Tied Together
He'd been through it a few times. He'd wake up, prepared for the day, and look at the time on the clock to see it was 3 o’clock in the morning. His shoelaces were always tied together in a knot. He begged her to stop doing it, but still it kept happening.
But he was getting close to his wit's end, as this was the fourth occurrence that week and it seemed like it would never stop. He felt like he was going to blow his top until his two-year-old child spoke something that made him see the situation differently.
Jake And Lina Reed
For Jake Reed, being tied in matrimony was meant to be easier. He followed the rules, from his education and job to discovering a wonderful group of mates who cared for him and were very loyal.
Jake and Lina found each other while in college in Bristol, Tennessee. Jake was from the Appalachians, and Lina was a foreign student from Eastern Europe with a powerful connection to her homeland. Although they had married early, Jake had no doubts that Lina was the one he wanted to spend his life with.
Love At First Sight
The moment Jake laid eyes on Lina, he was taken aback. Her wit, gentleness, attractive features and sharpness left him captivated. From the very beginning, his fascination for her was inevitable.
He became increasingly enamored with Lina over time, to the point of feeling an unwavering and intense love. He made every effort to be around her as much as possible, realizing he couldn't go on without her. He had no clue what the future had in store for him.
A Few Months In
Jake had never been a procrastinator. Following a few months of being close to Lina, he was certain he had to make his feelings obvious.
One day, with his hands drenched in perspiration and his heart beating quickly, he eventually mustered the boldness to invite her out for a date. Happily, it appeared that Lina had been expecting him to take the initiative, and she gladly agreed to his offer.
A Magical Evening
They had a miraculous night that neither of them will ever be able to erase from their memories. They began their outing with a movie and a game at the arcade, and afterwards they went to the local museum before ending the night with a meal at a warm and welcoming eatery close to their school.
This special night set off a spectacular voyage that resulted in the two of them getting married overseas. Everything was absolutely perfect.
Blue Skies
After two years of being together, Jake and Lina celebrated their wedding in Kosovo, a place under the beautiful sky, with their friends and family in attendance.
It was a magnificent event, with customary South Eastern European practices and a blend of American practices – a coming together of Jake and Lina's universes. They went back to Bristol joyfully wedded and soon invited a captivating baby into their lives. Regardless, Jake should have realized that great things don't continue perpetually.
His Career
Jake began a job instructing physics at the nearby secondary school. He was getting a degree from his former university and longed to eventually become a physics professor.
In addition to his job as an educator, he had also commenced a role as a non-paid EMT, which gave him a sense of accomplishment. This is where the problem would start.
Helping People
Jake had always been passionate about aiding others. As an adult, he felt a great duty towards his profession as an EMT.
He was aware that what he was doing was essential to saving lives, even though he couldn't take full credit for the entire process. Up to this point, he had been given multiple acknowledgments for his work, such as awards for his successful defibrillator rescues and medals for CPR saves. Unfortunately, everything was about to change.
He's Fast
As a volunteer emergency medical technician, Jake typically responded from his residence. He had no sort of sleeping quarters, so he would spend his weekend evenings waiting for alerts at his home. After that, he would drive to the hospital close by his house, and then take the ambulance to the location of the incident.
Jake had a job that required him to be quick and responsive. He was confident in his abilities and felt he had the task under control. But then Lina showed up and changed everything.
Sabotaged Shoes
Working the night shift on the weekend was especially tough, as it was when the majority of accidents and urgent matters happened.
The loud wailing of the ambulance was something that Jake and his family knew all too well, but Jake still pushed himself to carry out his duties. Unfortunately, things began to take a toll on their marriage when Jake noticed that his shoes were getting ruined during the night.
It's Lina
Each night, as Jake was getting ready to start his night shift, he would always discover his shoelaces incredibly tied together in a complicated knot. This was an odd custom that his beloved Lina, who was also the mother of their child, had formed.
Jake was astounded when it first occurred. He toiled for almost five minutes attempting to untangle the bonds before hurrying away to answer an urgent call. As an EMT, each moment was vital, and that pause might have changed everything for someone who required help.
