Gregory waved his hand dismissively. “Look at this, Cynthia,” he said, showing her the envelope he had found on their front porch. “There were car keys inside the envelope and our old car is gone! Look over there,” he added, pointing outdoors where he had parked his old car last night. “That’s a brand new car! Who could have done this? What should I do now?”
“And there’s no note inside or anything indicating who sent this?” Cynthia asked, confused.
“I already double-checked the envelope. There is none! What do we—”
Before Gregory could finish his sentence, the honk of a car cut him off. When he looked out of the front door, he saw his old car parked in front of his house and a man stepping out of it.
Gregory’s eyes teared when he saw who the man was. “Oh my goodness! He kept his promise, Cynthia!” he said, turning to face her. Cynthia was smiling as if she knew this was going to happen.
The man gave Gregory a warm hug. “How have you been, Gregory? It’s been some time, hasn’t it?”
“Jack? Oh, I can’t believe this…I’m quite good, dear. How are you? And please tell me you did not do this!” he cried, hugging him back.
“I had to, Gregory. After what you did for me…I mean, who shows such kindness these days? And you can’t blame me for it completely. Mrs. Smith helped me carry out the plan….” he said, smiling.
“I clearly didn’t take him seriously! But now that I see that shiny new car standing outside our door, I regret it.”
“Honestly, I tried to refuse him, darling,” Cynthia told Gregory. “But this boy wouldn’t listen to me! And it was so hard to play along! I.m terrible at acting, aren’t I?” she asked, scrunching her nose, and Jack laughed.
“I don’t think so, Mrs. Smith!”
Gregory shook his head repeatedly. “So this old man was being played and he had no clue? Oh, what do I even say….”
Both Cynthia and Jack laughed. “Alright, alright, enough talking,” Cynthia finally said. “Now, because Jack has come all the way here for us, we can’t just let him go. Come in and join us for breakfast, Jack, and there is no need to go to the store, Gregory. We have groceries that will last at least a week…It was all part of the plan,” she chuckled as she walked inside, Jack close behind her.
As everyone sat at the dining table, Cynthia served breakfast and Jack began to recall his first encounter with Gregory. Cynthia knew bits and pieces of their story, but she wasn’t aware of the entire episode.
“So three weeks ago, Mrs. Simpson,” Jack began. “I met your husband at the airport. I was meant to fly the same flight as him to see my wife. She was in labor and I was very worried. In my anxiety, I didn’t realize I got the date wrong on my ticket. It was for the next day. I only realized it while checking in.
“Because there were no more seats available that day, Gregory offered me his ticket and said, ‘Boy, you NEED to be with your wife! Use my ticket and I’ll use yours.”
“Okay,” Cynthia said slowly, nodding. “I know about the ticket swap. But what about the cars? I’m still wondering what this car exchange has to do with anything….”
Gregory chuckled. “That’s another interesting part…Before we went to the check-in, Jack and I had met in the waiting room. We were casually talking, honey, and I mentioned that we were still paying off loans, so we can’t afford a new car, and how our old one is giving us problems… After we exchanged tickets, this boy said, ‘Today we switched tickets; in a few weeks, we’ll exchange cars, that’s a promise!’
“I clearly didn’t take him seriously! But now that I see that shiny new car parked outside our door, I regret telling him we wanted a new car. Before departing, he took my address, and look what he’s done! We can’t keep it, Jack. We value your intentions, but this is unnecessary, boy…”
Cynthia nodded. “Gregory is right. We won’t be able to keep the car. I didn’t think much when you met with me yesterday and told me about this whole surprise, but I regret saying yes. Please, this isn’t necessary….”
But Jack shook his head. “Trust me; it’s nothing in return for what you did. Because of your husband, I got to be with my wife and baby. Please, I would feel bad if you turned down my present. I insist….”
Gregory and Cynthia couldn’t say no to Jack. They accepted the car, but Jack’s generosity did not end there. He was aware that after Gregory retired, he and Cynthia were struggling to pay off their loans, and as a result, they’d been unable to complete their house repairs.
So Jack took care of it for them. And one day, he came to visit them with his wife and baby daughter.
While they live in different cities, the Smiths feel like they’ve become a blended family with Jack. The young man checks on them every now and then and makes sure they don’t miss out on anything, especially after learning the old couple didn’t have any children of their own.
What can we learn from this story?
Kindness never goes unrewarded. Gregory offered his plane ticket to Jack so he could be with his pregnant wife, and in return, he and Cynthia received so much love and respect from Jack that they had not even thought of. Jack was like a son to them and cared for their smallest needs.
Help someone whenever and in whatever way you can. Gregory could offer Jack his ticket to help him, and he did that. In return, he and his wife were blessed with the love of a son they never had.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
My Mom Shamed Me for Buying This Prom Dress and Ruined It – I Made Her Face the Consequences
My mom always found a way to ruin my happiest moments. This time was no different. However, I made sure that she never did it again with my revenge.
