This Thanksgiving was unlike any other. Instead of me taking charge of cooking the turkey, my husband, Jake, insisted on giving it a try. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. Cooking the Thanksgiving turkey has always been my pride and joy. Even my mother-in-law, Patricia, who can be quite judgmental, compliments me on my turkey. But this year, Jake wanted to show off his secret recipe that he claimed we would all love.

Despite my doubts, I decided to trust him. When he announced to his mother that he would be breaking tradition and cooking the turkey, he assured us that he had everything under control. On Thanksgiving Eve, our whole family gathered eagerly at our place, ready to taste Jake’s creation. As he pulled the turkey out of the oven, it looked perfectly cooked and smelled delicious – until we took the first bite.

The taste was horrendous. It was as if someone had dipped the entire turkey in melted chocolate. I couldn’t help but yell, “Jake, what is this?” Even his mom, who was sitting next to me, had already spat her piece out into a napkin. Confused and embarrassed, Jake tried to explain that his secret recipe included brown sugar, maple syrup, and marshmallow fluff. It was clear that letting him cook the turkey was a terrible idea.

However, instead of getting angry, we started laughing about the entire experience. Jake apologized, and although we were a bit mad, we realized that it was just one Thanksgiving mishap.

After dinner, I noticed a crumbled piece of paper in the trash. Curiosity got the best of me, and I took a closer look. To my surprise, it had Sarah’s name written on it – Jake’s ex-wife. My heart skipped a beat. Did he really ask her for a recipe? I confronted him immediately.

“Jake, did you turn to Sarah, your ex, for a turkey recipe?” I asked, trying to control my anger.

He looked at me, knowing that he had made a mistake. “Honey, I am so sorry. I just wanted everything to be perfect, and you know, Sarah used to work for a catering service, so I thought…”

I interrupted him. I didn’t want to listen to his lame excuses.

The next morning, I shared everything with Jake’s mom. As she sipped her glass of wine, she acknowledged that her son could be foolish at times. But she also assured me that he adored me and wanted to impress me with his cooking. That’s why he turned to the only other woman he felt comfortable with – Sarah.

Although I knew Sarah had hurt him in the past, I tried to understand Jake’s intentions. Despite everything, I am still with Jake, but I can’t shake the feeling that something shifted this Thanksgiving. Who would have thought that my ideal image of our marriage would crumble when my husband cooked the turkey?

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• Bored Daddy