I hadn’t heard from my stepdaughter, Hyacinth, in what felt like forever, so when she invited me to dinner, I thought maybe this was it — the moment we’d finally patch things up. But nothing could have prepared me for the surprise she had waiting for me at that restaurant.
I’m Rufus, 50 years old, and I’ve learned to live with a lot over the years. My life’s been pretty steady, maybe too steady. I work a quiet office job, live in a modest house, and spend most of my evenings with a book or the news on TV.
A middle-aged man reading a book | Source: Midjourney
Nothing too exciting, but I’ve always been okay with that. The one thing I never quite figured out is my relationship with my stepdaughter, Hyacinth.
It had been a quiet year — or maybe longer — since I’d heard anything from her. We never really clicked, not since I married her mother, Lilith, when she was still a teenager.
She always kept her distance, and I guess, over time, I stopped trying as hard too. But I was surprised when she called me out of the blue, sounding oddly cheerful.
A woman talking on her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, Rufus,” she said, her voice almost too upbeat, “How about we grab dinner? There’s this new restaurant I want to try.”
At first, I didn’t know what to say. Hyacinth hadn’t reached out in ages. Was this her way of mending fences? Trying to build some kind of bridge between us? If she was, I was all for it. For years, I’d wanted that. I wanted to feel like we were some version of family.
“Sure,” I replied, hoping for a fresh start. “Just tell me where and when.”
A middle-aged man looking surprised while talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
The restaurant was fancy — much fancier than I was used to. Dark wood tables, soft lighting, and waiters in crisp white shirts. Hyacinth was already there when I arrived, looking… different. She smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Hey, Rufus! You made it!” she greeted me, and there was this weird energy about her. It was as if she was trying too hard to seem relaxed. I sat down across from her, trying to read the room.
A woman looking happy while standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“So, how’ve you been?” I asked, hoping for some real conversation.
“Good, good,” she said quickly, scanning the menu. “You? Everything good with you?” Her tone was polite but distant.
“Same old, same old,” I replied, but she wasn’t really listening. Before I could ask anything else, she waved over the waiter.
“We’ll have the lobster,” she said with a quick smile my way, “And maybe the steak too. What do you think?”
Grilled steak served on a wooden board | Source: Freepik
I blinked, a little caught off guard. I hadn’t even looked at the menu, but she was already ordering the priciest items. I shrugged it off. “Yeah, sure, whatever you like.”
But the whole situation felt strange. She seemed nervous, shifting in her seat, glancing at her phone every now and then, and giving me these clipped responses.
As the meal went on, I tried to steer the conversation toward something deeper, something meaningful. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’ve missed catching up with you.”
“Yeah,” she muttered, barely glancing up from her lobster. “Been busy, you know?”
Lobster served on a black tray in a restaurant | Source: Unsplash
“Busy enough to disappear for a year?” I asked, half-joking, but the sadness in my voice was harder to hide.
She looked at me for a second, then back at her plate. “You know how it is. Work, life…”
Her eyes kept darting around like she was waiting for someone or something. I kept trying, asking her about her job, friends, anything to keep the conversation going, but she wasn’t giving me much. Short answers, no eye contact.
A woman having dinner in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
The more we sat there, the more I felt like I was intruding on something I wasn’t supposed to be a part of.
Then the bill came. I reached for it automatically, pulling out my card, ready to pay as planned. But just as I was about to hand it over, Hyacinth leaned in close to the waiter and whispered something. I couldn’t catch it.
Before I could ask, she shot me a quick smile and stood up. “I’ll be right back,” she said, “Just need to use the washroom.”
A restroom in a restaurant | Source: Unsplash
I watched her walk away, my stomach sinking. Something wasn’t right. The waiter handed me the bill, and my heart skipped when I saw the total. It was outrageous — far more than I’d expected.
I glanced toward the washroom, half-expecting Hyacinth to return, but she didn’t.
Minutes ticked by. The waiter hovered, looking at me expectantly. With a sigh, I handed him my card, swallowing the disappointment. What had just happened? Did she really just… bail?
