Woman Tires of Admirer Who Joins Her Jog Every Morning but Desperately Searches for Him When He Doesn't Show Up

Rebecca coped with her depression by organizing her life so there’d be no time for it. She’d been doing that for years since the divorce. Until one persistent stranger decided to interfere with her strict, lonely routine. Little did Rebecca know, he’d become the one person she’d end up missing.

In the dim light of her bedroom, Rebecca lay on her back, her gaze locked on the digital clock beside her bed.

The numbers read 6:29. She took a steady breath, waiting for the clock to change.

As soon as it clicked to 6:30, the alarm went off, but Rebecca was quick to silence it.

She sat up, threw the covers aside, and rose from the bed with practiced precision.

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First things first—Rebecca smoothed out her sheets, arranging every corner until the bed looked crisp and perfectly made.

She walked into the bathroom, where everything had its place.

Her toothbrush rested neatly in a holder, the soap was placed just so in a dish, and a small mirror hung over the sink.

Rebecca took a moment to look at her own reflection, her expression calm but distant.

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She was forty-seven, with lines of experience and resilience etched onto her face.

Seven years had passed since her divorce, and though the pain had dulled, it had left behind a scar.

Her response to the heartache had been order, discipline, and strict routine. These things brought her a sense of control, something solid to hold onto when life felt chaotic.

At exactly seven o’clock, Rebecca laced up her running shoes, plugged in her headphones, and stepped outside, ready for her morning jog.

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For years, these runs had been her escape, a time to strengthen her body while listening to audiobooks that exercised her mind.

It was her shield against sadness, each step a way to push forward.

But for the past month, something had started to disrupt her carefully designed routine—a neighbor named Charlie, who seemed determined to break through her guarded solitude, one cheerful “good morning” at a time.

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Charlie’s house was right across the street, and every morning, just as Rebecca fell into her steady pace, he would come bounding out, waving his arms like an enthusiastic kid, barely managing to keep his sneakers on.

This morning was no different. Rebecca spotted him out of the corner of her eye as he hopped down his steps, shoving his shoelaces into his sneakers in a hurry to catch up.

She sighed, rolling her eyes and speeding up, hoping he’d get the hint this time. But, as always, Charlie wouldn’t be discouraged so easily.

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“Rebecca! Wait, it’s me!” he called, his voice cheerful as he jogged over, waving with one hand and holding his side with the other.

Rebecca pretended not to hear him and kept her eyes straight ahead, her footsteps rhythmic and focused.

But Charlie was determined, and soon he was jogging alongside her, albeit slightly out of breath.

“You’re fast… as always,” he managed between pants, giving her a crooked smile as he tried to match her pace.

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Rebecca pulled out one of her earbuds and glanced at him, feigning surprise. “Oh, hi, didn’t see you there,” she replied, with just a hint of annoyance.

She had her whole morning planned out, and chatting with her neighbor hadn’t been on the agenda.

“No problem, totally my fault for being late,” Charlie said, his breath still coming in gasps.

Rebecca could see he was trying hard to keep up, yet he looked pleased just to be running alongside her.

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She gave a small, dismissive nod and was about to put her earbud back in when Charlie chimed in again.

“Hey, want to hear a joke?” he asked eagerly, his voice carrying that unbreakable enthusiasm she found both irritating and oddly endearing.

“You’d save more breath if you talked less while running…” she muttered, but he ignored her suggestion.

“Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?” he asked, grinning.

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Rebecca sighed. She knew better than to indulge him, but she couldn’t help herself.

“I don’t know. Why?”

“Because he was outstanding in his field!” Charlie delivered the punchline with a broad, triumphant grin, his eyes bright with expectation.

Rebecca paused, rolling the joke over in her mind, and against her better judgment, a chuckle escaped her lips.

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She quickly tried to stifle it, but it was too late. Charlie had seen her reaction, and his face lit up with delight.

“See? You smiled! I’m getting better at this,” he noted with satisfaction, practically glowing at his small victory.

Rebecca shook her head, but her smile lingered, however brief.

“I’ll give it to you, that one wasn’t… too bad,” she conceded, still pretending to be unimpressed.

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Charlie threw a fist in the air, grinning as if he’d won a prize.

“Finally! Progress!” he cheered, laughing.

Rebecca picked up her pace again, leaving Charlie struggling to keep up.

Each morning, Rebecca found herself looking forward to the sight of Charlie bounding out of his house with his untied sneakers and his cheerful grin.

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His silly jokes that once made her roll her eyes had grown on her, and she found herself smiling more often, even laughing aloud, which was something she hadn’t done in a long time.

More surprising to her, she had started to slow her pace—just a bit—so they could talk longer.

