This woman gave a local waiter the fright of his lifetime. She came into the restaurant with her son and immediately started acting strange. She was clearly nervous, and her eyes kept following the waiter everywhere as if she secretly knew him and wanted to let him know. When it was time to pay, she refused to tip him. Instead, she wrote something shocking on the receipt…
A long time ago, the mother of these five children disappeared. She went missing and never came back. Her husband therefore had to support the family on his own. They never found out what had happened to her, and why she just vanished out of nowhere. Until 23 years later, when the husband went on holiday and suddenly made a shocking discovery…
It was finally time. The last child had just moved out of the house. Now all the kids were studying at college, this father thought it was time to enjoy a nice holiday. He deserved this holiday like no other. Because the last 23 years of his live were absolutely not just a simple walk in the park. Yes, you heard that right, “23 years!”
23 years ago, his wife had suddenly not returned home. As a result, he had to support the whole family himself. Their support rock had suddenly disappeared. It took years for the family to learn to live without her. The grief was still there. And also a lot of questions. What happened? No one expected the husband to find out this bizarre answer!
Henry (59) had wave off his youngest son, Sam (19), to college. Soon after, he went on a trip. Since the disappearance of his wife, Lucy, he didn’t really have a moment to himself. Raising five children took all the time and effort he had. When he thought about it, the emotion struck. When his Lucy disappeared, he never thought that he and his kids would be okay.
Next to him on his bedside table was an old picture of him and Lucy. With an emotional look, he starred at it. “We did it,” he whispered towards the photo, while swiping a tear from his eye. He still missed her so very much and wondered the same desperate question every day: “Will I ever see my great love again?”
Ever since Lucy disappeared, Henry wasn’t able to be with another woman. She was the only one for him. That day in December, he lost his soulmate. Henry remembers the day like it was yesterday. He came home after work and Lucy wasn’t there. Normally, she greeted him almost every day with a cold glass of beer. They discussed the plan of the day.
After that he went to play with the kids. This time she wasn’t there. The horn of the taxi took Henry out of his daydream. He packed the suitcase and headed for the airport. Henry’s long-awaited vacation could begin. And it was a vacation that couldn’t have been more deserved. “Finally, some rest!” he told himself. At least, that’s what he thought…
Henry traveled to Lake Como in Italy. This used to be his favourite place. He went there every summer, but his flight there now was the first time in 23 years he visited again. Because this was the old vacation spot of him and his Lucy. The lake had something magical and soothing about it. It was just what he needed.
On the plane, he thought about his wife’s disappearance. The moment the police showed up at the door. After three days, they still hadn’t heard from her. And even dough Henry did not give up so easily the police unfortunately did. The police told him she may never come back. He’ll never forget the police officer’s look. Sheer desperation!
From the window of the plane, he saw Lake Como below him. What a special place it was. High mountain peaks and low valleys covered this area. And in the heart of it all was crisp blue water. He thought back to all the good times he had there. Unfortunately, Henry would soon realize the dark secret that was hiding around Lake Como!
As he stepped out of the plane and set foot on Italian soil, he felt the warmth of the sun on his face and the fresh mountain air filling his lungs. The view that greeted him was nothing short of magical, with the emerald green waters of Lake Como stretching out before him, and the lush greenery of the surrounding mountains.
As Henry walked towards the taxi area, he felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. It had been 23 years since he had last visited Lake Como with his wife, Lucy. They had spent a romantic week in a small villa by the lake, exploring the quaint Italian towns, and indulging in the delicious local cuisine. It was amazing back then.
The memories of those happy times flooded his mind, and he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of his beloved wife. It brought sadness to his heart. It was the tradition if him and his wife, but that experience was taken from him. How could he enjoy this vacation without her. He cried when he entered the taxi that would take him to his cabin.
As the taxi wound its way through the narrow roads that led to Lake Como, Henry couldn’t help but stare in wonder at the breathtaking scenery before him. The majestic lake stretched out before him, surrounded by towering mountains and lush green forests that seemed to go on forever. The water sparkled in the sunlight, casting a shimmering reflection on the surrounding landscape.
As they drove closer to the lake, the man caught glimpses of quaint little towns dotted along the shoreline, each one more charming than the last. The streets were lined with colorful buildings and blooming flowers, and the air was filled with the delicious scent of freshly baked bread and roasting coffee. It was like nothing changed. But for him every was different. There was no Lucy.
He stepped out of the taxi. Because it had just arrived at his location. “What lovely little cottage,” he sad with a half sad smile on his face. “I must make the most of this vacation and try to enjoy myself. I picked this spot for a reason.” He grabbed his bags from the back seat and walked towards the door.
Once he arrived at his lake house, Henry decided to go to sleep early. The next day, he wanted to go to Varenna. The big city near the lake. Before he went to sleep, Henry pulled out Lucy’s picture again. He put it on his bedside table. “Now we’re back here together”, he told her, as he turned off the lights. The next day, Henry walked through Varenna.
This city brought back so many good memories. This is where he walked around with Lucy in love. The two young parents couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. They’d be together for the rest of their lives. That was the plan at the time. Daydreaming, he walked down a narrow alleyway towards the center. All of a sudden, Henry was scared to death!
Henry smelled something he hadn’t smelled in ages. As soon as the smell entered his nostril, he came into a type of transe. He looked like an addict who was finally allowed to enjoy his addiction again. What was that smell of again?! This overwhelming feeling lasted a few minutes. Henry couldn’t forget this smell, even if he wanted to. It was so specific. Nothing smelled the same.
When he looked at the wall, he saw a number of windows. He stood still under each and every one of them. Just to find out what window produced this lovely smell. It turned out to be the middle window. He stuck his nose right up against it. All of a sudden, he realised. It was the apple pie that Lucy used to make!
