One fine day, an elderly couple in their seventies walked into a lawyer's office to file for divorce. The lawyer was puzzled. After speaking with them, he learned their story.
They had quarreled throughout their forty years of marriage. They stayed together for their children's sake, fearing a divorce would disrupt their upbringing. Now, with their children grown and independent, the couple sought freedom from decades of unhappiness and mutually agreed to separate.
The lawyer struggled with the paperwork, unable to comprehend why a couple married for forty years would divorce at this stage of life.
While signing the papers, the wife said, "I really love you, but I can't carry on anymore. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I understand," replied the husband. Noting their interaction, the lawyer suggested they share one last dinner together. The wife agreed, thinking they could remain friends.
An awkward silence filled the dinner table. When the roasted chicken arrived, the old man immediately offered his wife the drumstick. "Take this, it's your favorite."
Seeing this, the lawyer felt a glimmer of hope. However, the wife frowned. "This is always the problem. You assume you know what I like without considering my feelings. Don't you know I hate drumsticks?"
She never knew that, over the years, her husband had tried in countless ways to please her, nor that the drumstick was his own favorite part.
He never knew that she felt profoundly misunderstood, nor that she despised the very thing he offered with the best intentions.
That night, neither could sleep, tossing and turning for hours. Finally, overwhelmed with regret, the old man realized he still loved her deeply and could not imagine life without her. He needed her back. He picked up the phone and began dialing her number. The line rang incessantly as he refused to give up.
Meanwhile, the wife was heartbroken, convinced that after all these years, he still did not understand her. She loved him but felt she could endure no more. When the phone rang, she knew it was him but refused to answer. "What's the point of talking now? It's over. I initiated this, and I must see it through, or I'll lose face," she thought. As the ringing persisted, she decided to unplug the phone cord.
In her distress, she forgot he had a heart condition.
The next day, she received news of his passing. Rushing to his apartment, she found his body on the couch, the phone still clutched in his hand. He had suffered a heart attack while desperately trying to reach her.
Devastated, she began sorting through his belongings. In a drawer, she discovered an insurance policy dated from their wedding day, with herself as the beneficiary. Attached was a note:
"To my dearest wife,
By the time you read this, I will be gone. I purchased this policy for you. Though the sum is only $100,000, I hope it allows me to keep the promise I made on our wedding day. I may no longer be here, but I want this money to care for you, as I would have if I had lived longer. Please know I will always be with you, by your side.
I love you."
Tears flowed like a river.