A server in a restaurant standing next to a customer reviewing the bill | Source: Unsplash
I paid, feeling a knot form in my chest. As I walked toward the exit, a wave of frustration and sadness washed over me. All I wanted was a chance to reconnect, to talk like we never had before. And now, it felt like I’d just been used for a free dinner.
But just as I reached the door, ready to leave, I heard a sound behind me.
I turned around slowly, not sure what I was about to face. My stomach was still twisted in knots, but when I saw Hyacinth standing there, my breath caught in my throat.
A middle-aged man looking surprised inside a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
She was holding this enormous cake, grinning like a kid who’d pulled off the ultimate prank, and in her other hand was a bunch of balloons bobbing gently above her head. I blinked, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Before I could say anything, she beamed at me and blurted out, “You’re gonna be a granddad!”
For a second, I just stood there, stunned, my mind racing to catch up with her words. “A granddad?” I repeated, feeling like I’d missed something huge.
A stunned middle-aged man in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
My voice cracked a little. It was the last thing I expected to hear, and I didn’t know if I’d heard her right.
She laughed, her eyes sparkling with that same nervous energy she’d had during dinner. Only now, it all made sense. “Yes! I wanted to surprise you,” she said, taking a step closer and holding up the cake like a trophy. It was white with blue and pink icing, and in big letters across the top, it read, “Congrats, Grandpa!”
A cake with the words “Congrats Grandpa” written on it | Source: Midjourney
I blinked again, still trying to wrap my head around it. “Wait… you planned this?”
She nodded, the balloons swaying as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I was working with the waiter the whole time! I wanted it to be special. That’s why I kept disappearing—I wasn’t ditching you, I swear. I wanted to give you the surprise of a lifetime.”
I could feel my chest tightening, but it wasn’t from disappointment or anger. It was something else, something warm.
A middle-aged man smiles while standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
I looked down at the cake, at Hyacinth’s face, and everything started to fall into place. “You did all this for me?” I asked quietly, still feeling a bit like I was in a dream.
“Of course, Rufus,” she said, her voice softening. “I know we’ve had our differences, but I wanted you to be part of this. You’re going to be a granddad.”
She paused, biting her lip, like she wasn’t sure what my reaction would be. “I guess I wanted to tell you in a way that would show you how much I care.”
An excited woman standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Something in her words hit me hard. Hyacinth had never been the one to open up, and here she was, trying to bridge the gap we’d had for so long. My throat tightened as I tried to find the right words. “I—I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” she said, her eyes locking with mine. “I just wanted you to know that I want you in our lives. My life. And the baby’s life.”
A woman is overcome with emotions while standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Hyacinth let out a shaky breath, and I could tell this wasn’t easy for her. “I know we’ve had a tough time, Rufus. I wasn’t the easiest kid. But… I’ve grown up. And I want you to be part of this family.”
For a second, I just stared at her, my heart swelling with emotions I hadn’t let myself feel for years. The distance, the tension between us — it all seemed to fade in that moment.
A happy middle-aged man standing in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t care about the awkward dinner or the silence from before. All I cared about was that she was standing here, in front of me, giving me this incredible gift. “Hyacinth… I don’t know what to say. I never expected this.”
“I didn’t expect to be pregnant either!” she said, laughing, and for the first time in years, it wasn’t forced. It was real. “But here we are.”
A woman smiles while looking at someone in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t help it. Something inside me broke free, and I stepped forward, pulling her into a hug.
She stiffened for a moment, probably just as surprised as I was, but then she melted into it. We stood there, holding each other, balloons bouncing above us, cake squished between us, and for the first time in a long, long time, I felt like I had my daughter back.
“I’m so happy for you,” I whispered into her hair, my voice thick with emotion. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
A middle-aged man hugs his stepdaughter in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
She pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes, though she was still grinning. “It means a lot to me too. I’m sorry I’ve been distant. I didn’t know how to… how to come back after everything. But I’m here now.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak just yet. My chest felt like it was about to burst, and all I could do was squeeze her hand, hoping she understood just how much this moment meant.
