Anne Sargent sat on her kitchen floor, tears streaming down her face. It was past midnight, the only time she allowed herself to show any vulnerability, knowing her three children were fast asleep upstairs. The baby growing inside her moved gently, and she placed her hand on her belly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, feeling a wave of guilt. “I’m trying my best, but it’s just not enough…” Just two months prior, Anne had been a joyful wife and mother, excited about the arrival of her fourth child. She had no doubts about her future or her husband’s love. That sense of security, however, had crumbled.
One evening, her husband Derek came home and abruptly announced he was leaving. “Why?” Anne had asked, baffled. “I thought we were happy.” His response was harsh: “YOU were happy! All you did was have babies and fuss over them. Now there’s another one on the way, and I’m done!” Anne reminded him that he had always wanted children and had been thrilled with each pregnancy. But Derek’s cold reply was devastating: “All you cared about were the kids. I was just a paycheck! Well, that’s over.” Just three months after Anne joyfully shared the news of her pregnancy, Derek walked out, shattering her world.
With Derek gone, Anne had to find a way to support her family, securing a part-time job at a grocery store. Although the owner offered her full-time hours, Anne couldn’t afford childcare, so her salary barely stretched, even with the child support Derek begrudgingly sent. In an effort to make ends meet, she began selling cherished possessions, parting with antique china inherited from her grandmother to cover utility bills, and later selling a childhood silver brush-and-mirror set to buy groceries. As her belly grew, she found herself selling every valuable item she owned to keep her children safe and fed.
One day, with hardly anything of value left, Anne found herself staring at an old stroller she had dug out from the cellar. Although it was from the sixties, it was in pristine condition. At the flea market, a dealer offered her $50 for the stroller, and she took it, hoping it would help cover some bills. Two days later, to her surprise, she found it back on her porch with an envelope inside. The note read, “Please call me,” followed by a phone number. When Anne dialed, a woman named Grace Robbs answered, revealing she was Derek’s former girlfriend. Grace had recently discovered she was pregnant and had bought the stroller, hoping to surprise Derek. Instead, he had exploded in anger. In a moment of solidarity, Anne suggested that Grace move in with them, and the two women formed an unexpected partnership, raising their children together while finding strength in their shared experiences. When Derek eventually returned, Anne, now stronger and happier, simply closed the door on him for good.
