Living with her father-in-law, Gektor, has caused Angela to become more and more irritated. “Send your father to a nursing home, or I leave,” she painfully threatened her husband Stefan one evening. Stefan struggled to balance his devotion to his elderly father with his love for his wife. Stefan softly informed his father that they were going for a drive the following morning after packing his bag. Despite his heavy heart, Gektor sought to lighten his son’s load by acknowledging that he understood what was happening.
Stefan, however, drove Gektor to the airport rather than a nursing home. He disclosed his real choice there: he had decided to separate with Angela and bring his father to see his brother Alex and his family. Gektor’s other son, his daughter-in-law, and two active grandsons greeted him warmly when they arrived. For the first time since losing his wife, he felt at ease surrounded by love and laughter.
Angela found a letter from Stefan when she got home to an empty house. In it, he clarified that their family was built on respect and that his father was a blessing rather than a burden. Their marriage had no future if Angela was unable to share that belief. Angela discovered too late that Stefan had favored his father above her, and she was overcome with rage and incredulity.
A few months later, Gektor gleefully observed Stefan putting a handcrafted sign that said, “Welcome Home,” at the end of their driveway. Only for family. In that moment, Gektor knew his family’s foundation had been restored. Even if Angela was no longer there, the same principles that had always bound them together were now present in their home: love, respect, and harmony.