When I knocked on the bathroom door and heard my husband’s strained voice, I knew something wasn’t right. But nothing could have prepared me for the real reason he’d been hiding behind that locked door for months.
I’ve always considered myself lucky. Liam and I have been married for 25 years, and for the most part, life has been… comfortable. We had our ups and downs, like any couple, but we were solid.
A loving couple having a conversation | Source: Midjourney
At least, that’s what I used to think. Lately, things have felt different. Not the obvious kind of different: no big fights or dramatic shifts, but small changes, the kind that make you second-guess your own instincts.
The strangest of all? Liam’s sudden obsession with the bathroom.
Liam’s never been the type to spend much time in there. If anything, I’ve always teased him for how quickly he could be in and out, joking that he was some kind of efficiency expert. But about six months ago, he started taking his time. Really taking his time.
A man looking at his reflection in the bathroom mirror | Source: Midjourney
It wasn’t just a few extra minutes; he’d disappear for hours. At first, I shrugged it off. “Maybe he’s just getting older,” I told myself. Everyone deserves a bit of alone time. I didn’t want to be one of those wives, nagging over every little thing.
But then the noises started.
One night, as I was folding laundry on the bed, I heard a dull thud. I paused, listening carefully. There it was again: this time, a low grunt, followed by what sounded like heavy breathing.
A stunned woman standing in her room | Source: Midjourney
I stood up, hesitating in the hallway before knocking softly. “Liam?” I called through the door, trying to keep my tone casual. “Everything alright in there?”
There was a pause. “Yeah, just… taking my time,” he replied, his voice slightly strained.
I frowned but didn’t push further. Maybe he wasn’t feeling well? But days turned into weeks, and his bathroom sessions grew longer. He’d spend more time behind that locked door, and with each passing day, I found myself growing more and more uneasy.
A woman looks curious and concerned while sitting in her room | Source: Midjourney
It wasn’t just the time that bothered me; it was the secrecy. He had started locking the door every time, something he never used to do. When I casually asked him about it one morning over coffee, he shrugged it off with a nonchalant, “Can’t a guy have some privacy?”
I tried not to let it get to me, but curiosity gnawed at me, especially with the strange sounds. “Privacy for what exactly?” I muttered under my breath one night. That’s when I started to worry something more was going on.
A man standing in the bathroom | Source: Midjourney
One evening, after yet another long, locked bathroom session, I couldn’t help myself anymore. “Liam, why are you always in there for so long?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
He looked at me, irritated. “Why do you always have to ask about it? I just… I can’t do it faster, okay?”
“Do what faster?” I asked, baffled.
“Just leave it alone, Naomi,” he snapped, storming back into the bathroom and locking the door behind him.
A man sitting in a bathroom | Source: Midjourney
I tried to let it go, but every night, as I lay in bed listening to those strange noises coming from the bathroom, I felt my imagination running wild. Was he hiding something? Was he in trouble?
The thought of him keeping secrets from me, after all these years, made my stomach churn. I considered every possibility, even the worst ones: was he seeing someone else?
Then, everything changed one afternoon. Liam had locked himself in the bathroom again, and I was in the kitchen when his phone buzzed on the counter.
A smartphone lying on a counter | Source: Midjourney
I glanced at it absentmindedly, expecting some work message or a news alert. But no: it was his mom, Meredith, calling.
“Liam, your mom’s calling!” I called out, tapping on the countertop impatiently.
There was a grunt from the bathroom. “Can you get it? I’m busy!” His voice was muffled, strained.
I hesitated for a moment, then picked up the phone. “Hello, Meredith,” I said, trying to keep the conversation short. After a quick exchange about her upcoming doctor’s appointment, we hung up.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
But just as I went to lock the phone, something caught my eye — an open video on the screen. The thumbnail showed it was recorded just an hour ago.
My heart raced. Before I could stop myself, I clicked play. And as the video started, I felt my breath catch in my throat.
