A poor old lonely woman named Emma started receiving deliveries every day from an unknown source. She and her late husband never had children together, so she could not tell where these deliveries came from.
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When Emma Richards’ husband died seven years ago, she was devastated. She now had to live out the rest of her life alone, taking care of herself as she had no one else to do it for her.
She and her husband John didn’t have any children that could look after her. Every time Emma was asked why, she always just shrugged and avoided answering.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
One day, while Emma was sitting in her bedroom watching TV, somebody rang the doorbell. She wasn’t expecting any visitors, so she decided to go check who it was.
As she opened the front door, a delivery man in his 40s stood there with several boxes. He was wearing a mask, so she could not see his face clearly.
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“Hello. I am not expecting a package from anybody. May I know who this is from?” Emma asked him.
“I’m sorry ma’am, but these packages were sent anonymously. Rest assured, our security checked them and they are absolutely safe. These are for you,” he said, placing the boxes on Emma’s table by the door.
“That’s strange… thank you, sweet boy,” Emma replied before shutting the door.
When the delivery man left, Emma opened the boxes quickly as she was curious about what was inside. In the first box, there were small household appliances like a new oven toaster, sandwich press, and coffee maker.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Who would give me all of these?” she said to herself. She proceeded to open the second box, and there were beautiful clothes inside, as well as groceries.
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Every day, Emma started to receive more packages. It’d always be the same delivery man handing them over, so she decided to get to know him.
“What is your name, sweet boy?” she asked.
“My name is Ted Harrison,” the delivery man smiled. “Mrs. Richards, the sender requested for us to give you this. I’ll wait until you finish answering it,” he added, handing her an envelope.
Curious, Emma opened it and read it quickly. It said: Mrs. Richards, please let me know what you need for yourself, and I will grant them.
“Oh, I am dying to know who has been giving me all of these! Now that person even wants me to make requests!” she exclaimed.
“I’m sure the sender loves you very dearly, even though you don’t know who it is,” the delivery man smiled.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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Emma obliged and wrote what she needed. She didn’t want the person to spend a lot for her, so she only wrote down necessities.
Since that short and sweet encounter, Emma began to prepare quick snacks for Ted the delivery man. For an entire month, he went to her house, handing her parcels that had clothes, food, books, and other novelty items.
At one point, Emma started to get used to Ted’s company. He would spend time with her by eating snacks together and volunteering to do some housework that she couldn’t do herself.
However, one day, Ted didn’t come. Suddenly concerned, Emma decided to head over to the local post office to find him.
“Hello, can you please page Ted Harrison? I just have some donuts I wanted to give him,” she asked the young woman at the reception table. The young woman looked confused.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. There’s nobody named Ted Harrison who works here,” she replied.
“Oh… but he has been delivering my packages every day. That’s strange,” Emma said, suddenly disappointed. She did not know where to find Ted, and it upset her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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She walked back home with so many thoughts suddenly going through her head. Who could this kind Samaritan be? Did I go to the wrong post office? Was Ted just pretending to be a delivery man?
As she got to her front porch, she was surprised to see a tiny box in front of the door. There, she saw a key and a note that read:
I learned the truth just a month ago when I decided to hire a private investigator to find out where I came from. I know you blame yourself and regret what you did. However, I want you to know that I don’t blame you and that I know you only had my best interest at heart.
You and your husband could not feed me, so you gave me up for adoption. I ended up in a wealthy family that treated me like their own, but something always felt lacking. I realized that was you, mom.
You’re lacking in my life, and I would love to spend more time with you. If you’d be willing, I recently bought a new house. I had a key duplicated for you in case you wanted to move in with me. Please, allow me to take care of you. With love, your delivery man, Ted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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Emma was shaking by the time she finished reading the message. She had always longed to see her son before she died, and she couldn’t believe that it was him who found her. And that son turned out to be Ted! She couldn’t help but cry, all the guilt from her past catching up with her once again.
It was true what Ted found out about their past. Emma and John were on the verge of bankruptcy when they found out she was pregnant. They knew they wouldn’t be able to raise Ted in a good environment, so they put him up for adoption.
They left their son at an orphanage when he was only months old. With his belongings, Emma left a letter that explained why they could not raise him. The letter was anonymous, but after convincing the orphanage directors to disclose the contents of his adoption papers, Ted found Emma’s name.
Emma wanted to see Ted immediately. She prepared to leave her house to meet him, but someone knocked on the door. When she opened it, she saw Ted.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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“Hi, mom,” Ted said softly.
Emma started to cry. “I can’t believe it. My son,” she started sobbing. She pulled him in for a hug and refused to let go. “I am so sorry, sweetheart. I truly am. I wish you can forgive me,” Emma continued to cry.
