MY 5-YEAR-OLD WANTS TO INVITE “THE PRETTY LADY WHO VISITS DAD WHILE MOM’S AT WORK” TO HER BIRTHDAY PARTY My husband, Jake, was laid off earlier this year, so while he’s been job hunting, I’ve been working full-time to support us. He’s been home with our 5-year-old daughter, Ellie, and life seemed normal — until last week. We were planning Ellie’s upcoming birthday party, and I asked who she wanted to invite. That’s when she said: “I want to invite the pretty lady who visits Daddy while you’re at work.” I froze. “The pretty lady?” I asked, trying to stay calm. “Yeah! The one with long hair. She’s really nice. She says Daddy’s so kind and always hugs him goodbye. Can she come? Please?” My heart sank. “Of course, sweetheart. Why don’t you invite her next time you see her?” That night, I barely slept. Who was this “pretty lady?” Was Jake cheating? Or was Ellie imagining things? I didn’t confront him. I wanted to see what would happen next. The next day, I casually asked, “Did you invite the pretty lady?” “Yep! She said she’d come for sure!” Ellie cheerfully said. I almost dropped my coffee. On the day of the party, I was a nervous wreck. The party started like any other — kids running around, chaos everywhere. Then, about an hour in, the doorbell rang.

The doorbell rang, cutting through the sound of kids laughing and screaming. My heart raced as I walked to the door, hands trembling, trying to keep a neutral face. Was this it? Was I about to meet “the pretty lady”?

I opened the door, and there she was. She had long, flowing hair and an elegant smile, just as Ellie had described. She held a brightly wrapped gift in one hand and a tray of cupcakes in the other.

“Hi! You must be Ellie’s mom. I’m Sarah,” she said warmly, her voice smooth and confident.

“Oh, uh, hi,” I stammered, caught off guard by her calm demeanor. “Come in.”

She stepped inside, her eyes immediately scanning the room for Ellie. When she spotted her, she waved excitedly. Ellie ran over and hugged her tightly.

“You came! You really came!” Ellie squealed with delight.

Jake appeared from the kitchen, his face lighting up when he saw Sarah. “Oh, hey, Sarah! I’m glad you could make it,” he said, his tone far too familiar for my liking.

My stomach churned. “How do you two know each other?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Jake looked at me, his expression a mix of guilt and surprise. “Uh, Sarah’s… she’s a… friend. She’s been helping out while I’ve been job hunting.”

“Helping out?” I echoed, my voice rising slightly.

Sarah interjected, her tone gentle but firm. “Yes, I’m a career counselor. I’ve been working with Jake to refine his resume and practice interview skills. It’s been a tough market out there.”

My mind raced. Was this a cover story? Could it be true? Jake had mentioned working on his job search, but he never told me about hiring someone to help.

“And the hugs goodbye?” I asked pointedly, my eyes narrowing.

Sarah’s cheeks flushed. “Oh, that…” She looked at Jake, clearly uncomfortable.

“It’s… uh… just a friendly gesture,” Jake stammered, looking anywhere but at me.

Ellie, blissfully unaware of the tension, tugged on Sarah’s hand. “Come see my cake! It’s unicorns, just like I told you!”

Sarah smiled down at Ellie. “I’d love to see it, sweetie.” She allowed Ellie to lead her into the dining room, leaving Jake and me alone in the entryway.

I turned to him, my voice low but firm. “What the hell is going on, Jake? If she’s just helping with your job search, why didn’t you tell me about her?”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal,” he replied, avoiding my gaze. “I didn’t want to worry you. You’ve been stressed enough with work and everything else.”

“You didn’t want to worry me, so you let our daughter think you’re… what? Having secret visits with some ‘pretty lady’?” I spat the words, my anger bubbling over.

“It’s not like that,” he insisted, finally looking at me. “I swear, there’s nothing going on. Sarah’s just been… really supportive. She believes in me, and it’s been a long time since I felt that way.”

I froze. “What do you mean, ‘it’s been a long time’?”

“I mean…” He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve been so busy, so distant. I’ve felt… invisible.”

I stared at him, stunned. Was he blaming me for this?

Before I could respond, Ellie’s voice rang out. “Mommy, Daddy! Come sing happy birthday!”

We both plastered on fake smiles and joined the crowd around the cake. Sarah was already there, holding Ellie’s hand and laughing as the kids gathered around.

As we sang, I couldn’t help but watch her. She seemed so at ease, so natural in our home. It made my skin crawl.

After the candles were blown out and the cake was served, I pulled Sarah aside. “Can we talk?”

She looked surprised but nodded. “Of course.”

We stepped into the hallway, away from the noise. “Listen,” I began, trying to keep my tone civil. “I’m trying to understand your role here. You’re a career counselor, but it seems like you’ve become… more than that to my husband and daughter.”

Sarah’s expression softened. “I understand how this might look, but I assure you, my intentions are purely professional. Jake has been through a tough time, and I’ve been doing my best to support him. If I’ve overstepped in any way, I’m truly sorry.”

“And the hugs?” I pressed.

She hesitated. “I won’t lie – I’ve grown fond of your family. Ellie is a sweetheart, and Jake… he’s a good man. But nothing inappropriate has happened, I promise.”

Her words were sincere, but doubt lingered. “I hope you understand why I’m protective of my family.”

“I do,” she said, meeting my gaze. “And I respect that. If you’d prefer I step back, I will.”

I nodded, though my mind was far from settled. “Thank you.”

The rest of the party passed in a blur. Sarah stayed for a while, chatting with the other parents and helping Ellie with her new toys. She left before the party ended, giving Ellie one last hug and promising to see her again soon.

That night, after Ellie was asleep, Jake and I had the fight we’d been avoiding.

“You need to make a choice,” I told him. “If you want this marriage to work, you can’t keep secrets from me. I need to know I can trust you.”

He nodded, his eyes filled with regret. “You’re right. I’ll stop seeing Sarah. I’ll focus on us, on fixing what’s broken.”

It was a start, but the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. Trust, once broken, takes time to rebuild. And as much as I wanted to believe him, a small part of me couldn’t shake the nagging doubt that Sarah’s presence had planted in my heart.

For now, all I could do was take it one day at a time – for Ellie’s sake, for our family, and for my own peace of mind.