Tina thought she was living her fairy-tale ending when she married her high school sweetheart, Richard. But life took a harsh turn after he kicked her out, leaving her to raise their son alone. Only later would she fully understand the deep consequences of their choices.
Tina had always dreamed of a big, white wedding. However, at 18, she eloped with Richard, happy to be with the man she loved, despite his wealthy background. She wasn’t interested in his money—only in him. Her happiness was short-lived. A few months into their marriage, Tina discovered she was pregnant. Overjoyed, she expected Richard to share her excitement.
But Richard’s reaction was far from what she had hoped for. “What do you mean you’re pregnant?” he asked, clearly upset. Tina tried to calm him down. “I know we didn’t plan this, but I thought you’d be happy. You’d make a great father.” But Richard’s next words shattered her. “The only reason we’re together is so I could get away from my family! How could you do this to me?”
Confused and hurt, Tina tried to convince herself that Richard just needed time to come around. But the next day, Richard came home drunk and kicked her out. “Get out, Tina! If I see you here again, we’ll have a problem!” Too stunned to fight back, Tina left, hoping he’d eventually come to his senses.
A few days later, Tina returned, only to find the locks had been changed. Desperate, she called Richard’s parents, but the conversation only deepened her heartbreak. “We’ve heard everything about you!” Richard’s mother snapped. “How you cheated and got pregnant with another man’s child! Don’t ever call us again!” At that moment, Tina realized she was completely alone, left to face the world with her unborn child.
Years passed, and Tina devoted herself to raising her son, Greg. Though life was tough, Greg’s kindness and determination eased her burden. He started working as a caddy at 15 to help with expenses but still managed to excel in school. With time, Greg opened his own business, becoming a successful entrepreneur by 26.
Despite his achievements, Greg carried deep resentment toward his father. Whenever Richard’s name came up, anger flashed in Greg’s eyes, a reminder of the pain he had bottled up for years. Eventually, Greg decided it was time to confront the man who had abandoned them. He tracked Richard down and, one day, parked outside his father’s house with a baseball bat on the passenger seat. His anger was boiling, but as he watched his father—a frail man in ragged clothes—struggle to take out the trash, Greg’s fury began to fade.
He noticed a “for sale” sign in the yard and quickly realized that Richard was deep in debt. As he sat there, bat in hand, Greg had a moment of clarity. Revenge, he realized, wasn’t worth all he had worked for. He put the bat down and called the number on the sign. In a twist of fate, Greg bought Richard’s house.
A few days later, Richard walked into the real estate agent’s office to finalize the sale. To his shock, sitting inside were Tina and Greg. Speechless, Richard looked at his son, now a man, and knew he had no defense for what he had done.
As Richard began to leave, Greg repeated the very words Richard had said to Tina all those years ago. “If I see you again, we’ll have a problem.” Tina watched Richard leave, the irony not lost on her. Life had come full circle, and she couldn’t help but think, “What are the chances?”
