When I agreed to watch my neighbor’s girl, I thought we would play and color, not have a question that would rock my world. “Why are you wearing my mommy’s necklace?” she asked me with wide eyes. At that moment, everything in my life stopped making sense.
Having a child has always made me feel like there was nothing better in life than being a mother.
Being a mother brings the most happiness in life.
I was even more sure of that when I finally got pregnant. Ethan and I decided to try once we had been married for a year.
Like kids waiting for Christmas, we both couldn’t wait for those two little lines on the test.
When they finally showed up one quiet morning, I screamed so loudly that I woke Ethan up by jumping on the bed and waving the test in front of his eyes.
Two little lines on the test were all we could think about. It was like kids waiting for Christmas.
Being a mom felt like my goal in life. I thought about our baby’s appearance, how it would feel to hold them for the first time, and what kind of parents we’d be for hours.
When I was seven months along, I took a cup of herbal tea outside into the yard one morning.
Next, I heard laughing and the voice of a woman on the other side of the fence. My neighbor Hannah was running across the yard after her four-year-old daughter.
Being a mother felt like my mission.
I liked Hannah a lot. A single mom who works hard and is always kind and patient with her daughter.
I can’t understand how hard it must be to raise a child by yourself. When my hand touched my stomach, I said a quiet thank-you to my husband for being on this journey with me.
I moved toward the fence. Hey Hannah, good morning!
I can’t understand how hard it must be to raise a child by yourself.
“Hey!” “How do you feel?”
I laughed when I heard “big and slow.” “How about you?”
“Really?” Not very good. I was just fired. “Now I need to find a new job before the rent is due again.”
A soft voice said, “I’m so sorry.” “I’m sure you’ll find something soon.”
“Thank you.” I’m trying to keep a good attitude. I promised to take Lily to my mom’s house before lunch, so I should go now.
I wished her luck with everything and she waved as she ran inside with her daughter.
“I’m trying to keep a good attitude”
A few days later, I was walking back from a walk when I saw Hannah with her head in her hands sitting on her front steps. It was quiet next to her, and Lily was drawing with chalk on the ground.
I went across the yard. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Tomorrow I have a job interview, but my mom is sick, and I don’t have anyone to watch Lily.” I might have to let you down.
“Stop?” I said, “No way.” “I can keep an eye on her.”
She blinked. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ask that.”
“You’re not asking, I’m giving,” I told her. “Don’t worry about it at all.” I really like kids, and I could use the practice.
She let her shoulders drop. “Are you sure?”
“Certainly.” “Go do great in that interview.”
She smiled in thanks. “You saved my life.”
I started to walk home, but then I turned around. Hey Hannah, can I ask you a question?
She gave a shrug. “Go ahead.”
“Lily’s dad…” Does he help out at all?”
She laughed for a short time. “Can you help?” He won’t even say that she’s his child. “Complete jerk.”
Hey Hannah, can I ask you a question?
“That’s terrible.” “Why don’t you sue him for child support?”
She told him straight out, “I don’t want anything from him.” “We can handle ourselves.”
“But he’s in charge of it,” I said.
“I don’t need anything from him”
“He now has a family,” she said in a quiet voice. “I hope he’s changed.”
I made a face. “That kind of man never changes.” If I could, I’d tell him what I think.
Hannah laughed. “Both of us.” Anyway, I should start making dinner. Again, thanks for tomorrow.
“Those kinds of men never change”
I smiled and said, “Of course.” But as I walked home, her words stuck with me longer than I thought they would.
I leaned across the table and gave Ethan a hug that night after dinner. He laughed, which made me a little mad.
He asked, “What was that for?”
I told her, “For you.” “For being here.” For being a great husband and father-to-be.
“That’s cool, but where does this come from?”
I told her, “Today I talked to Hannah.” “She told me about Lily’s dad.” Could you picture? He won’t even say that she’s his kid. She is taking care of that little girl by herself.
Ethan’s smile went away. “That’s rough.” Things do happen, though. It’s impossible to know what they talked about.
“He doesn’t even say she’s his kid”
I turned my head away. “That’s not an excuse,” she said. If it’s your kid, you answer for it. All the time. I would never forgive someone who left like that, and I would never let him live in peace again.
Ethan looked like he was going to argue, but he just nodded. “You’re right.” Men who act like that are jerks.
I replied, “Yes.” “Jerks.”
“You answer for it if it’s your child.” “Always.”
I went to Hannah’s house the next morning to watch Lily. Hannah looked nice for her interview; she was a little worried but happy.
She said, “Grace, thank you again.” “This means a lot to me, you have no idea.”
I told them, “It’s not a problem at all.” “Good luck, you can do this.” She smiled, kissed Lily on the head, and then she left.
“This means a lot to me”
I looked at Lily when the door shut. “What do you want to do first?”
She held up her pet bunny and said, “Play!”