There was Liam in the bathroom, wearing workout clothes, of all things… exercising? He was in the middle of doing push-ups, sweat dripping down his face, groaning with each rep.
A man exercising in a bathroom | Source: Midjourney
Then he switched to sit-ups, breathing heavily, pushing himself like I’d never seen him do before.
My first reaction was relief. So that’s what had been going on in there? My imagination had gone to the darkest places, and here he was… doing some awkward yoga poses. I actually chuckled, a combination of amusement and disbelief bubbling up.
I marched down the hall, heart still racing, and knocked on the bathroom door, harder this time. “Liam! Open the door. We need to talk.”
A woman looking at the closed bathroom door in her room | Source: Midjourney
There was silence on the other side, and I could almost feel his hesitation through the thick wood. “I’m, uh, kinda busy right now,” he finally muttered, his voice breathless.
I wasn’t having it. “Liam. Open. The. Door.”
I heard him shuffle around, and after a beat, the lock clicked. The door creaked open slowly, revealing my husband, flushed, sweaty, and holding a bright green resistance band in one hand. He stared at me, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.
A closeup of a green-colored resistance band lying on the floor | Source: Midjourney
“You saw the video, didn’t you?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper. His shoulders slumped as he looked down at the floor.
I crossed my arms, trying to keep my voice calm. “Yeah, I saw it. What on earth is going on?”
Liam sighed deeply, running a hand through his damp hair. “I… I’ve put on weight,” he admitted, his voice heavy with embarrassment. “Nine kilos in the last few months, and I—I felt so ashamed. I thought you might… you know, notice.”
A man looks embarrassed while sitting in his room | Source: Midjourney
“Notice what? That you gained a bit of weight? Liam, everyone puts on weight now and then. What does that have to do with locking yourself in the bathroom for hours?” I asked, genuinely confused but feeling a bit of my frustration melt away.
He groaned, rubbing his forehead like a child caught sneaking cookies before dinner. “I didn’t want you to see me like this,” he mumbled. “So I started working out… in secret. I hired this online coach and started doing these bathroom workouts so you wouldn’t… notice how out of shape I’d gotten.”
A man using his phone in the bathroom | Source: Midjourney
I blinked, processing his words. “Wait. All this time, you were in here… working out? Not hiding something from me? Not cheating or… God knows what else I thought?” I could feel a mixture of exasperation and relief washing over me.
He nodded, still not meeting my eyes. “I didn’t want you to hear me struggling. It’s embarrassing, okay? I’d be grunting and breathing heavily, and I figured if you knew, you’d worry… or worse, think less of me.”
A man breathing heavily and sweating during a bathroom workout session | Source: Midjourney
I stared at him, then burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. The sheer absurdity of it all: the hours spent worrying, the secretive looks, the locked doors; all because he was too shy to admit he was working out.
“Liam, you absolute idiot!” I laughed, tears forming in the corners of my eyes. “You could’ve just told me. You know I’d support you no matter what!”
A woman laughing | Source: Midjourney
Liam looked up at me, a sheepish smile starting to break through his embarrassment. “I didn’t want to worry you. I know how much you’ve been dealing with lately: work, my mom’s health, everything. I didn’t want to add to that.”
I shook my head, the last bit of tension fading as I took a step toward him. “Worry me? Liam, you DID worry me. You were acting so strange. My imagination was running wild! I thought you were keeping something serious from me…”
An extremely worried woman | Source: Midjourney
He winced, clearly feeling guilty. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I just — I’ve been feeling bad about myself. And I didn’t want to burden you with that.”
I softened, reaching out to touch his arm. “Liam, we’ve been married 25 years. You don’t have to hide anything from me, especially not this.” I paused, trying to read his face.
“You’re still the same man I married, whether you’ve put on a few kilos or not. Besides, it’s not like I’ve stayed the same size either,” I added with a smirk, patting my belly for emphasis.
A woman smirks while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
Liam finally cracked a real smile. “I guess I’ve been a bit ridiculous, huh?”
