Instant Regret
She didn't pay it any mind at first. But when she heard her husband and the babysitter in a hushed whisper. What was going on? She needed to get to the bottom of that.
But after setting up her plan she watched the recording and wished that she had never gone through with it.
The Richards
The Richards couple was the talk of the town. They seemed to have everything that they ever wanted. The two were successful in their jobs - John was a lawyer and his wife Grace was a real estate agent.
The day they found out Grace was pregnant they couldn't believe it. They were beyond happy but soon that happiness would change as they were met with many hardships.
New Mom
Grace had always dreamt of being a mother and now that it was finally going to be a reality she couldn't be happier. To make things even better the pregnancy went off without a hitch.
But the challenges would arrive after she conceived. She soon developed postpartum depression and found it hard to get back her old physique.
The Babysitter
Grace knew that once she went back to work she'd need to find a sitter to look after her precious child.
She got a babysitter named Anna. She was very pretty and came highly recommended by her neighbors. Grace felt confident hiring her, but there would be a problem she didn't see coming.
Flirtatious Personality
Grace noticed soon after hiring her that Anna had quite a flirty personality. But she tried to forget about it but soon found reasons to think twice.
One day she heard a hushed conversation between the sitter and her husband. What were they talking about? She felt jealous and suspicious, she needed to find out what was going on.
Insecure
Grace was becoming all too aware as time wore on that their relationship had changed. They had been together for a while. Grace began to wonder whether her husband thought it was time for a change. After all, she had given birth to a child, and she didn’t have the energy or the physique that she once had.
Usually, she would just brush these suspicions off. But now, she had a good reason for suspicion.
Tactical Planning
Grace didn’t know how to handle this situation. She knew if she asked her husband what was going on between them, he’d feel deeply upset that she didn’t trust him.
Instead, she decided to gather more evidence before saying anything. After all, it may well be nothing. She waited until they were both gone to execute her plan.
Setting Up Cameras
She set up two hidden cameras inside the house and one outside. She continued to act as if she suspected nothing. But the more time passed, the more she noticed their strange behaviors.
Her heart pounded as she realized there was definitely something going on between them.
Hitting Play
After a week passed, Grace was ready to confront her worst nightmare. She sat in her living room and logged into the security cameras. She hoped desperately that her intuition was wrong.
She scoured over the footage, pausing anytime she saw both her husband and Anna alone in a room. She’d continue to hit play and watch anxiously as her stomach twisted.
Obvious Tension
It wasn’t long before she noticed the tension between them. Anna slowly closed the distance between them each time they were alone. Now, there was no doubt she was hitting on him - but how would he react?
Grace was glued to the screen. Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.
Unexpected Visit
It was Anna. She dropped by unannounced to collect her payment for the month. She said that John was expecting her. Grace forced a smile. Just then, her husband appeared.
“Anna!”, he said. Grace was about to get up and reach for her wallet when John said, “Oh I got this Grace. Don’t worry about it”. He insisted on walking Anna out to her car and paying her himself. Little did he know, Grace was watching.
High Alert
More often than not, being a mom isn’t the sexiest of jobs. You are tired, full of mess and constantly available for your kids. However, Grace’s husband was a desirable man. She had often noticed the looks he got from other women. She tried not to let it bother her, but it lingered in the back of her mind.
But the way their babysitter was looking at him tonight put her on high alert.
Ulterior Motives
Grace could see that Anna was behaving more oddly than usual around her husband tonight, and she was wearing a slinky little black number that left little to the imagination.
Maybe she was going out partying afterwards? Grace tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. But when she saw her put her hand on John’s arm, she knew she was definitely up to something.
Gestures
Grace watched Anna and her husband walk to the hallway, then they stopped. She wished she could hear what Anna was saying. Then, her heart dropped.
The audacious babysitter took a few steps back and gestured at her little black dress suggestively. It didn’t take much for Grace to imagine what she was saying. She couldn’t see her husband’s reaction, though. He had his back to the camera. Then, they stepped outside.
Moment Of Truth
Grace watched as her husband guided Anna outside. Then she logged straight into the live footage from the outdoor camera.
“This is it,” she thought. The moment her marriage came crumbling apart. She watched them converse. But something was wrong. It looked like an argument. Anna started to cry and John stormed back inside. What happened?
An Answer
Grace raced out to her husband. “What happened?” she asked. “I fired her,” John said. “Why?” Grace questioned. John told her to take a seat. Grace braced herself for what was to come. It was happening. She couldn’t believe it.
John told her that he didn’t like the way she treated him. He continued...
Truth Comes Out
“I didn’t like the way she looked or talked to me. She flirted with me all the time and I felt like she was completely disrespecting you. She made me feel uncomfortable. I told her to stop many times. She didn’t listen. I was left with no choice. It was way too inappropriate.”
Grace had never felt happier - and guilty. So, she came clean.
Explanation
Grace told him how worried she was. She said she knew something was going on between them and set up a camera. She asked for his forgiveness for spying and should have trusted him.
She explained that she felt insecure since the baby and felt like he wasn’t as interested in her anyway.
Pouring Her Heart Out
Grace began to cry. She told John how she felt like everyone she knew had been able to pull themselves together after giving birth, but she was struggling with her insecurities and her post-partum depression.
She hadn’t managed to lose the baby weight and she felt like he didn’t find her attractive anymore, which only made things worse.
Understanding
Her husband was shocked at her response. He had no idea she felt that way and although he didn’t appreciate her not trusting him and going to such extremes, he admitted that he should have just been open about everything with her.
He understood how it must have looked as he didn’t communicate openly and maturely with her. Needless to say, Anna wasn’t hired by the Richards ever again. And Grace?
Working On Herself
What Grace had done pushed her to finally get professional help for her postpartum depression. Her doctor explained that she wasn’t alone in her feelings - postpartum depression affects ten to twenty percent of new mothers.
She started treatment with anti-depressant medication and began seeing a psychotherapist. John was supportive and completely on her side. She no longer felt so alone.
Healing
Around four weeks later, the terrible looming paranoia and insecurity began to lift - Grace felt like she was able to breathe.
The feelings of inadequacy, depression, and anxiety melted away and she started to become her old self again. They hired a new babysitter to help her with her baby a few days after John fired Anna, and she was nothing like her.
Joy Again
After a year of treatment, Grace was ready to come off the medication. Her one regret is not getting the help she needed earlier.
There was joy in her life again, and with John’s support, she grew to accept her post-baby body - after all, John didn’t care one bit that she wasn’t as slim as she used to be, and sh efinally accepted that too.
A Medical Condition
Although some people may trivialize postpartum depression, it is very real and requires medical care. It is not something a new mother can overcome by herself simply by “snapping out of it” or by trying to be more positive.
This extreme form of depression can make women feel like they have lost control, that they are helpless, and that they are inadequate. So, what should you do if you know someone you think is experiencing it?
The Best Treatment
According to the Post Natal Depression Support Association, the most effective way to tackle postpartum depression - in conjunction with medication - is to seek professional care from a psychologist to identify the triggers and help the new mom work through them.
There are also support groups out there, and many women find it helpful to share their thoughts and feelings with other women. Most of all, women with postpartum depression need to know that they are not alone.