Charlie’s enthusiasm and light-heartedness had a way of softening the strict walls Rebecca had built around herself.

He had even managed to slip past her strict routine, something she thought no one could do.

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As she laced up her shoes and looked out the window, Rebecca found herself glancing at his house, as she had started doing most mornings. Today, though, something felt different.

The door to his house was shut tight, and there was no sign of him.

She checked her watch and waited, telling herself not to worry. But after a few more minutes passed, doubt crept in.

This wasn’t like Charlie—he was always so excited to join her.

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She hesitated, feeling a strange mix of concern and disappointment, but finally, she walked over to his house and knocked on the door.

She tapped her foot as she waited, glancing around and hoping he’d just forgotten to wake up. But there was no answer.

She rang the doorbell again, then leaned close to the window, peeking inside, but the rooms were still and quiet.

“Charlie! Are you there?” she called, trying to keep her voice steady. “Come on, you’re missing our jog!”

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She hoped he’d suddenly appear, laughing and apologizing for being late. But all she heard was silence.

Just then, an elderly voice spoke from nearby.

“Who’s shouting out here?” Startled, Rebecca turned to see Mrs. Lewis, an elderly woman who lived next door to Charlie, watching her with curiosity.

“Oh, Mrs. Lewis,” Rebecca said, feeling embarrassed for the outburst.

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“I usually run with Charlie, but he didn’t show up today. Maybe he overslept,” she added, her voice quieter, almost as if she were speaking to herself.

She felt a pang of worry, wondering if maybe he simply didn’t want to run with her anymore.

Mrs. Lewis shook her head, looking concerned.

“Overslept? Oh no, dear. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night.”

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Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat.

“The hospital? What happened to him?”

Mrs. Lewis sighed, clearly upset herself.

“I’m not sure. I only saw the ambulance pull up and take him away. It’s such a shame. Poor man lives alone with no one to watch over him.”

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Rebecca stood there, processing the news, a wave of guilt and worry washing over her.

She had only known Charlie for a short while, but in that time, he had somehow become a part of her life, someone she looked forward to seeing.

Without a second thought, Rebecca thanked Mrs. Lewis, turned around, and headed back home to grab her purse and keys. There was only one hospital nearby, and she needed to find him.

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Rebecca felt her heart racing as she walked through the bustling halls of the hospital, the antiseptic smell filling her nose and making her even more anxious. She took a steadying breath as she approached the reception desk, hoping to sound calm.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice just a bit shaky. “I’m looking for a patient who was admitted last night. His name is Charlie.”

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, looking over her glasses. “Do you have a last name, ma’am?”

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Rebecca felt herself blush. “No, sorry… I only know him as Charlie. We just… met recently,” she admitted, realizing how strange it must sound.

The receptionist gave her a slightly skeptical look. “You do know that only family or close relatives are typically allowed to visit patients, right?”

“I… I’m his girlfriend,” she blurted, surprising even herself.

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The receptionist’s eyes softened as a small smile crept onto her face. “Girlfriend, huh?” She tapped a few keys on her computer, a slight twinkle in her eyes.

“You might as well learn his last name, then. You’ll need it if he’s going to be around,” she said with a wink.

“Charlie Sanders. Room 113. I’ll take you there.”

Rebecca felt her heart flip as she whispered a quick “thank you” and followed the receptionist down the hall.

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Before they even reached the room, she could hear Charlie’s familiar laughter, his voice carrying through the doorway as he shared a joke with someone in the room.

The receptionist rapped gently on the wall to announce Rebecca’s arrival.

“Charlie, there’s a lady here to see you… she says she’s your girlfriend,” she added, a hint of playfulness in her voice as she glanced at Rebecca.

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Charlie’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw her. “Yes, yes! Rebecca, come on in. Of course, she’s here for me,” he said with a grin, gesturing for her to come closer.

Rebecca felt a rush of relief as she walked over to sit beside him.

Charlie looked tired but cheerful, as if the hospital gown and the IV were just minor inconveniences in his day.

She glanced at him, both relieved and exasperated. “Girlfriend, huh?” Charlie teased, raising his eyebrows playfully.

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Rebecca gave him a mock-scowl. “I had to say something to get in here, didn’t I? And you missed our jog this morning! What happened?” she asked, a touch of concern creeping into her voice.

Charlie sighed, shifting slightly in the bed.

“Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but those jogs? Not exactly great for my health.”

Rebecca’s face fell. “What do you mean?”

He glanced down, looking a little sheepish.

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“I have a heart condition. Doctor’s orders are to avoid anything too intense… like trying to keep up with you,” he admitted with a wry smile.

Her heart sank, and she shook her head in disbelief.