“Just a little,” I teased, raising an eyebrow. “Next time, instead of locking yourself away, how about we go on a run together? Or, I don’t know, maybe let me in on your secret workout routine?”
He chuckled, the tension fully broken now. “You and me? Doing yoga together?” he joked, his eyes twinkling for the first time in weeks.
A man chuckles while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
“Why not? I could use a little stretching,” I said with a grin, then sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster of the last few weeks. “But seriously, Liam, no more secrets. Please. You can tell me anything, even if it’s about something like this.”
Liam nodded, looking down at his feet before glancing back up at me. “I will. I promise.”
We stood there for a moment, the air between us lighter now, as if a weight had been lifted. I hadn’t realized how much this situation had weighed on me until it was gone.
A loving couple | Source: Midjourney
Finally, I smiled, shaking my head at him again. “All this time, and it was just you doing push-ups in here?”
Liam laughed, tossing the resistance band aside. “Yeah, and pretty badly, too.”
We both laughed, the sound filling the small bathroom. It was ridiculous, yes, but also a reminder. Sometimes, the things we’re most afraid to admit — the things we think will push people away — are the very things that make us closer.
I squeezed his hand and said softly, “Next time, just let me in, okay?”
“Okay,” he whispered, pulling me into a hug.
A couple hugging | Source: Midjourney
And in that moment, it was like everything fell back into place.
Ready to dive into another heartwarming story? You’re going to love this one: When Michael returned home early from a business trip, he expected a warm family reunion, not an empty house and eerie silence. His wife was missing, only to be found locked in the cellar, with a shocking story that pointed to a betrayal he never saw coming.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
Stewardess Breaks the Rules to Talk Some Sense into Raging Son of a Millionaire during a Flight – Story of the Day
Monica was tired of the spoiled rich boy who always flew with their airline. He was loud, rude, and didn’t care about the other passengers on the plane. But she got an idea one day and decided to trick him. Surprisingly, someone else also spoke up, and Monica did not have to worry again.
“LET’S GET WILD!” yelled Gerald Ross, the son of a real estate millionaire in New York and one of the most spoiled people Monica had ever met. She was a flight attendant from JFK to Miami, and everyone was tired of his antics.
Gerald held a champagne bottle and made his friends drink from it. They got even louder as a result, and no one could quiet them down. She would’ve understood if they were on a private plane, but Gerald and his friends always used this airline because his rich daddy was close friends with the owner. They had some deal.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Ugh, rich people,” Monica whispered to her co-worker, Julian, who rolled his eyes at the rowdy group of friends too. Although they were all in first class, they disturbed other passengers, and people were constantly telling them to shut up. But there was nothing they could do. Gerald wouldn’t listen and insulted them to boot.
This was not what Monica imagined when she decided to become a stewardess. Her father was a pilot who sadly passed away in a plane crash, but that didn’t deter her from her pursuit of the sky. She loved it and wanted to become a pilot. However, her mother couldn’t afford lessons, and flight attendant studies were much cheaper.
She was now paying for her own lessons, but it was a slow process. Soon, she would be a pilot too, and hopefully, she wouldn’t have to deal with young men like Gerald ever again.
“Hey, you! Yeah, I’m talking to you, steward!” Gerald called her attention, making the word stewardess sound like an insult. Monica had to fake a smile before approaching him. “Bring me another bottle NOW!”
“Mr. Ross, could you please quiet down a bit. There are other passengers on the plane,” she said, trying to calm the group down.
“Hey! Don’t you know who I am? I could get you fired like this!” the young man said, snapping his fingers to indicate that she could quickly lose her job. “GET THE BOTTLE NOW! AND SOME PEANUTS FOR EVERYONE TOO!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
There was no use. Her colleagues looked bone-tired, even though the plane had barely taken off. They had a few more hours of this situation in store, and Monica couldn’t take it anymore. Instead of looking for the bottle, she entered the cockpit and took a seat behind Vince, the primary pilot who happened to be her boyfriend.