Five years ago, I was beyond excited for my senior prom. I had been looking forward to it for months, imagining the perfect night with my friends, dancing and celebrating the end of high school. I never imagined my own mother would ruin the experience for me.
Two women having conflict at home | Source: Pexels
I went shopping for a dress for my senior prom with my best friend. It was a sunny morning and we were both giddy and could not contain our excitement while getting ready.
Two women laughing together | Source: Pexels
We stepped into the store and looked around, seeing beautiful dresses in every corner. However, one pink gown caught our attention and I instantly liked it.
It was a gorgeous mermaid-style dress and I bought it right away. When I got home, I showed my mom the dress without actually putting it on. She didn’t have any noticeable reaction.
A woman in a pink dress | Source: Pexels
The skirt needed hemming, so my mother said she would take me to her friend who does tailoring. I thought she was being supportive. Little did I know, that was the calm before the storm.
After giving my dress to her friend, she said she was ashamed to be seen with me in the dress and that I had shamed her in front of her friend. I was really upset.
A depressed woman at home | Source: Pexels
I was flabbergasted by my mother’s comments and completely blindsided by her offer to help with the dress. It did not make sense that she offered to have it fixed while knowing she did not like it.
A few days later, I took the dress and simply burst into tears. She had REMADE it into a BAG, covering the upper and lower parts. In only an hour, mad as hell, I was realizing my revenge plan.
A sad woman crying | Source: Pexels
On prom day, when I went out of the house for photos, my mom almost FAINTED as I took her favorite dress and remade it into the same dress I bought for the prom.
“Grace, what have you done?! That’s my favorite dress!” my mom gasped.
“Oh, you mean the one you ruined? I thought I’d return the favor,” I said calmly.
“How dare you! That dress was expensive and important to me!” she exclaimed, furious.
“Just like my prom dress was important to me. But you didn’t care about that, did you?” I replied firmly.
Mother and daughter arguing in the bedroom | Source: Pexels
“I was just trying to protect you. That dress was inappropriate,” she tried to compose herself.
“No, you were trying to control me. You were ashamed of me for no reason. This is my prom, and I deserve to feel beautiful and confident. If you can’t support that, then you need to deal with the consequences,” I shook my head.
“I didn’t realize how much it meant to you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, looking defeated.
Mother and daughter arguing | Source: Pexels
“It’s too late now, Mom. I hope you understand how it feels to have something you care about destroyed,” I softened slightly.
“I do, and I regret it. But you didn’t have to ruin my dress to make your point,” she sighed.
“Maybe not. But now you know what it feels like. Let’s just hope we can move past this,” I took a deep breath.
“I do want to move past this. I’m really sorry, and I want to make it up to you,” she said tearfully.
“We’ll see. For now, I have a prom to attend. I hope you understand why I did what I did,” I hugged her briefly.
“I do. Go have a wonderful time at your prom. You look beautiful,” she nodded.
A woman in a red dress | Source: Pexels
With that, I left the house, feeling a mixture of vindication and sadness. I knew that our relationship would need time to heal, but I felt empowered for standing up for myself. As I arrived at prom, I felt confident and beautiful in my dress, ready to enjoy the night with my friends.
The evening was a success as I made great memories. We danced, laughed, and took countless photos. However, when it all ended and I had to go back home, it was back to reality. I knew that my relationship with my mom needed mending.
Teenagers during senior prom night | Source: Pexels
From that day onwards, our relationship was strained. We spoke less often, and when we did, it was usually brief and tense. My mom seemed to avoid the topic of the prom entirely.
It was as if she was trying to pretend it never happened. I, on the other hand, couldn’t forget it. The hurt and betrayal lingered. Over time, we started to have more open conversations about our feelings. One evening, a few months after prom, I sat down with her.
A mother comforting her daughter | Source: Pexels
“Mom, we need to talk about what happened,” I began, feeling a lump in my throat.
She looked at me, her eyes softening. “I know, Grace. I’ve been thinking about it too. I’m really sorry for what I did. It was wrong.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s not just about the dress. It’s about how you made me feel. Like my choices didn’t matter,” I said, holding back tears.
A mother standing behind her daughter | Source: Pexels
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I was wrong to try and control you. I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I was just being selfish. I’m so sorry, Grace.”
“I need you to trust me and support me,” I replied, reaching out to hold her hand.
“I will. I promise. I just want us to move past this and be close again,” she said, squeezing my hand.
Mother and daughter holding hands | Source: Pexels
It wasn’t an instant fix, but it was a start. We both made an effort to meet each other halfway to understand one another a bit more and that made all the difference, which made us happy.
Slowly, our relationship began to heal. We learned to communicate better and respect each other’s boundaries. It took time, patience, and a lot of honest conversations, but eventually, we rebuilt the trust that had been broken.
A mother and her daughter embracing each other | Source: Pexels
Now, looking back, I realize that that incident was a turning point for both of us. It taught us the importance of respect and understanding in our relationship. We both learned valuable lessons and although it was a painful experience, it brought us closer in the end.
A mother and daughter hugging | Source: Pexels
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