It was love at first sight for Audrey and Glyndwr. However, mysterious weekends away and abrupt walks in the park made Audrey curious about what her husband did in his spare time.
Years later, the truth finally comes out, thanks to strange documents found in a drawer. Audrey began to wonder if she ever really knew her husband at all.
They Met In A Bar And Were Soon Married
Audrey Phillips met Glyndwr at a bar, and it was love at first sight. The two dated for a few months and then got married. They were the perfect match, and everyone couldn't have been happier for the couple.
Even so, Audrey remembered a mysterious air around Glyndwr, something that would come to light years later.
Building A Community
The mysterious aura was soon forgotten, though, as the newlyweds lived a comfortable life, and Glyndwr treated Audrey as though she was the only person he cared about.
They explored the city together and made a life in a small neighborhood. Soon, they had a small community around them. And some good news was on the way!
Audrey Was Pregnant
One day, Audrey felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and was rushed to see a doctor. She didn't have any medical history that would explain the pain, so she and Glyndwr sat and waited to hear what the doctor had to say.
Thankfully, it was nothing but good news. They were going to have a baby!
A Baby Boy Named Jake
The young couple was over the moon. They couldn't wait to be parents and wanted nothing more than a healthy baby to bring into the world.
After a long few months, they got just that! Audrey gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who they decided to name Jake. The new parents couldn't wait to bring him home.
Glyndwr Went On Mysterious Trips
Audrey was very happy with her life. She had a loving husband and a healthy baby boy. Even so, she couldn't get over the mysterious trips Glyndwr seemed to go on every few weekends.
He worked as a civil engineer and didn't have a second job (that she knew of).
The Picture-Perfect Husband
While Glyndwr went on the trips, Audrey never once questioned his feelings for her. He loved her and doted on Jake. He was the picture-perfect husband and father.
Still, she couldn't help but wonder where he was going on those trips. But he never told her, and she never asked.
The Need For A Sudden Move
Audrey never thought much about the trips, even though she found them strange. But when Glyndwr came home one day after a walk, seemingly overly agitated, her interest piqued.
Her husband said they had to move within a week. Audrey was very confused. She didn't want to move. They had made friends in their neighborhood.
Audrey Did Not Want To Move
What had prompted Glyndwr to make the decision to move? And move so suddenly? They had wonderful memories in their home and with the community and their friends.
She really didn't want to go anywhere, and her husband wasn't giving any details. Then, something unexpected happened that would stall the move.
Another Baby On The Way
While arguing with Glyndwr about his abrupt decision to move, Audrey felt a familiar pain in her abdomen. She was pregnant again. Sadly, unlike her first pregnancy, this one was high risk.
Audrey was going to have to be bedridden for some time if she planned to keep the baby.
Glyndwr Was Not Happy About Staying Put
They wanted to keep the baby, so the move was going to have to be postponed since Audrey was high-risk and couldn't travel. It didn't take Audrey long to realize her husband was not happy about the turn of events.
While he was excited about the prospect of growing their family, the move weighed on his mind.
The Mysterious Trips Were Few And Far Between
It didn't take long for Glyndwr to navigate back into the persona of a loving husband and father. He took care of Audrey while she was bedridden and made sure their young son was entertained, fed, and clothed. Then, their baby daughter was born.
But the biggest thing Audrey noticed was his mysterious trips began to be few and far between.
They Weren't Moving
Then, an unexpected twist in the story. Glyndwr decided one day that he did not want to move. He enjoyed their house and the neighborhood where they formed a life together.
They were about to have another baby and he wanted the help of their friends. The couple was not going anywhere.
Over 50 Years Of Marriage
Audrey was confused by the change of events but didn't argue. She wanted to stay in the neighborhood anyway. So, she and Glyndwr lived a happy life for 50 years.
Sadly, in their old age, Glyndwr began to have trouble walking and his hands began to shake. The doctors diagnosed him with Parkinson's Disease.
Glyndwr Passed Away With His Secrets
Eventually, Glyndwr passed away, and with him, all of his secrets that he never got to share with Audrey. While he was seen as a loving husband and father, Audrey couldn't shake the feeling that Glyndwr was hiding something throughout their entire marriage.
It would take three years, but one drawer in their home held all of the answers.
One Thing Left: A Drawer
Audrey had a very difficult time dealing with her husband's passing. She had loved him dearly and couldn't bring herself to get rid of any of his belongings. It took three years for her to muster up the courage to go through his things.
When everything was put into boxes and one drawer was left, Audrey's thoughts of her husband changed forever.
The Drawer Was Always Closed
The draw was located in Glyndwr's office and always remained closed. Audrey never thought much about it and didn't know what would be inside. She thought it would be nothing more than his writings, as Glyndwr loved to write novels and poems in his spare time.
However, what she discovered couldn't have been more opposite.
Strange Documents With A Strange Name
Opening the drawer, Audrey came across documents she'd never seen before. Glyndwr had never shared the information with her and what Audrey discovered only resulted in more questions.
The first question being whose name was on the documents? It was a strange name she'd never seen before. Then she began to read.
A Young Boy With A Photographic Memory
Sifting through the documents, Audrey came across one that described a young boy's intellect. It said he was gifted in remembering maps and pictures. The document went on to say that the boy had a photographic memory.