“Hey, are you ok?” Vince asked while checking dials and keeping everything in place.
Monica breathed a huge sigh. “Gerald Ross is here, and it’s barely been an hour since we took off. I can’t take it anymore,” she told him, wiping a hand on her forehead.
“I’m sure you can do something to keep them quiet,” Vince replied.
“Can you talk to him?”
“You know I can’t go out there. It would be a breach in protocol.”
“Hmmm, breach in protocol. Maybe, I could lie and spook him,” Monica said, placing a finger on her chin and thinking deeply. Just then, the sounds of more screams came from the first-class area, and she was forced to stand up. “Ugh…”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“You can do this, Monica. I believe in you,” Vince said, turning around and smiling at her. He loved her deeply. In fact, he had proposed to her last night, but Monica had so many dreams she wanted to accomplish before getting married. She had asked him for some time to think. At that moment, she wanted to say yes and quit this job forever.
But Monica would not let a spoiled daddy’s boy derail her career. That’s when she had a brilliant idea and marched outside back to the first class.
“Everyone, can I please have your attention?” she began, smiling fakely. “Due to some extenuating circumstances, I’m going to have to fly the plane, but I can’t do it because our colleagues are so busy with Mr. Ross and his friends. So, the plane is on autopilot for now with no one operating it.”
She didn’t know if her idea would work or if Gerald would be scared of it. She was going to have to lie through her teeth to convince everyone that there was no other option, and she needed that rowdy group to stop so she could concentrate on “flying” this plane.
Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise, and even Gerald’s group got quiet.
“Excuse me, what did you say?” a passenger questioned, almost angrily.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Where’s the pilot? I saw him go inside!” another flyer called out.
“What about the co-pilot?” another person wondered with worried eyes.
“Our co-pilot had an emergency, but the flight still continued because they had me aboard, and I’m almost done training for my pilot’s license. Now that our pilot is also experiencing some trouble, it’s up to me to fly this plane. But I really can’t do it if I have to worry about a loud, disruptive group in the cabin,” Monica continued, trying to remain vague to avoid raising any more suspicions from the passengers.
Finally, an older man in an expensive Armani suit, Mr. George Carter, stood up. “See, Ross? This is the kind of disaster you and your group have caused. We’re a flying machine, and you think we’re in some kind of club. I’m going to have a serious talk with your father when we reach Miami!” Mr. Carter exclaimed at the young man. “Now, sit down like a normal person, shut up, and let this lady fly the plane!”
Mr. Carter sat back down, and Ross’s group looked away in shame. The other passengers all nodded their heads, and one even thanked the older man. Monica smiled in delight as the spoiled boy looked at his lap in shame.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Thank you for your understanding, everyone. I’ll return to the cockpit, and don’t worry, I have aced all my pilot lessons,” Monica said and returned to the cockpit, where she had to stay the rest of the flight to keep up the ruse.
Luckily, Gerald and his friends did not make a peep for the rest of the flight, and they reached their destination without another hiccup. After landing, she explained to her colleagues why she lied, and they all thanked her deeply.
Several days later, Monica and Julian worked another route, and he had some gossip for her. “You know how Mr. Carter threatened to call Gerald’s dad? Well, he actually did it. He also talked to the owner of the airline, and as a punishment, he has been banned from flying with us,” her co-worker revealed.
“That’s fantastic,” Monica laughed as she got everything ready for the passengers’ in-flight meal. “Oh, didn’t I tell you? Vince and I got officially engaged that day. I guess watching that man scold Gerald made me super happy, and I decided to accept his proposal!”
“Congratulations!”
What can we learn from this story?
- Don’t be rude to people in the service industry. You must respect people in the service industry no matter who your father is or how much money you have. It’s common decency.
- A little white lie can serve a purpose sometimes. Monica lied a bit to the passengers, and they finally got fed up with the rich kid’s behavior.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about an older woman who was mocked on a plane.
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