It should have been the happiest time of Jim’s life. He was officially a dad and could hear his baby girl crying as he paced the hallway. He couldn’t wait to kiss his wife and hold his precious daughter in his arms. Everything that he had hoped and dreamed for was coming true, and the anticipation to become a family was killing him.
Finally, the nurse told him he could come in and see his wife and daughter. Jim practically ran through the doors but stopped cold in his tracks when he saw the infant sleeping in his wife’s arms. Jim screamed, “I’ll Never Forgive You!” and stormed away from his shocked wife and hospital staff. What could the father have realized without even touching his child?
A Fairytale Romance
When Sheila met Jim, it was love at first sight. She met him in University and even though he was a little older than her, he made sure she was always comfortable. Sheila couldn’t believe she had such a sensitive boyfriend and excitedly bragged to all her friends and family.
When Jim graduated, Sheila had another year left and the couple decided to go long distance while Jim went back to his hometown for work. Sheila knew Jim had been cheated on in the past and she vowed to remain faithful. No matter how hard she tried, Sheila could not avoid breaking Jim’s heart.
Jim Had Been Burned In The Past
In Jim’s previous relationships he had been cheated on. Even though Sheila was a loyal girlfriend, Jim always had a feeling of doubt. He wanted to let down his guard but after his previous experience, he didn’t know how he could.
In a twist of fate, Jim’s actions would break Sheila’s heart and he would realize the real person he didn’t trust was himself. The young couple had no way of predicting the future, but would Sheila stay with Jim after his actions?
Graduation And An Engagement
Sheila graduated from University and couldn’t wait to move closer to Jim. Long-distance had been challenging and she missed having her boyfriend around. When she moved in with Jim, he knew this was a big step in their relationship.
Jim wanted to show Sheila how serious he was about their future. After she moved in, Jim got down on one knee and asked one simple question, “Will You Marry Me?” Sheila was overwhelmed. It was time to listen to her heart but her brain was screaming a different answer.
Planning A Future
Sheila had reservations but said yes to Jim. She wanted to believe they would have a bright future together and the couple both wanted to start having children. Instead of waiting until the ceremony, Sheila & Jim began trying to conceive a baby.
A couple of months later Sheila was late in her cycle. She went and bought a pregnancy test, and confirmed her suspicions. Their little family was about to become a reality, but would Jim buckle under the pressure? Sheila wasn't entirely sure she really knew the man she was about to marry....
Weird Habits And Routines
Sheila and Jim had a relatively good relationship but Sheila noticed Jim didn’t handle stress well. He would disappear for hours at a time and then tell her that he needed to clear his head. Whenever Sheila pressed Jim to open up he snapped at her and said she didn’t trust him.
Sheila wanted Jim to be happy but as her hands circled her stomach she felt nervous for the future. Her child’s father couldn’t open up to her, which made her question if he would be supportive. Sheila took a deep breath and dialed Jim’s cell phone number. It was time to break the news.
A New Level Of Excitement
Jim could not believe what Sheila was telling him. He immediately burst into tears. He promised to be the best father and husband possible. Sheila hung up the phone and felt better knowing that Jim would be supportive. Sheila had no idea that Jim's best would be the worst experience of her life.
She no longer cared about her own happiness. As soon as the pregnancy test came back positive, her life became about her unborn child. Sheila would do everything to love and protect her child, even if it meant doing it by herself.
A Blissful Nine Months
The couple had an easy pregnancy. Sheila was glowing and incredibly happy to become a mom. Jim stopped being so distant and was home more often. The couple began to have deeper discussions and Sheila felt confident they would make a great parenting team.
They received many gifts from family and friends and decorated the nursery. The couple bought a beautiful crib and tiny clothing. They were excited to find out the gender of their child, but all that mattered was it was a healthy baby. At least, they thought it was the only thing that mattered…..
Welcoming A Baby Girl
At first, Sheila and Jim didn’t want to know the sex of their baby but the young parents were too excited. They finally asked their doctor to tell them what they were having and were thrilled to learn it would be a baby girl.
The couple began to discuss names and counted down the days until they could hold her in their arms. Sheila had no idea they were actually counting down to the end of their marriage. She would never look at Jim the same way.
The Day Of Delivery
As a first-time mom, Sheila was nervous when her water broke. The couple drove to the hospital and Jim got comfortable to wait for his wife in the waiting room. Sheila handled everything smoothly, and soon she could hear her daughter’s cries.