The question floating around in the back of Audrey's mind was simple -- what did any of this have to do with her husband?
Her Husband And The Boy Would Have Been The Same Age
Each document had the young boy's name on the top and a date. Audrey then learned he was taken out of school when he was 13-years-old due to his photographic memory, the papers said.
Doing some quick math, Audrey realized that her husband would have been the same age as the boy in the paperwork.
Operation XX
Audrey needed more answers, so she went through all of the papers hidden away in the drawer. Then, she stumbled upon something that would change how she saw her husband -- a document saying something about an "Operation XX."
Reading further, Audrey learned Operation XX was a secret espionage operation.
A Phone Number And Questions That Needed Answers
Millions of questions were swimming in Audrey's mind. Thankfully, that's when she stumbled upon a piece of paper with a phone number. She hoped the person on the other end would be able to give her some much-needed answers.
So, she dialed the number. When silence met her on the other end, she called again. It wasn't until later that evening that someone actually called her back.
The Man Wanted To Meet
Audrey knew this was the only chance for her to get answers. So, she answered the phone. On the other end, a voice asked, "Am I speaking with Audrey Philips?"
She quickly answered, "Yes, I found your number between some documents of my husband I don't understand, maybe you can help me out." The man did not hesitate to ask Audrey to meet with him tomorrow. He wanted to explain everything.
The Begining Of An Incredible Tale...
Audrey agreed to meet with the stranger, inviting him over to her house the following day. When he arrived, the story he unraveled was unlike anything Audrey had heard before.
He started with, "Audrey, I have worked with your husband for over thirty years, and there's something he never told you. Glyn wasn't the man you thought he was..."
An Army Recruitment
He continued with his story, saying, "Glyndwr was a very talented man; he was incredibly smart. Which was discovered at a very young age."
"You know, the times were troubling, and there was a lot of tension in the world. Both he and I were recruited by the army to be trained. But we would not just become soldiers..."
No One Knew Of The Progam
"We were selected for a special program," he continued. "Only our fathers were allowed to know of this, and we had to keep it secret for everybody we ever met, including you."
He continued, "We went through all sorts of training programs; we were taught German and had to do memory tests."
They Were Young And It Sounded Like An Adventure
The story continued with the man telling Audrey, "We were young and normal school was boring, so obviously we wanted to enter this adventure."
He explained, "Although we never really knew back then what kind of tasks we had to do and how our lives would look like. We almost completed our training, and then the Second World War started; that's when we received scary news..."
Espionage
Audrey couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was enthralled by the story she was being told. But it wasn't over yet.
The man continued, saying, "Glyndwr and I had to crawl through dirty, long concrete pipes to secretly enter prisons. There we would try to talk to German prisoners of war to try and win their trust and retrieving information from them."
World War II Wasn't The End
"We did this for a few years until the war ended," the man continued. "But after the war, Glyndwr and I kept in contact with our captain."
He continued, "He had something new in mind for us. We had to do more training, and we were never allowed to speak of anything we did."
Trained For A Double Life
Audrey then learned her husband was tasked with leading a double life, something she was part of. The man said, "We were trained to lead a double life."
"We had to find a partner and create a fake identity, so it would appear to the outside world that we had normal lives. But in the meantime we would take part in secret intelligence missions, however, don't imagine we were like James Bond."
Their First Mission
The man told Audrey stories about some of their missions. "Our first mission was to help capture two spies; we were paid £20 if we completed the mission," he told Audrey.
"We had to break into an army camp, keeping an eye on the suspects and making sure these were the right guys, after which we had to report their whereabouts so they could be captured. But some missions were more dangerous."
A Mission One Week After Their Wedding
The man's story only got more interesting from there. To Audrey's surprise, her husband went on a mission one week after they were married. The man said, "Some missions were getting very dangerous."
"One time, Glyndwr had to extract a fellow spy from a boat to pick up a load of arms. He had to take out the searchlight on one of the two gunboats and make sure he nor the other spy was captured..."
His Excuse For Bruises: A Football Weekend
He continued, saying, "Remember how he was away for a football weekend, weeks after you were married?"
"Well, he had to come up with a clever excuse because he came back with big bruises and he was completely sore, so the football weekend lie worked, but he was working this secret mission during that weekend."
A Letter From Her Husband
After the man finished his incredible tale, he handed Audrey a piece of paper. It was a note addressed to her from her late husband.
The letter began, saying, "Dear Audrey, if you ever read this, then you've discovered my biggest secret. I hope you understand I could never tell you what I did; I did it to keep you safe."
A Check With All Of The Money He Earned
Along with the personal letter, Glyndwr also left Audrey a massive check. It was all of the money he earned while being a spy for the country. Audrey couldn't believe her eyes.
All of this time, she was married to someone living a double life. It seemed Glyndwr knew she would figure everything out one day and thought the check would make up for the lying.
Audrey Donated The Money
In the end, Audrey didn't keep the money. Instead, she donated it to the Department of Veteran Affairs to help aid in veteran relief. It was the least she could do after everything her husband did for his country.
Even though he lied to her, Audrey understood it was to keep her safe. Now, she tells his story to their children and grandchildren, letting them know the hero he was.