“You don’t need to apologize, mom. I’m here because I want to spend more time with you. It’s not too late to start over. We can still be a family,” Ted said before breaking their long hug.
That night, Ted and Emma spent time together by packing her belongings in boxes. A truck was waiting outside, where they loaded her things so they could transfer them to Ted’s house.
There, Emma was surprised to see Ted’s wife and children. They were just as excited as Ted to welcome her into their home, and since then, Emma never had to be alone again.
What can we learn from this story?
- The past doesn’t have to define the future. Emma thought she’d never get to spend time with her son ever again until her son decided to search for the truths of his life that led him to find his biological mom. They ended up moving in together and starting anew.
- Forgiveness can be a beautiful thing. Instead of holding a grudge against his biological parents, Ted chose to forgive them. He even decided to introduce himself to his mom so as to build a relationship with her.
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We Adopted a 4-Year-Old Girl – A Month Later, She Came to Me and Said, ‘Mommy, Don’t Trust Daddy’
A month after adopting Jennifer, she looked up at me with wide eyes and whispered, “Mommy, don’t trust Daddy.” Her words echoed in my mind as I began to wonder what secrets my husband could be hiding.
I looked down at Jennifer’s small face, taking in those big, watchful eyes and the shy, uncertain smile she wore. After all those years of hoping, trying, waiting, here she was, our daughter.
A small happy girl | Source: Pexels
Richard was practically glowing. He couldn’t stop looking at her. It was like he was trying to memorize every feature, every expression.
“Look at her, Marla,” he whispered, his voice filled with awe. “She’s just perfect.”
I gave him a soft smile, my hand resting on Jennifer’s shoulder. “She really is.”
A happy family and their daughter | Source: Pexels
We’d come such a long way to get here. It had been doctor’s appointments, long talks, and an endless string of paperwork. When we finally met Jennifer, something in me just… knew. She was only four, so little, and so quiet, but she already felt like ours.
It’s been a few weeks since we officially adopted Jen, and we decided it was time for a small family outing. Richard leaned down to her level, smiling warmly. “Hey. How about we go get some ice cream? Would you like that?”
A man talking to his young daughter | Source: Freepik
Jennifer looked at him, then glanced up at me, as if waiting for my reaction. She didn’t answer right away, just gave the smallest nod, pressing herself closer to my side.
Richard chuckled softly, though I could hear a hint of nervousness in it. “All right, ice cream it is. We’ll make it a special treat.”
A man playing with his daughter | Source: Freepik
Jennifer stayed close to me as we walked out. Richard led the way, glancing back every now and then and smiling hopefully. I watched him try to coax her out, to make her feel at ease. But each time he asked a question, Jennifer’s grip on my hand tightened a little, her gaze drifting back to me.
When we got to the ice cream shop, Richard stepped up to the counter, ready to order for her. “How about chocolate? Or maybe strawberry?” he asked, his voice bright.
A man picking out ice cream | Source: Midjourney
She looked at him, then looked at me again, her voice barely a whisper. “Vanilla, please.”
Richard seemed taken aback for just a second, then smiled. “Vanilla it is.”
Jennifer seemed content to let him order, but I noticed she barely looked his way as we sat down. Instead, she ate quietly, staying close to my side. She watched Richard with a cautious sort of interest, not saying much, and I wondered if it was all just too much for her.
A serious young girl | Source: Pexels
Later that evening, as I tucked Jennifer into bed, she clung to my arm a little longer than I expected.
“Mommy?” she whispered, her voice hesitant.
“Yes, sweetie?”
She looked away for a moment, then back up at me, eyes wide and serious. “Don’t trust Daddy.”
A serious girl talking to her mother | Source: Midjourney
I froze, my heart skipping a beat. I knelt beside her, brushing her hair back. “Why would you say that, honey?”
She shrugged, but her lips turned downward in a sad little frown. “He’s talking weird. Like he’s hiding something.”
It took me a moment to respond. I tried to keep my voice gentle. “Jennifer, Daddy loves you very much. He’s just trying to help you feel at home. You know that, right?”
A smiling woman talking to her daughter | Source: Midjourney
She didn’t respond, just curled up a little tighter under her blankets. I stayed there, holding her hand, wondering where this was coming from. Could she just be nervous? Maybe adjusting was harder for her than I realized. But as I looked at her small, serious face, a faint unease crept in.
When I finally left her room, I found Richard waiting by the door. “How’d she do?” he asked, his face hopeful.
A serious man | Source: Pexels
“She’s asleep,” I replied softly, watching his expression.
“That’s good.” He seemed relieved, but I noticed how his smile wavered just a little. “I know it’s all new for her. For all of us. But I think we’ll be fine. Don’t you?”
I nodded, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of Jennifer’s words echoing in my mind.