“Charlie, why didn’t you tell me? You shouldn’t have been running at all!”

Charlie gave a small, lopsided smile.

“Well… if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have seen you. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you.”

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Rebecca felt her face soften, a mix of surprise and affection warming her heart.

“So you were willing to risk your health just to talk to me?” she asked quietly, looking him in the eye.

He nodded, his expression turning serious.

“Yes,” he said simply.

“I’ve watched you every morning, jogging at the same time, like clockwork. I’ve seen you give things to charity, help the neighbors. You’re… you’re someone special, Rebecca.”

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Rebecca felt a lump form in her throat, his words striking her in a way she hadn’t expected.

She reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

“Charlie,” she said, her voice soft, “you don’t need to run to spend time with me. How about dinner at my place instead?”

Charlie’s face broke into a warm smile.

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“Now that sounds a lot safer for my heart,” he replied, his eyes shining. “I think the doctor would definitely approve.”

Rebecca chuckled, feeling the tension in her chest ease as they shared a smile.

“I hope so,” she murmured, looking forward to an evening that didn’t involve heart-stopping runs but instead a quiet meal with someone who, in a short time, had become surprisingly important to her.

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I Came Home to Find My Daughter and Babysitter Missing — the AirTag Showed She Was at the Airport

A simple babysitting job turned into my worst nightmare when I came home and found the babysitter and my daughter missing! When I discovered what happened to them, who was involved, and why, I went into a rage!

In the 40 years I’ve been alive, I’ve experienced all kinds of things, but I never expected my life to turn into something out of a suspense novel! Last Friday, that’s exactly what happened! But before I get to that, let me give you some background information.

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My ex-husband, Daniel, and I split two years ago, and to say it was messy would be putting it mildly! His mother, Brenda, never liked me, but after the divorce, her resentment turned into something more, something bitter, personal, and relentless.

She saw me as the villain in Daniel’s life, the reason everything went wrong, and she made sure I knew it every chance she got. Since the divorce, things had been better with Brenda because I hardly had to deal with her.

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The only time we interacted was because of mine and Daniel’s daughter, Lily. She was five years old, bright, full of energy, and the only thing in my life that truly mattered.

At the beginning of the week of that fateful Friday, my baby girl had come down with a cold. Nothing serious, just enough to make her a little tired and sniffly. I hated leaving her at home, but I couldn’t take more time off work. Little did I know that my decision would land me in the most stressful situation I’ve ever been in!

A sickly little girl | Source: Midjourney

Having no other way out, daycare refused to attend to sickly children, and not wanting to reach out to Daniel or his mother, I had Jessica, my regular babysitter, watch her. Jessica was a sweet college student with impressive references, and she had always been reliable.

She’d been looking after Lily for months, and I trusted her completely. All went well while I was at work until that Friday evening. When I pulled into my driveway, I was already thinking about curling up on the couch with Lily and her favorite blanket to watch one of her beloved movies.

A woman cuddling her daughter | Source: Midjourney

I looked forward to cheering her up and had even picked up some soup for her on my way home. But the moment I stepped inside, something felt off.

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

No usual cartoons in the background. No little giggles. No soft humming from Jessica as she moved around the kitchen, singing along to the radio’s soft background music. Just silence.

My stomach dropped.

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“Lily?” I called out. “Jessica?”

Silence.

I moved quickly, checking the living room, the kitchen, Lily’s bedroom, nothing. My heart pounded harder with every empty space I found!

Maybe they had stepped outside? Gone for a short walk? But Jessica always let me know before taking Lily anywhere.

I pulled out my phone and called her. It rang. And rang. And rang.

No answer.

I tried again. Straight to voicemail.

Now, my hands were shaking. Something wasn’t right.

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Then I noticed it, Lily’s pink backpack was missing! The one she never left home without.

And that’s when I remembered.

The AirTag!

A few months ago, I had slipped the small tracking device inside that very bag. At the time, I had felt a little ridiculous, like I was being paranoid. But now, I was grateful for it!

I opened the tracking app, barely able to breathe as the location loaded.

And there it was.

Lily’s backpack was at the airport!

A woman looking at her phone | Source: Midjourney

My blood ran cold!

And for a second, my mind refused to process what I was seeing. The airport? What the hell was my daughter doing at the airport?!

I didn’t stop to think about it further. I knew I needed to act immediately! So I grabbed my keys and ran out!

The drive was a blur of red lights I barely stopped for and angry honks I ignored. I kept checking the app, refreshing the location over and over.

Still at the airport.

Still there.

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As I weaved my way through what little traffic there was, driving through red robots and dodging cars left and right, I couldn’t help the speculations forming in my mind. Was Jessica involved? Had she been tricked? Was my daughter being taken out of the city? Out of the country?

