The Key to Holiday Joy part 3

Hannah couldn't sleep, being in that bedroom brought back sad memories of the day she found out about her husband's affair; she had left her home to spend the night there with her kids.  Her mind kept racing, she tried not to relive the night three years ago when she found out about her husband's affair, but she couldn't help herself.  That day she had been caring for her son Daniel, he had stayed home from school sick with the flu. As she looked towards the foyer she saw something on the floor, her husband had dropped his cell phone.  She immediately called his office to let him know that his phone was at home, so that he wouldn't worry about it being lost.  The office secretary, Sandy, answered "I'm sorry Hannah but Mr.Ortega has been on vacation all week, he is not due to return to work until Monday."Later Hannah found out that the secretary had purposely told her all of that information, she liked Hannah and hated to see her being betrayed.  As if it happened yesterday she remembers looking down at the phone in her hand, afraid to see what she would find.

"Why do I keep reliving that day? its torture, I  hate him so much!! why did he do this to our kids? Why did he leave me to pick up the pieces of the kids broken hearts? I can't, I will never forgive him.  He wasn't the one that had to sit with the kids night after night while they cried saying that it was their fault that daddy left.  It was because of him that they suffered separation anxiety worrying that she too might leave them. She hated the endless nights she had spent trying to figure out what she had done wrong, how she could have been a better: cook, housewife, lover, woman, even person. He robbed her of her self-respect, self-esteem, hopes and dreams, he robbed her of everything. She will never be the same; she will not allow anyone to hurt her that deeply again.

Unable to stop the racing thoughts Hannah got up from bed and went towards the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.  She heard murmuring coming from the family room, "dad probably left the TV on, its 2:00 am

there is no way he could still be up." As she approached the family room an all too familiar scene presented itself before her eyes.... her mother Rachel on her knees praying.  She tried not to make a sound but stood behind the wall listening to her mom's prayer.  "Dear Lord help my daughter forgive, she is holding herself hostage in a prison of hate, anger and pain, set her free. Help her realize that as long as she holds on to the past she will never move forward towards the future you have prepared for her. We can't change the past, but we can get passed it.  She has built walls of protection even against you. Lord, I cant bear to see her suffer this way, please reach Hannah, reach her soon because the longer she rejects you, the longer she will rob herself of peace, joy, happiness and love. "

Hannah's knees grew weak, her eyes swelled up with tears, her body forced her to the floor.  She sat wrapping her arms tightly around her legs and with her head on her knees, trying not to make a sound.... she wanted to throw herself at her mom's feet and weep.  She couldn't understand how her mother knew that she was hurting so badly; she tried with all of her might to hide it from her. Of all the things she heard her mom say in her prayer what stood out in her soul was  "she is robbing herself of peace, joy, happiness and love."