache that never went away. Karl was right to leave. Her father never made threats he wasn’t serious about and didn’t take “no” for an answer. She focused on the letter again and continued reading.
“I never married nor had children. You were the love of my life, and I wanted nothing else. I hope this letter finds you well. I’m leaving my phone number, and there’s my address, so you can write me back if you want. I don’t know how to use Facebook, and all that stuff kids have these days. But I hope to hear from you.
Sincerely, Karl.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Jessica’s tears kept falling for several minutes after finishing the letter, but then she laughed. She also had no idea how to use all that technology available these days. Therefore, she got up and went inside to find her stationery. It was time to write back.
For the next few months, they wrote to each other often, recounting even the smallest moments in each other’s lives. Until Karl finally called her and they stayed on the phone for hours. A year later, he moved back to Detroit, and they rekindled their lost relationship.
They were old and might not have much time together, but they were going to enjoy one another’s love for as long as they could.
What can we learn from this story?
- It’s never too late to find love again. Jessica gave up on relationships for many years until she found the love of her life again at 75.
- Tell your partner the truth. If Karl had told Jessica about her father’s threats, they could’ve run away together or dealt with it in some form. But he took off, and they would never know what could’ve been.
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 man who stole his grandmother’s money, but she got her revenge.
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.
My Mom Shamed Me for Buying This Prom Dress and Ruined It – I Made Her Face the Consequences
My mom always found a way to ruin my happiest moments. This time was no different. However, I made sure that she never did it again with my revenge.
Five years ago, I was beyond excited for my senior prom. I had been looking forward to it for months, imagining the perfect night with my friends, dancing and celebrating the end of high school. I never imagined my own mother would ruin the experience for me.
Two women having conflict at home | Source: Pexels
I went shopping for a dress for my senior prom with my best friend. It was a sunny morning and we were both giddy and could not contain our excitement while getting ready.
Two women laughing together | Source: Pexels
We stepped into the store and looked around, seeing beautiful dresses in every corner. However, one pink gown caught our attention and I instantly liked it.
It was a gorgeous mermaid-style dress and I bought it right away. When I got home, I showed my mom the dress without actually putting it on. She didn’t have any noticeable reaction.
A woman in a pink dress | Source: Pexels
The skirt needed hemming, so my mother said she would take me to her friend who does tailoring. I thought she was being supportive. Little did I know, that was the calm before the storm.
After giving my dress to her friend, she said she was ashamed to be seen with me in the dress and that I had shamed her in front of her friend. I was really upset.
A depressed woman at home | Source: Pexels
I was flabbergasted by my mother’s comments and completely blindsided by her offer to help with the dress. It did not make sense that she offered to have it fixed while knowing she did not like it.
A few days later, I took the dress and simply burst into tears. She had REMADE it into a BAG, covering the upper and lower parts. In only an hour, mad as hell, I was realizing my revenge plan.
A sad woman crying | Source: Pexels
On prom day, when I went out of the house for photos, my mom almost FAINTED as I took her favorite dress and remade it into the same dress I bought for the prom.
“Grace, what have you done?! That’s my favorite dress!” my mom gasped.
“Oh, you mean the one you ruined? I thought I’d return the favor,” I said calmly.
“How dare you! That dress was expensive and important to me!” she exclaimed, furious.
“Just like my prom dress was important to me. But you didn’t care about that, did you?” I replied firmly.
Mother and daughter arguing in the bedroom | Source: Pexels
“I was just trying to protect you. That dress was inappropriate,” she tried to compose herself.
“No, you were trying to control me. You were ashamed of me for no reason. This is my prom, and I deserve to feel beautiful and confident. If you can’t support that, then you need to deal with the consequences,” I shook my head.
“I didn’t realize how much it meant to you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, looking defeated.
Mother and daughter arguing | Source: Pexels
“It’s too late now, Mom. I hope you understand how it feels to have something you care about destroyed,” I softened slightly.
“I do, and I regret it. But you didn’t have to ruin my dress to make your point,” she sighed.
“Maybe not. But now you know what it feels like. Let’s just hope we can move past this,” I took a deep breath.
“I do want to move past this. I’m really sorry, and I want to make it up to you,” she said tearfully.
“We’ll see. For now, I have a prom to attend. I hope you understand why I did what I did,” I hugged her briefly.
“I do. Go have a wonderful time at your prom. You look beautiful,” she nodded.
A woman in a red dress | Source: Pexels
With that, I left the house, feeling a mixture of vindication and sadness. I knew that our relationship would need time to heal, but I felt empowered for standing up for myself. As I arrived at prom, I felt confident and beautiful in my dress, ready to enjoy the night with my friends.
The evening was a success as I made great memories. We danced, laughed, and took countless photos. However, when it all ended and I had to go back home, it was back to reality. I knew that my relationship with my mom needed mending.
Teenagers during senior prom night | Source: Pexels
From that day onwards, our relationship was strained. We spoke less often, and when we did, it was usually brief and tense. My mom seemed to avoid the topic of the prom entirely.
It was as if she was trying to pretend it never happened. I, on the other hand, couldn’t forget it. The hurt and betrayal lingered. Over time, we started to have more open conversations about our feelings. One evening, a few months after prom, I sat down with her.
A mother comforting her daughter | Source: Pexels
“Mom, we need to talk about what happened,” I began, feeling a lump in my throat.
She looked at me, her eyes softening. “I know, Grace. I’ve been thinking about it too. I’m really sorry for what I did. It was wrong.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s not just about the dress. It’s about how you made me feel. Like my choices didn’t matter,” I said, holding back tears.
A mother standing behind her daughter | Source: Pexels
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I was wrong to try and control you. I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I was just being selfish. I’m so sorry, Grace.”
“I need you to trust me and support me,” I replied, reaching out to hold her hand.
“I will. I promise. I just want us to move past this and be close again,” she said, squeezing my hand.
Mother and daughter holding hands | Source: Pexels
It wasn’t an instant fix, but it was a start. We both made an effort to meet each other halfway to understand one another a bit more and that made all the difference, which made us happy.
Slowly, our relationship began to heal. We learned to communicate better and respect each other’s boundaries. It took time, patience, and a lot of honest conversations, but eventually, we rebuilt the trust that had been broken.
A mother and her daughter embracing each other | Source: Pexels
Now, looking back, I realize that that incident was a turning point for both of us. It taught us the importance of respect and understanding in our relationship. We both learned valuable lessons and although it was a painful experience, it brought us closer in the end.
A mother and daughter hugging | Source: Pexels
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