One morning, Anna’s husband left for work and never came home. His wife frantically called everywhere. It turned out he was simply exhausted by family life.

June 14th

Sometimes I wonder how differently things could have turned out. I met my husband at a mutual friend’s wedding in Manchester. We both just clickedit was instantaneous, as if we’d known each other forever. We spent the whole evening talking and laughing, oblivious to everyone else. Our relationship developed at lightning speed; just months later, we married and moved into a cosy little flat together in Leeds.

A little while after moving in, I discovered I was expecting. Oddly, I never managed to get a scan during the pregnancysomething always got in the way. I caught a cold, or work wouldn’t let me leave, or another commitment cropped up. The pregnancy itself was tough. I was perpetually exhausted, nauseous, and my back ached constantly. My bump grew so large, I could hardly walk for more than a few minutes at a time. Most days I had to lie down, especially towards the end. That last month, I didnt step outside our flat even once. My husband loved me dearly and did his best, but he spent most of his time at work.

Labour began earlier than expected. The doctors stayed by my side every momentthank goodness. And then, one by one, the babies arrived: two girls and a boy. I was in total shock. When my husband entered the room, he stared in disbelief. Overnight, hed become the father of triplets.

While I was in hospital, he bought cots for the babies. Our one-bedroom flat felt impossibly small, but there was nowhere else to go. Then the daily grind set in: sleepless nights, colds and sniffles. My husband longed for life as it was beforehappy, carefree love, romantic evenings, deep midnight chats. None of that happened.

Keeping up with three infants was overwhelming. I barely had a moment for myself, let alone for my husband. Eventually, he snapped. One morning, he left for work and simply never returned.

I phoned everywherehospitals, police, friends. Nothing. In the end, I learned he’d simply walked away from us, unable to withstand the pressure.

That was the day I realised I had to be strong, for the sake of my children. My mum moved in and helped me with the babies; together we managed, though it was never easy. It was just us and the children until they turned two. We scraped by, relying on their child benefits and Mums pension.

Then a new shopping centre opened near our flat, and I decided to apply for a job. Despite having triplets, they saw how dependable and organised I was and hired me. Life became easier from that point on. Eventually, I was able to afford a nanny, which gave Mum some well-earned rest. After a few years, I was promoted. I hardly recognised myselfId become a stylish, confident woman.

That was how my ex-husband saw me when he returned to visit his parents in Leeds. He came by to see the kids and begged for forgiveness, wanting a second chance. As I looked at him, it struck me that I could never go back. My feelings for him had faded long ago. I told him that. As he left, I felt a wave of relief. The past was finally behind me. The future, however, was still waiting to unfold.