My Husband Said He Was Training for a Marathon Every Saturday Morning—Three Months Later, a Local School Called About His Daughter I Never Knew Existed

A single phone call from Parkview Elementary about my husband Nick’s “daughter” unraveled my trust. We’ve been married six years, blending lives seamlessly since meeting at a barbecue. Nick, a graphic designer, and I, a bookstore manager, always shared everything—or so I thought. When Nick, nearing 35, started marathon training with a Saturday group, I supported him. But a call on his forgotten phone revealed multiple contacts with the school. Suspecting a secret child, I followed him one Saturday.

He went to the park, trained with Jake and Chris, as described. A girl called another runner “Daddy,” not Nick. Relieved but embarrassed, I confessed. Nick explained Jake borrowed his phone for school calls, causing the mix-up. We laughed it off, and Nick finished his marathon. I learned to trust my gut but verify before panicking. Now, we joke about his “secret family” when he runs.