At a young age, Linda’s older sister abandoned her in a foster home. Years later, she must care for her young nephews, who share the same fate.
Linda and her older sister, Amanda, fought constantly throughout their childhood. Then, Amanda left for college while Linda was still in high school.
The arguments stopped for a while, as the two no longer shared a house. But whenever Amanda came to visit, the arguments continued. “All I want for you two is to stay together no matter what,” their mother, Meredith, would say.
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Everything changed when Meredith fell seriously ill. With both girls’ father no longer with them, Meredith had no choice but to ask Amanda for help.
“If the worst happens, please don’t abandon Linda. She should live in a home, but once you graduate, come back for her,” Meredith begged Amanda.
Meredith eventually died in her sleep. Linda remained in a local shelter, waiting for her sister to graduate.
At the end of the year, Linda learned that Amanda had graduated and tried to call her. But Amanda refused to take her call without explanation.
As the weeks of waiting turned into months, Linda realized Amanda would never come back for her. The two sisters never spoke again and hated each other even more.
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After a difficult year, a lovely couple, Tim and Gabby, adopted Linda. She was treated like family and enjoyed the rest of her high school life. Her adoptive parents were present at her college graduation: “No matter what happens, we’re always just a phone call away,” Gabby told Linda.
Linda became a successful real estate agent in her hometown. She loved helping people find their dream homes, just like Tim and Gabby had done for her.
“When I look inside the nursery and see those two little boys, I remember how I was abandoned in that home.”
One day, Linda received a call from the local hospital. A nurse informed her that she was Amanda’s emergency contact. “I’m so sorry to tell you this, but your sister passed away due to complications during childbirth. She gave birth to two sons, and you are their next of kin,” the nurse explained.
Linda was confused and angry. Amanda hadn’t even told her she was pregnant, let alone that she was the emergency contact. How dare she, Linda thought.
So she decided to call Tim and Gabby for advice. They had already helped her overcome her feelings of abandonment, and she knew they would have some excellent advice to give her.
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“I know this is hard to accept, but Amanda was your sister, and those two newborns didn’t do anything wrong. At least go to the hospital and find some answers,” Tim told Linda.
Linda thanked Tim and Gabby for their advice, but she still wasn’t convinced. She thought that responsibility belonged to the children’s father, not her. Linda couldn’t see herself adopting the boys, especially when she thought back to what Amanda had done to her.
Linda arrived at the hospital looking for answers and spoke to one of the nurses. The nurse informed Linda that Amanda had left a note before she died.
“It may be too little too late, but now I understand the mistakes I made and how much I regret them.
I know forgiveness is the last thing on your mind right now, but please consider my last wish.
I ask you to accept my children. I beg you.
After all, it was only after I became a mother that I understood the emotions our mother was experiencing when she asked me not to leave you.
“I feel these emotions now… I’m so sorry,” the letter reads.
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Linda struggled to take it all in at once and sat in the hospital wondering if the story was over. Where the hell is their father , she thought.
“No matter what your arguments are, boys, you must always stick together, through thick and thin.”
She discovered hundreds of calls and messages on Amanda’s cell phone to a man named Derek. It turned out Derek had left town after finding out Amanda was pregnant.
Amanda found herself alone and without support for months before giving birth. This situation reminded Linda of her mother. Meredith had also been abandoned by her husband after Linda’s birth and was forced to play the role of a single mother.
Linda called Tim and Gabby again for advice. “When I look inside the nursery and see those two little boys, I remember how I was abandoned in that home,” she explained. “It sounds like you know exactly what to do,” Tim replied.
After talking with Tim and Gabby, Linda left one last message for the father of Amanda’s children.
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“I hope one day you realize your mistake in abandoning my sister and your sons. All I can hope is that one day you will seek forgiveness before it is too late,” the text message reads.
That day, Linda signed on as guardian of her two nephews. She named them Timothy and Gabriel, in honor of her adoptive parents, who had helped her so much. For her, the most important thing she could do to honor her sister and mother was to ensure that the boys always supported each other.
“No matter what your arguments are, boys, you must always stick together, through thick and thin,” Linda told her nephews. The three lived a happy life together, and Linda took special joy in providing a home for the boys.
To honor them, Linda regularly took them to place fresh flowers on the graves of their mother and grandmother.
Linda had forgiven her sister and had always wished they would reconcile while she was still alive. She immediately felt better looking at Timothy and Gabriel, because they had Amanda’s eyes.
What can we learn from this story?
Put aside your differences. If Amanda had learned to look beyond petty disagreements, she could have formed a stronger bond with her sister.
It’s never too late to forgive. Even after her sister’s death, Linda learned to forgive Amanda and accept her children into her life.
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