A middle-aged man smiles while standing next to his stepdaughter | Source: Midjourney
She smiled, glancing down at the cake between us. “We should probably get out of here before they kick us out,” she joked, her voice lighter now. “This is probably the weirdest granddad announcement they’ve ever had.”
I chuckled, wiping at the corners of my eyes with the back of my hand. “Yeah, probably.”
We grabbed the cake and balloons, and as we walked out of the restaurant, something inside me had shifted.
A cake with the words “Congrats Grandpa” written on it and balloons | Source: Midjourney
It was like all those years of distance, of feeling like I didn’t belong in her life, were gone. I wasn’t just Rufus anymore. I was going to be her baby’s granddad.
As we stepped into the cool night air, I looked over at Hyacinth, feeling lighter than I had in years. “So, when’s the big day?” I asked, finally letting the excitement settle in.
She grinned, holding the balloons tight in her hand. “Six months. You’ve got plenty of time to prepare, Grandpa.”
A woman holding balloons smiles while looking at someone | Source: Midjourney
And just like that, the wall between us crumbled. We weren’t perfect, but we were something better; we were family.
Loved how this story turned out? Here’s another one you’ll enjoy even more: For three years, Audrey’s parents claimed they couldn’t afford birthday gifts for her, while her younger sister received $50 every year. On the day after her 17th birthday, Audrey walked into a family gathering with a cake, only to discover a shocking secret that changed everything.
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.
Snoop Dogg’s Heartfelt Tribute: Remembering His Beloved Grandkid Through Their 7 Cherished
Snoop Dogg is famous for his music, but his role as a grandfather shows a different side of him, one filled with joy, loss, and deep love for his family.
Born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., Snoop Dogg has created a career that goes beyond just music; he is also a committed family man. He has been married to Shante Broadus since 1997 and is a father to four children: Corde, 30; Cordell, 27; Cori, 25; and Julian, 26, from a previous relationship.
Over the years, Snoop’s family has expanded, and he is now a proud grandfather, with each grandchild holding a special place in his heart. He is particularly devoted to keeping the memory of one grandchild who passed away alive, ensuring that their legacy continues in the family.
In 2007, Snoop shared his family values while promoting his reality show, “Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood,” which aimed to show the less visible side of hip-hop artists as family men.
Speaking to “People,” Snoop said, “I have kids, and I always play my music for them. I like to know what they like. They think I’m old, but I feel young.”
Looking back on his journey as a father, he said, “Ninety percent of rappers grew up without fathers, but most of them become fathers to their kids. We don’t often get credit for that. We become real men when we reach this point in our lives.”
The coach for Season 26 of “The Voice” has stayed actively involved with his family as it has grown. In a 2015 interview with “Today,” he humbly rated himself as “about a 7-plus” as a father, noting areas where he wants to improve.
“My relationship with my kids is more important than anything. It’s a friendship… it’s based on me being a father, a mentor, and a friend,” he said.
When asked about being a grandfather, Snoop said he planned to be a lenient one, describing himself as a “gullible, get-away-with-everything kind of grandpa.”
Recalling his first experience as a grandparent, he shared, “It’s just a spark of joy to look into his eyes and hold him. I thank my oldest son for making me a grandfather.”
Snoop Dogg’s extended family is a big part of his life. In January 2024, he talked about his grandkids on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” explaining how each grandchild calls him “Papa Snoop.” This name comes from a nickname his oldest grandson gave him when he was little.
Snoop said, “[My grandkids are] different ages and sizes, but I love them all the same. Actually, my oldest [grandson’s] birthday is today, so I’m on my way to his birthday party.”
He remembered how his oldest grandchild first called him “Papa Noop” because he couldn’t say “Snoop” properly at first.
After his family grew, Snoop faced the tragic loss of one grandchild, which has deeply affected him and his family.
