Caroline found a job as a housekeeper in New York and went to her first assignment. It was a beautiful house in Manhattan, but something shocked her. There was a picture of her mother in the study. Then a man walked in.
“I’m going to do a good job,” Caroline motivated herself as she faced her first assignment. She and her friend Melissa moved to New York City a few days ago to fulfill their dream of becoming Broadway stars.
But first they had to find a job so they could rent an apartment together. Luckily, Melissa found a job at a clothing store and Caroline found a job at a cleaning agency.
It was perfect. It didn’t take too long, and she loved cleaning because it had a calming effect on her. Plus, if no one else was home, she could practice singing.
Unfortunately, her mother’s face came back to her mind before she entered her first house. Her mother, Helen, didn’t want her to pursue such foolish dreams, let alone live in New York.
Caroline was born and raised in nearby Philadelphia. She has no father, and her mother never spoke of her father. For some reason, Helen truly hated New York. She also protected Caroline her entire life, which is why she had to escape.
When she and Melissa planned their move, she knew her mother wouldn’t allow it. Caroline thought she might even fake an illness to trick her into staying. But Caroline had to fight for her dreams. It was her life. So she left a little note on her mother’s dresser while she slept and ran away.
It had been several days and Helen hadn’t called her, which was odd. But Caroline figured she was probably angry with her. Hopefully, she’d get over it once Caroline made her Broadway debut. Now it was time to focus on cleaning the house.
According to the agency manager, an elderly man lives alone in the house, so it wasn’t particularly messy to begin with. When Caroline finally let herself in using the key under the doormat as instructed, she wasted no time in starting to clean—first the kitchen, then the living room, and finally the bedroom.
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Unsplash
“I’m almost finished, sir. But may I ask a question? Who is this woman?”
She hesitated a little at the entrance to a serious-looking office, but there were no instructions against entering. She resolved not to touch the office too much and continued cleaning.
There was a beautiful fireplace topped with a mantel and huge bookcases along the opposite wall. It was the kind of office Caroline had only seen in movies.
She tidied up as quickly and thoroughly as she could, but stopped in front of the fireplace. There were several photos on it, but one caught her eye. A photo with her mother’s face in it. She was at least eighteen years younger, but it was definitely her. “Why is my mother in this man’s photos?” she wondered aloud.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps and an older man entered the office. “Oh, hello! You must be the new housekeeper. I’m Richard Smith. I own this house,” the man said, introducing himself with a warm smile. “Have you finished this room?”
“I’m almost done, sir. But may I ask a question?” Caroline hesitates, hoping the man won’t be angry if she asks about the picture. “Who is this woman?”
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
“Who?” he wondered, moving closer to her and putting on his glasses. “Oh yeah, that’s Helen. That’s Helen. She was the love of my life.”
Caroline’s senses are heightened. “What happened to him?” She can’t help but ask.
“She died in a bus accident. She was pregnant at the time. I couldn’t even go to the funeral because her mother hated me. It was crazy… I tried to move on, but I never could. Even today, I love her and miss her,” Richard replies, taking off his glasses and walking towards his chair.
“Sir, I’m sorry to bother you like this, and thank you for telling me. But this woman… she looks so much like my mother. It’s crazy,” Caroline revealed.
The older man frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well, my mother, Helen, looks exactly like that woman. Obviously, she’s older now, but the resemblance is uncanny. I’m 98% sure it’s her,” she continues, facing Richard but gesturing to the photo.
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
“Helen? Is your mother’s name Helen? Where did you grow up?”
“Philadelphia,” she replied with a shrug. Her eyes widened now that she realized that if this was Helen, then this man could be her father.
Richard covered his mouth with his hands. “This can’t be happening…” he whispered. “Can I have your mother’s phone number?”
“Sure,” she says and gives it to him.
“Can you stay here while I call her?” he asked, and Caroline agreed.
He dialed the number from his office phone, and after a few rings, his mother’s voice answered. His mother’s voice answered after a few rings: “Hello? Is that you, Caroline?”
Richard looked up at Caroline for a second, but decided to speak first. “Is this Helen Geller?”
“Yes. Who do I have the honor to speak to?” Helen asked on the other end of the line.
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
“Helen, this is Richard,” he continued, his voice beginning to become emotional.
“Richard, who? Wait a minute. Richard Morris? What do you want after all these years?” Helen asks, her voice hardening for some unknown reason.
Caroline and Richard looked at each other in confusion, but he continued. “What do you mean after all these years? I thought you were dead!”
“What ?
Richard explained what he knew about the alleged accident in which he lost his future wife and unborn baby. He also explained how Helen’s mother didn’t allow him to attend the funeral and refused to tell him anything afterward. But Helen had no idea what he was talking about and told him what she knew.
“My mother told me you called and decided you wanted nothing more to do with me. So I raised my daughter on my own,” Helen revealed, and Caroline was shocked by the turn of events.
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
“It’s not… Helen, I would never have given up on you. I never moved on. I still thought about you every day. I cried for you. I suffered thinking about you and our child for almost two decades,” Richard continued, but Helen remained silent.
“I can’t believe Mom would do that. But that was her way. I don’t know what to do now,” Helen finally said. “How did you find out I was still alive?”
“Mom, I’m here,” Caroline finally says. She rushes to explain what happened and reassures her mother that she’s fine in New York.
“I won’t be back until I make it on Broadway. And now, well… now I have another reason to stay here,” Caroline continued, looking at Richard with a small smile.
For illustration purposes only | Photo: Pexels
“Okay, but I’m coming to New York soon,” Helen said and hung up. Richard and Caroline looked at each other in silence for a few moments before one of them spoke.
“So, I guess you’re my dad,” she chirped. He laughed, and that was how they broke the ice.
What can we learn from this story?
- Let your children pursue their dreams. Caroline ran away because her mother was too protective of her. You must guide your children, but also let them decide what they want to do with their lives.
- Some parents don’t have your best interests at heart. Helen’s mother did something horrible to her and Richard, and they’ll never know why.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
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