A Fluke
He disregarded it as a coincidence, presuming it was unintended, and chose not to accuse Lina. But to his shock, it occurred again the next evening and then a third time.
Jake was completely confused, then angry, as he couldn't work out why his other half had acted in such a strange way. Could it have something to do with what he had been up to?
It's Not Just An Inconvenience
Jake plopped down, attempting to comprehend what Lina was up to. It wasn't simply a nuisance now; it was transforming into a perilous hindrance to his occupation - occupation that signified the actual life or death of people in the vicinity of their community.
On a certain night, Jake had had it with the knots in his laces. His annoyance had reached its peak, so he decided to bring it up to his wife.
Ten Minutes
Jake worked hard for more than ten minutes to get the laces tied on his shoes. In the meantime, another volunteer had already answered the plea for help.
Jake was filled with irritation, but he managed to contain it as he went up to Lina, who had fallen asleep. He gave her a jolt to wake her up and then demanded an explanation as to why she was always binding his shoes together every Saturday night.
Time Is Of The Essence
He spoke softly, calling her "Honey." He couldn't help but feel the heat of rage rising in him as he questioned her: "Why must you keep doing this?
When Lina stayed silent, he continued, "It's really important that I'm on time for my appointments, and it's already really late at night, so I don't have the luxury of taking time to untie and open my shoes." He was adamant about it.
It's Peoples Lives
He emphasized how it was not just a small issue, but instead was a matter of people's lives. He asked Lina to keep away from them, and she replied with an inaudible mutter before dozing off.
Jake was positive that he had taken care of this problem. He made sure to make himself understood when speaking to Lina, emphasizing that if he took even the slightest bit longer, people could die. He should have been aware that something bad was going on.
4 A.M.
The following weekend arrived swiftly. As usual, Jake placed his EMT uniform and shoes next to his bed and then went to bed. He was certain his wife wouldn't lace up his shoes once more. He soon discovered he'd misjudged her.
At precisely 4:30, Jake picked up the phone, his chest feeling tight from the anticipation of the task. He excitedly told his partner Lina the news he had just heard, of a car crash near the mountain due to drunken driving. As he hurriedly put on his clothes, his enthusiasm quickly disappeared when his gaze fell upon his shoes.
Back Home
Jake's shoe laces were tied in a firm manner. He could barely get them undone. He made several attempts to get them open, like putting his feet in them and trying to widen them. As a result, he had to go for the appointment with nothing on but his tutor's shoes, which weren't suitable for what was to come.
Jake angrily strode back into the house at dawn, slamming the entrance shut. If he had used wisdom, he would have left to let his temper subside. His action would be the catalyst that would cause the gap in his relationship.
You Should Have Stopped
He glared at Lina with red, exhausted eyes, seeming to suggest he had been indulging in alcohol while away. "Why did you secure my shoelaces again?" he growled, appearing frustrated that she was not following his instructions.
He kept pounding on the door, and his son, Deryl, began to weep. "Why won't you obey me!" he shouted. Lina looked at him with tearful eyes, her mouth trembling. She quickly took Deryl in her arms and ran up the stairs.
He's Messed Up
Jake realised he had made a mistake when his spouse hurriedly took their child and went up the stairs. They shut the door of the room after them and did not respond when Jake attempted to get in.
At this point, he had calmed down. He realized he had been too emotional. In his opinion, he had been justified in his response. He had arrived late to the incident again, and it had nearly resulted in a disaster.
His Reason
Jake had never had such a quarrel with his spouse before. They always used to work out their differences before leaving the room. When he saw the pain in Lina's expression, Jake realized he had gone too far.
He took a seat near the entrance to the sleeping quarters, yelling out her name for what seemed like an eternity. “My apologies,” he stated. “This morning at the job was not great. I almost caused someone to die because I got there too late. Lina, can you hear me?”
No Answer
Jake shouted out "Lina?" multiple times but got no response. Fear began to take over and he felt it overpower the annoyance that was still in his body. He began to knock on the door in a rush.