As the nurses gave Sheila her baby, her eyes widened in surprise. She held her daughter tight and knew Jim would be furious. She remembered her vow to protect and love her unconditionally, but she had no idea it would be from her daughter's father.
Excitement Quickly Turned To Anger
The nurses came into the waiting room and told Jim he could come to meet his daughter. He quickly jumped to his feet. He could barely contain his excitement as he ran into the room. Instantly his face converted to anger and his jaw dropped.
Everything around Jim seemed to get really quiet as he took in his wife holding their daughter for the first time. Jim and his wife were both caucasian, and he knew there could only be one reason why his daughter didn’t look like either of them.
How Could This Be Possible?
Jim immediately yelled and flew into a rage at Sheila. He accused her of cheating and ran out of the hospital. He wouldn’t answer her calls and drove home where he immediately told his family that Sheila cheated.
To Jim, the science proved that Sheila had been unfaithful. He knew he was a white male and his wife was also white. How could their daughter be African-American? Jim refused to listen to reason and abandoned Sheila instantly. As she lay holding her daughter with her world crumbling around her, Sheila refused to admit one critical thing.
Sheila Was Always Faithful
While Sheila was also confused about her daughter’s skin color she had never cheated. She refused to tell Jim she had cheated and begged him to come back to the hospital. She told him they would do a DNA test, but he quickly stopped answering her texts.
This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, and yet she was alone with a newborn in the hospital. Sheila picked up the phone and dialed the one person she knew would come to her rescue, no questions asked.
A Mother’s Love
Sheila dialed her own mother in tears. When her mother answered she thought she would be hearing about her first grandchild and was surprised when she heard her daughter distraught over the phone.
While she quickly listened to Sheila’s experience she didn’t hesitate to say she would be there instantly. She told Sheila’s father to get the spare room ready, their daughter and granddaughter were moving in. Sheila’s mother had raised an honest daughter, but she also had several questions that she expected an honest response.
What To Do Next?
Jim refused to answer Sheila’s calls or texts and she decided to make herself comfortable at her parent's house. She never changed her story and told Jim she hadn’t cheated and wouldn’t admit to anything.
Jim began to send her disturbing photos and slandered her on social media. Every day Sheila woke up in a nightmare and held her daughter tighter. She needed to get an unbiased opinion, but where could she find the right stranger to share her story?
The Reddit Community
Reddit is an online community full of several forums and threads that cover everything from family issues to funny memes. Sheila decided this was the perfect space to get some insight into her husband’s behavior.
It had been 6 months and Jim still had not met his daughter or spoken to Sheila. She chose to make a post in the “AITA” community and waited to see what the online community thought. When she picked her phone up hours later, she broke down in tears and realized the truth she had been trying to avoid.
A Deceiving Title
Sheila’s post was called, “AITA For Not Forgiving My Husband (26m) For A Mistake And Not Trusting Him With Our Child?” She began by writing, “I (24f) gave birth to my daughter six months ago and it should've been the happiest moment in my life. When my daughter was born her skin was very dark and looked like she could have two biological parents who were of African descent.”
This was just the beginning and Sheila was prepared to put it all online to the community. She continued, “My husband Jim (26m), fake name, was furious and accused me of cheating and left right then and there.” Would the community believe Sheila, after they read the full post?
Living A Nightmare
Sheila wrote, “He told everyone on both sides of the family what happened, made posts on social media, and wanted a divorce. His family and a lot of our friends all called to say how upset they were at me and called me really nasty names. My mother was by my side the entire time and I kept professing my innocence.
Jim refused to pick me up from the hospital, threw my stuff out on the lawn, and changed the locks, so I had to stay with my parents. When my sister called to ask for the baby stuff Jim texted me pictures of the bare nursery room and said he got rid of everything.”
The Paternity Test
Sheila revealed that she finally convinced Jim to do a paternity test. Jim assumed this would be the moment that would reveal Sheila had an affair but instead, it revealed that he was the one at fault.
The couple did the test twice and both times Jim was 100% the father. Sheila knew the entire time that she had never done anything wrong, so it was time for Jim to confront his family. It turned out his great-grandmother had kept a secret that destroyed Jim’s happiness.
