When my daughter casually mentioned inviting someone I’d never heard of

to her birthday party, I had no idea how much my life was about to change.

That simple conversation marked the start of an unexpected revelation. My husband,

Jake, and I have been together for ten years and married for seven. He’s always

been kind, hardworking, and a little scatterbrained at times, but I’ve never had

any reason to doubt him. However, recently, things have taken a turn. Earlier this

year, Jake lost his job, and while he’s been searching for a new one, I’ve taken on

extra hours to keep things running smoothly. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve managed.

Our five-year-old daughter, Ellie, has loved the extra time with her dad.

To her, Jake is a superhero. Life seemed perfectly normal—until Ellie unknowingly

shattered that illusion. One evening, as we were finalizing her birthday guest list,

she asked a question that stopped me in my tracks. “Mommy,

can I invite the pretty lady who comes to visit Daddy when you’re at work?”….