By the time I pulled into the parking lot, my entire body felt numb! I barely parked properly and didn’t even lock my car—I just ran!

I pushed through the crowd, scanning faces frantically. And then I saw it!

The pink backpack!

A pink backpack on the floor at the airport | Source: Midjourney

And standing beside it—Jessica!

But she wasn’t alone.

Lily and Daniel were there. And Brenda!

Rage surged through me so fast it almost blinded me! I stormed toward them, my voice echoing across the terminal.

“What the hell is going on?!”

Jessica turned sharply, her eyes widening with panic. Daniel, on the other hand, barely reacted. And Brenda, she had the nerve to smile!!!

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“Oh, Charlotte,” she said smoothly, like we were old friends. “No need to make a scene, dear.”

I ignored her, my focus on my daughter. Lily turned, her little face lighting up as she saw me.

“Mommy!” she cried, running straight into my arms. She clung to me, her little fingers digging into my jacket. “They said we were going to the beach.”

I froze.

“The beach?” I pulled back slightly, looking down at her. “Who said that?”

She pointed at Brenda.

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My jaw tightened as I turned back to them. “You were taking her out of state?!” My voice was low, shaking with anger. “Without telling me?!”

Brenda sighed dramatically. “Charlotte, honestly—”

Daniel cut in, his voice cool and dismissive. “We’re taking her for treatment. You’re overreacting.”

“Treatment?” I snapped. “She has a cold!”

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“Sun and ocean air will fix her right up,” Brenda said, waving a hand. “We already booked the resort for two weeks.”

My stomach twisted! They had planned this. They had packed her bag, bought tickets, arranged everything, without saying a word to me!

Jessica let out a strangled gasp. “Wait—what?” She turned to Daniel and Brenda. “You told me she knew. You said she was meeting us here!”

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I looked at her sharply. “They lied to you, Jessica. They tricked you into bringing my daughter here.”

Jessica paled. “Oh my word! I—I didn’t know.”

I turned back to them, fury clawing its way up my throat. “You thought you could just take her?!”

Daniel sighed, rubbing his temples. “We thought she’d be better off with us for a while.”

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By now, airport security had started paying attention. I could see them watching, whispering into radios. Good!

I squared my shoulders, my voice steady. “This is kidnapping!”

Brenda’s fake smile wavered. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. This is just a misunderstanding.”

I laughed, short, humorless. “Dramatic? A misunderstanding? You lied to a babysitter, packed up my daughter’s things, and bought plane tickets. What do you think this is?!”

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That was enough to make them move. Within minutes, airport police were questioning Brenda and Daniel. I clutched Lily to me, my heart still hammering, but she was safe. That was all that mattered.

“You manipulated Jessica into getting involved in your scheme to take my daughter away from me?” I challenged my ex-husband, cutting into what the guard was saying to him.

He shrugged. “We just made sure she didn’t question things too much.”

An unremorseful man | Source: Midjourney

As people started gathering closer to hear what all the drama and shouting was about, Daniel noticed. He knew at that point that they had lost. There was no way he’d take Lily away without explaining to the security guards what had actually happened.

Brenda, on the other hand, tried one last time. “Charlotte, darling, let’s not be rash, we were only trying to help Lily.”

“If you ever try to ‘help’ by doing something like this again,” I cut in, my voice sharp, “you will never see her again!”

Silence.

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Brenda’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she knew. They had pushed too far this time.

In a desperate attempt, my mother-in-law (MIL) huffed. It was clear she was trying to throw a tantrum. All that remained was for her to stomp her feet and throw herself on the ground!

Instead, she threw Daniel a pleading look, but he was already backing down. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. Whatever. Take her.” He gestured toward Lily as if she were an object one could toss aside without a second thought.

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Without another word, I turned and walked away, Lily’s tiny arms still wrapped around my neck. I left them standing there, their grand plan crumbling around them.

Jessica quickly caught up with me, offering more apologies and asking for a second chance. A passing thought occurred to me as we walked, “Why didn’t you answer any of my calls?”

“My phone is in my bag. I didn’t hear it ring. When I got here, Daniel and Brenda were already waiting for us, so I rushed to them instead. I am so sorry, Charlotte. I should’ve known better,” she explained.

An apologetic young woman | Source: Midjourney

I was too drained to deal with her, but I knew she was innocent in all of this. I’d seen how manipulative my ex and MIL could be, so I promised to get in touch with Jessica in a few days. I needed to think.

Understanding my predicament, Jessica waved goodbye to Lily, who gave a small smile and waved back apprehensively. My poor child wasn’t sure who to trust anymore, even her favorite babysitter had betrayed her.