Jim’s Family Ancestry
Sheila included Jim’s family background in the post to Reddit and wrote, “Around that same time one of Jim's cousins did the Ancestry thing and there was around 30% of African ancestry in the family. This combined with the test Jim paternal great-grandmother admitted to having an affair around the time Jim's grandfather was born and was because he could pass she just assumed her husband was the father.”
With this new information, Jim began to beg Sheila for forgiveness, but now she was faced with a different dilemma. Did she still love this man after he quickly abandoned her and their child?
Apologies Too Little Too Late
Sheila shared with Reddit, “Since then Jim has been reaching out and everyone has come to apologize, and while it did feel good to feel vindicated the damage has been done. I can't un-hear or unsee all the horrible things that were said and done. Not just to me but to my child as well. Jim made some very racist remarks.
Things that I thought he'd never say and he did it so easily. Regardless of what our daughter looks like I don't want her to be around that. What else will Jim and his family say or do the next time they get mad? How are they going to treat our daughter when she does something that upsets them?”
Does Reddit Believe In Second Chances?
Sheila ended her post by saying, ”Jim has been begging for forgiveness. I said I needed time, he asked to see the baby and I let him but I'm too afraid to physically hand her to him. He's repairing the nursery and keeps asking me what I would like and I cry every time saying we already had what I liked and some of the items that we had can't be replaced.
He asked me if I still loved him and I admitted that he showed me his worst self and I don't know if I could live with that image. I didn't mean to be hurtful but it's how I feel. My sister suggested Couple's Therapy but I don't feel like I should have to work to fix something that I didn't break. I've never cheated and have been 100% innocent in all of this the whole. AITA for not wanting to give Jim a second chance?”
This Fresh Perspective Opened Sheila’s Eyes
The audience of Reddit was aghast. They could not believe Jim’s reaction and treatment of his wife and child. They were quick to provide insight into Sheila’s situation. There were so many comments that Sheila addressed the audience with an update list.
The Reddit community was especially intrigued by the language Jim used and also his great-grandmother’s scandal. Sheila wanted a more concrete discussion so she decided to share more of her life with the internet. Would these strangers give her the answer to happiness?
Important Updates
Sheila would only share a few of the words Jim used. She doesn’t believe in this kind of language and didn’t want to repeat it. Jim’s reaction made Sheila question how he would see their daughter and his treatment of her as a parent.
Jim had made comments like Sheila, “pushed out a dark-skinned baby” and the mother and daughter would forever be “Welfare princess’s.” One Reddit user also brought up an important question. When Sheila finally got the truth out of Jim, she knew there was no going back.
A Confession In Therapy
While many Reddit users had already suggested Jim was acting like this because he had something to hide, Sheila finally got confirmation while the couple did therapy. In a remote session, Jim admitted to having an affair when the couple was long-distance.
To Jim, he got an ego boost but then felt instantly guilty especially with how often he told Sheila to trust him. He was aware of being a hypocrite but didn’t want to lose his family. Would the internet help Sheila gain her confidence or force her to take Jim’s apology.
Not The Happy Ending She Expected
When Sheila looked in the mirror, she knew in her heart that she could never forget Jim’s actions and treatment of her and their daughter. She knew it was the right decision, and the internet loudly agreed with her. Users were commenting non-stop making sure Sheila knew to leave Jim and even giving tips on how to handle the future discussion with her daughter.
There was one user who didn’t think Sheila’s experience was that unique. The comparison she made rattled Sheila to her core.
Artistic Similarities
Sheila read one comment and was shocked by the similarities. The user wrote, “ Are you familiar with the American short story “Desirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin? It was written in the 1890s but takes place before the Civil War. A white married couple has a baby who appears dark-skinned.”
“The racist father blames the mother and casts her and the baby out to die, except then he finds out about a hidden aspect of his own Louisiana plantation class family, and it turns out his lineage is where the dark skin came from.” Sheila began to accept that she had done nothing wrong, but what did the future hold for her as a single mother?
Getting Into A Routine
After the Reddit community’s support, Sheila began to focus on building the best possible life for her daughter. The young mom has filed for divorce and has full custody of her daughter. She is happy to allow visitation with Jim, but based on his behaviors he is still not allowed to be alone with their child.
Sheila holds her head high and knows that she is an excellent example of a strong woman for her daughter to follow. The young mom will continue to put her daughter before anything else and wishes Jim the best for his shortsighted and hurtful actions.