A woman deep in thought | Source: Pexels
The next day, as I stirred the pasta on the stove, I heard Richard’s voice drift in from the living room. He was on the phone, his tone low and tense. I paused, wiping my hands on a towel, and listened as his words floated into the kitchen.
“It’s been… harder than I expected,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “She’s… sharp. Jennifer’s noticing more than I thought she would. I’m afraid she might tell Maria.”
A man talking on his phone with his back to the camera | Source: Pexels
I felt my heartbeat quicken, my mind racing to make sense of what I’d heard. Jennifer might tell me? Tell me what? I tried to shake it off, telling myself there must be an explanation. But as I listened, my pulse only pounded harder.
“It’s just… so hard to keep things under wraps,” Richard continued. “I don’t want Marla to find out… not until it’s ready.”
A serious suspicious woman | Source: Freepik
I froze, clutching the countertop. What wasn’t I supposed to find out? What could he possibly be keeping from me? I strained to hear, but then his voice dropped lower, and I couldn’t make out the rest of his conversation. A few moments later, he ended the call and started walking toward the kitchen.
I turned back to the stove, my mind whirling. I stirred the pasta with more force than necessary, trying to act normal as Richard stepped in, looking pleased.
A smiling man looking at his wife cooking | Source: Pexels
“Smells good in here,” he said, wrapping his arms around me.
I forced a smile, my hands gripping the spoon. “Thanks. Almost done.” My voice sounded strange to my own ears, and I felt my smile falter as his words echoed in my head: I’m afraid she might tell Marla… It’s hard to keep things under wraps.
A woman cooking with a forced smile | Source: Midjourney
Later that evening, after we’d tucked Jennifer in, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I needed answers. I found Richard in the living room, browsing through some paperwork, and sat down across from him, hands clasped tightly in my lap.
“Richard,” I began, my voice steadier than I felt, “I overheard you on the phone earlier.”
A couple having a serious talk | Source: Pexels
He looked up, raising an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and… something else crossing his face. “Oh?” he said, clearly caught off guard. “What did you hear?”
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. “I heard you say that Jennifer might… tell me something. And that it’s hard to keep things ‘under wraps.’” I met his gaze, my heart pounding. “What are you hiding from me?”
A sad serious woman hugging her knees | Source: Pexels
For a moment, he just stared at me, his face a mixture of confusion and worry. Then, as understanding dawned, his expression softened. He set his papers aside and leaned forward, reaching for my hand.
“Marla,” he said gently, “I’m not hiding anything bad. I promise.” His grip on my hand was warm, reassuring, but it didn’t settle the knots in my stomach.
A frustrated man | Source: Pexels
“Then what is it?” I whispered, barely able to meet his eyes. “What don’t you want Jennifer to tell me?”
Richard took a deep breath, his face breaking into a sheepish smile. “I didn’t want you to find out because… well, I was planning a surprise for Jennifer’s birthday. With my brother’s help.” He squeezed my hand, looking slightly embarrassed. “I wanted it to be a big deal, a special first birthday with us.”
A serious man talking on his couch | Source: Midjourney
I blinked, not quite processing his words at first. “A surprise party?” I asked slowly, the tension in my chest easing just a bit.
He nodded. “I wanted it to be perfect for her. I thought we could show her how much we care. That she’s part of our family now.” He smiled, looking a little relieved. “I knew Jennifer might say something, and I was worried she’d ruin the surprise.”
A surprise party for a small girl | Source: Midjourney
A wave of relief washed over me, though I felt a strange pang of guilt. Here I’d been imagining… well, I didn’t even know what I’d been imagining. “Richard,” I whispered, lowering my head, “I’m so sorry. I just… I thought there was something wrong.”
He chuckled softly, brushing his thumb over my hand. “Hey, it’s okay. I get it. You were so stressed after the adoption process, so I took all the planning upon myself. It’s a surprise for both of you!”
Man and woman holding hands | Source: Pexels
I nodded, trying to let go of the doubts that had taken hold of me. “I think Jennifer’s just… protective,” I said, trying to explain. “She doesn’t know what to expect, and when she told me not to trust you… I guess it just got to me.”
Richard gave a thoughtful nod. “She’s a sensitive kid. I think she’s still finding her way.” He looked at me, his expression earnest. “We’ll just have to make sure she feels safe and loved. All three of us.”
A happy couple talking on the couch | Source: Midjourney
The next morning, as I watched Richard gently help Jennifer pick out her breakfast cereal, I felt my heart lift a little. He looked over at her with so much patience, and even though she barely glanced up, I could see the trust slowly building between them.
I walked over and joined them at the table, my hand resting on Jennifer’s shoulder. She looked up at me, her eyes calm, and a small smile crept across her face. It was as if she could sense the new peace between us, as if some unspoken worry had finally lifted.
A happy family playing together | Source: Pexels
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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