Henry was a little shocked by the realisation. Lucy’s apple pie was extremely unique. It was a family secret from his wife, whose grandmother had taught her how to make it. And her grandmother had learned from her mother. The ingredient that went in it made it smell so unique. They were special herbs that were only sold at a shop in Mexico.
They grew there on the plain. Lucy told me that her great-grandmother had grown up there. These herbs created a sweet herbal scent, which was incredibly recognisable. Henry quickly turned around and knocked on the door of the house where the smell was coming from. The front door opened slowly. When Henry saw who opened the door, his life was never the same!
A young woman opened the door. And as soon as the door opened, the smell of fresh apple pie came rushing towards henry’s face. It smelled delicious, but that was not all. He immediately had to think back to when his wife used to bake the cake. Then he’d come home and walk passed the kitchen window. The same feelings came over him.
“Can I help you?” asked the young lady. Henry looked up at the beautiful girl and apologised. He said he was just in the neighbourhood and as he walked passed the window he immediately recognised the smell of this particular pie. Then he asked how she got that recipe. “I learned it from the woman by the lake!” the lady replied.
Henry couldn’t believe his ears. He was sure this recipe was only going around Lucy’s family. He had suggested she sell the recipe before, but she didn’t want to. And Lucy was an only child. Her parents had died early. So there was no one but Lucy who remembered that recipe. “Where can I find that woman?” Henry asked the girl with big eyes. The girl hesitated.
Henry clearly saw that she was uncomfortable giving away that information just like that. He had to do something to persuade this woman. That’s why he decided to tell his story, as well as about Lucy baking the cake. Suddenly, the girl was startled. She looked at him with a questionable look on her face. “How do you know her name is Lucy?”
The two looked at each other in shock for a while. Henry broke the silence with a story about Lucy. How she disappeared 20 years ago, and how much he still loved her. The young lady melted. The could clearly see the love he still had for this lady and that hit deep. She wasn’t supposed to just take people to the place. But she broke.
Immediately, she took off her apron and went with Henry to Lake Como. She escorted him all the way to the shore of the lake. Almost on the water, there was a small cottage. It was a small place, with a wooden exterior and a tin roof. Nothing special, but the location was beautiful. The woman pointed to the cottage and said, “Go in there!”
Henry thanked the girl and walked into the cabin. With each step, the tension increased. He could hardly imagine what he would do if he saw Lucy again. Of course, he’d have a lot of questions too. And he wouldn’t have to wait long to ask them all. Because a reunion was about to happen. Was he ready for it?
When he got closer to the cabin, he saw a window with a curtain in front of it. Behind it, a ghost-like figure walked back and forth the whole time. Then he saw the curtains move a little from left to right. A woman slowly pushed them aside. Suddenly, she became visible and Henry looked straight at her. He couldn’t believe his eyes!
There he was. Face to face with the lost love of his life. Henry completely froze and kept staring at the beautiful woman in front of him. For 23 years, he had thought about this moment. With all his heart, he hoped to find her. This moment was unbelievable. He missed that look. He kept looking at her without moving. And she did the same.
Henry quickly walked towards the door of the cabin. While he was waiting for her to open the door, he broke down in tears. He was no longer in control of his emotions. “And for a good reason,” he said to himself. This was his long lost love, the mother of his children. He heard the lock of the door slowly turn.
A crying Lucy pulled the door open. Henry flew right into her arms. The embrace lasted almost five minutes. Lucy pointed to the couch and asked Henry if he wanted to sit down. They were both speechless as their bodies slowly moved into the pillows of the sofa. When they finally sat down Lucy quickly went to grabbed some tissues to dry her eyes.
Henry took a seat on the couch and looked around. Here, he saw a lot of pictures of a young guy. He was in his 20s. When Lucy came back, she looked at Henry with a scared look on her face. She didn’t even blink for a full minute. That’s when Henry asked her the questions that had been haunting his mind for 23 years: “What happened?”
Lucy wiped away her tears and explained: “When we were on vacation in Lake Como, I had met a man. It was the night you stayed home when you were sick. I had stayed with the man that night. When we came home, I slowly started to feel unwell. I turned out to be pregnant. I panicked and then I did something rash.
The last thing I wanted was for our family to grow up with a bastard child. So I ran back to Como to have the child taken away. But I couldn’t. And I couldn’t go back either. So I stayed here. Please forgive me! Now my son lives with his father in Milan and I have no one left. Please forgive me!” Henry had other plans in mind…
Henry got up and sat down next to Lucy. He was extremely angry on the one hand, but so happy on the other hand that she was still here. There had been so many disaster scenarios haunting his mind for all those years. “Come home, darling,” suggested a desperate Henry. “Then we will see how we will approach it further. Please”.
Lucy couldn’t believe that Henry reacted like that. After what he did to her. And their children. The two hugged each other again and Henry stayed overnight with Lucy for a few days. Then Lucy went back home with Henry. There, they resumed their lives together after 23 years! Wondering how Henry and Lucy are doing now? Check out the text below!
It had been six months since Henry and Lucy had met at Lake Como. The two now live in their old home again. For the kids, it was very strange to see their mother again. Most of them couldn’t remember Lucy at all. They were babies when she disappeared. Only the eldest, Jeff (29) could still picture Lucy in front of him.
It was especially hard for him to forgive her. Slowly but surely, it worked out. Henry and Lucy are trying to rebuild their lives. She told Henry everything. As soon as everything was out in the open, they could start over. It’ll never be like before Lucy disappeared, but the two are doing their best to rebuild their life together!