Jake shouted "Lina!" and began pounding on the door. No one answered. He called for his son, Deryl, but still there was no reply. Now he had no choice but to take action.
Break It Down
Jake was ready to smash the door down, scared that his beloved family members were in danger. Fortunately, the lock unlatched and out of the room stepped Lina, with her arm resting on her side.
She spoke in a plain tone, telling him not to yell because Deryl was snoozing. "Why didn't you answer me when I shouted?" Jake asked, still breathing heavily and looking around. Sure enough, their son was dozing on the bed. "What's occurring, Lina?
Concern
Lina responded with "Nothing". She was scared that Jake would do something bad to her or Deryl. There was a level of fear in her voice that made Jake's heartache. He never thought he would do something harmful to his relatives. He had been apologizing for hours at the door.
Lina hugged him fervently, begging him not to get mad again. Jake promised he wouldn't, not knowing what she was intending.
Back To Normal
Jake and Lina took care of the problem, and life went back to its usual state. Though the weekend was still underway, and Jake had to keep working as an Emergency Medical Technician throughout the night.
He gathered up his uniform and shoes, feeling relieved that he had managed to come to an agreement with Lina. He was positive that she wouldn't interfere with his shoes again. However, when the phone rang at 3 in the morning, he was absolutely livid when he saw what had transpired.
Tied Up
Jake was flabbergasted. He had put on his teaching shoes like the night before, however his laces were once again connected. He was so taken aback that he couldn't even utter a word. This was the ultimate limit. He quickly rushed into the city.
He returned to his house before the morning light, and saw Lina still in a slumber. His toddler, however, was up and playing in the cot. The two-year-old joyfully greeted his father as he came close. He was the answer to unraveling this enigma.
No Stopping
Deryl had a big grin on his face as he said, "Mommy no stop," while looking at Jake's teaching shoes. Jake understood the situation and carefully picked him up. Knowing that Lina needed to see this for herself, he was determined to make sure it happened before she stirred.
He proposed an idea to Deryl and requested that he not let anyone know it was his doing. Deryl was clearly excited about it and had a huge smile, which caused his father to burst into laughter.
A Needed Lesson
Jake had made a decision to make an example out of Lina. He decided to wear his instructional shoes to work because she had not linked them together like the others.
He held Deryl tightly and sneaked into the sleeping area. He went straight to the closet and grabbed all of Lina's running footwear. He untied the laces from each pair and intertwined them together. Finally, he placed the laces in the shoes randomly.
The Best Way Forward
“Mommy won't quit,” he repeated what Deryl had stated earlier. “So Daddy won't quit either.” Deryl, a cause of disruption, encouraged him. However, this would not end favorably for either Jake. As the first glints of daylight shone through the draperies, Lina awoke. She got ready and opened the wardrobe to prepare for her morning jog.
But when she looked, her running shoes were all without their shoelaces. She opened her mouth in surprise. All of the laces were jumbled and squished together in the shoes. "Jake!" she screamed. Immediately, Jake came running. But when he saw the shoes on the ground, he began to laugh. His laughter did not last for long.
That's How It Feels
He expressed, "Now you understand my emotions." Yet, Lina slumped to the ground and responded, "Is this the response I receive for attempting to safeguard you?" She proceeded to explain that in the area she had been raised, her grandma often linked shoe laces together to guard someone dear to her if they were away, particularly in places where danger often lurked, like car crash locations.
She meekly revealed why it was so important to resolve the problem, as failure to do so would have been fatal. Unwitting to the peril this had caused Jake's occupation, she shared how she felt awful for interfering with his job, even though she thought it was essential. However, did Jake's reaction require such intensity?
An Understanding
Jake eventually got the point of his wife's action. He was grateful for it. Still, his career was so important that he couldn't let any superstitions get in the way. People's lives were at risk depending on how fast he could take action for crises.
Lina felt sorry for the things she had done and comprehended that instead of helping, her conduct was hurting. She promised to cease connecting his laces and to back him up in other ways.