In September 2019, Snoop’s grandson, Kai Love, passed away just 10 days after birth. Snoop shared a heartfelt message on social media, reposting a note that read, “If you’re facing something you don’t understand: Choose to trust God. Remember all He has done for you. His ways are higher than ours. He is always good.”
The post showed Snoop’s faith during his family’s sorrow and received many supportive comments from followers.
One user wrote, “I’m so sorry for your loss. Children are precious gifts from God, but sometimes he takes them back… sweet little Kai RIP… God bless and comfort all who love him….” Another added, “Sorry for your [loss]. God Bless=.” A third user said, “Prayers for you and your family.”
Kai’s parents, Snoop’s son Corde Broadus and his wife, Soraya Love, were heartbroken by the loss. On what would have been Kai’s fourth birthday, Soraya posted a touching tribute on Instagram, sharing her grief and newfound purpose.
“Happy heavenly birthday to my 1st son Kai Love who passed away on 9-15-2019,” she wrote, explaining the pain of losing a child due to a heart defect. Soraya added, “…I know God used this painful time in our lives to help me reach out to others in need of faith and self-awareness.”
Soraya’s post also described how losing her son motivated her to lead a life dedicated to wellness, spirituality, and supporting the community.
Kai’s legacy inspired Corde and Soraya to start the “Kai Heart Foundation,” which aims to spread love and healing through community support.
In a March 2024 post, Soraya shared, “We would love to partner with organizations that help heal, educate, and assist people with LOVE. This is our purpose, and we want to keep giving back to the community.”
In December 2022, Soraya explained, “I started the Kai Heart Foundation in 2019 after my son Kai passed away from a heart defect. He inspired me to help others through acts of LOVE and a healthy lifestyle.”
She expressed gratitude for the guidance she felt from Kai and her faith, inviting support from the community. “Today was magical. Love you all, and if you want to donate for the next event, let me know.”
After experiencing both joy and sadness with the loss of baby Kai, Snoop has continued to embrace his growing family, with each grandchild bringing unique joy and purpose into his life.
Snoop first became a grandfather in January 2015 when his grandson, Zion Kalvin Broadus, was born to Corde and his then-girlfriend Jessica Kyzer.
Proud of this new role, Snoop posted a video saying, “Proud grandad. My son spank n grandson Zion!!Jah bless.” Zion, now 9 years old, is a constant reminder of the family’s growth and Snoop’s commitment to being “Papa Snoop.”
In August 2018, Snoop’s family grew again with the birth of Elleven Love Broadus, Corde’s daughter with Soraya.
Soraya celebrated Elleven’s fifth birthday in 2023 with an emotional Instagram post, writing, “HAPPY 5th BORN DAY TO MY 1st BORN E11EVEN this little Queen taught me how to be a mom when I didn’t know how to change a diaper.”
Elleven brought healing and love into Soraya’s life, adding to Snoop’s family legacy.
In March 2019, Cordoba Journey Broadus was born to Snoop’s son Cordell and his wife Phia. Now 5, Cordoba has shared special moments with Snoop, including attending a Chanel fashion show with him in May 2023.
In February 2021, Snoop welcomed another grandchild, Sky Love Broadus, who is Corde and Soraya’s third child. Shante Broadus, Snoop’s wife, posted about her excitement, saying, “I’m so happy my 5th grandbaby boy was born today .”
In March 2021, Cordell and Phia welcomed their daughter, Chateau Broadus. Shante celebrated her arrival, saying, “I Was Down Earlier But She Just Took All Of That Away My 6th GrandBaby Girl #ChateauBroadus .”
In May 2023, Snoop introduced his youngest grandchild, Symphony Sol, on Instagram, sharing his excitement for the new addition to the family.
Through all the joy and heartache, Snoop Dogg’s love for his family shines brightly. Each grandchild not only represents a new member of the Broadus family but also a legacy of love, strength, and togetherness.
From his own children to his many grandchildren, Snoop’s commitment to family remains strong, grounding him and keeping him connected to his roots as “Papa Snoop.”
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