We danced to silly songs and played with blocks. Afterwards, I made her grilled cheese and apple slices.
She laughed while having crumbs on her face. I looked at her for a while and thought what a cute little girl she was.
We sat down at the kitchen table with crayons and paper after lunch. Lily drew her mom, her house, and a big pink sun.
My necklace fell out from under my jacket as I leaned over to get another pencil. It caught the light.
I looked at her and thought what a nice kid she was.
Lily let out a gasp. “Why do you have my mom’s necklace on?”
I gave a small smile. “Oh, honey, this one’s mine.” It’s possible that your mom has one that looks like it.
She turned her head away. “No, it’s the same one!” Mommy said she’d give it to me when I get older.
“Why do you have my mom’s necklace on?”
My heart began to beat fast. I smiled to hide the fact that my hands were shaking. “She’s very kind.”
But I was shaking inside. That collar wasn’t something you could buy anywhere.
A gold pendant was made for every woman in Ethan’s family when she got pregnant for the first time. It was a custom.
That collar wasn’t something you could buy anywhere.
Each one was made just for you, had the same pattern, and you can’t find another one like it anywhere else.
Ethan gave me his a month after we found out I was going to be a mom. He said it meant the start of our family and our future together.
I felt cold all over when I touched the pendant. Things I didn’t want to see started to fit together in my mind.
Ethan gave me his a month after we found out I was pregnant.
Lily was already asleep when Hannah got home from her interview. I had just put her to bed, being careful not to wake her up.
Hannah walked in still wearing her nice jacket. The cold air made her cheeks a little red.
“How did it go?” I tried to sound calm when I asked.
She smiled uncomfortably and said, “I think it went well.” “I think it will work out well.”
I forced a smile and said, “I’m so happy for you.”
There was a pause. I saw a small golden sparkle coming out from under her jacket and looked at her.
“Hannah, may I ask you a strange question?”
“I’m so happy for you”
“Okay, what is it?”
“Could you show me your necklace?” I asked.
She blinked, not sure what was going on, and took the pendant out from under her jacket. As soon as I saw it, I could no longer breathe. It was the same as mine.
Tears came into my eyes. “Is Hannah the father of Ethan Lily?” I asked in a whisper.
“Is Lily’s dad Ethan?”
She opened her mouth, but she didn’t say anything. She stood there pale and quiet for a long time. She said in a low voice, “I hoped you’d never find out.”
“I wanted to think it wasn’t true.” I really did, God.”
She said in a whisper, “I’m so sorry.” “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I already told you that I don’t need anything from him. I really hope… He will be a better dad to your kid than he was to mine.
“I wished you would never find out”
“That’s not right.” At the very least, you should ask for child support. This is something he can’t leave behind.
She said, “I don’t want to hurt your family.”
I said in a mean voice, “You’re not the one ruining it.” “He did it by himself.”
“I don’t wish harm on your family”
I rubbed my eyes and took a weak breath. “Then where did you get the necklace if he never said Lily was his?”
“From his mom. It belonged to her. Because she couldn’t give me cash to be quiet, she gave me this instead. Tell me to sell it if I need money.
“That is gross.” Who would do something like that?”
“Then where did you get the necklace if he never said Lily was his?”
She said in a soft voice, “I couldn’t sell it.” “I hoped Lily would get it one day.”
I gave a slow nod. “What you did was right.” It’s over for him to say anything bad.
I had already packed Ethan’s things when he got home that night. They were nicely stacked next to his shoes by the door.
He stopped moving when the door opened and he saw them. He asked, “What’s going on?”
I just said, “I know.” “I know that you’re Lily’s dad.”
His face turned white. “Please forgive me, it’s not—”
“I know you’re Lily’s dad”
I told him, “Don’t.” “I don’t care about that.” “I can’t even look at you now.”
“Sorry, I made a mistake.” Something stupid that only happened once—”
“You mistakenly call your daughter a mistake?” I yelled.
He quickly said, “I didn’t mean it that way.” “It happened before we got married.” After that, I swear I never—”
“You mistakenly call your daughter a mistake?”
I laughed very hard. “Do you think I’m stupid?” When we were just getting to know each other and moving into this house, you cheated on me. Then you didn’t say anything as you watched her raise your kid next door.
It wasn’t an answer.
I said, “I’m done.” “I’m not putting my kid with a liar who runs away with his own daughter.”
He said, “Please forgive me.” “This can be fixed.”
I told her, “No.” Tears can’t be fixed. It’s yours. There’s no doubt that you never learned how to take responsibility.
He made fists. “The divorce isn’t important to you.”
Tears can’t be fixed. It’s yours.
“I’ve already filed,” I told her. “I’ll also make sure Hannah has a lawyer.” You’ll feed and clothe both of your kids. “That is the very least you should do.”
He yelled, “You wouldn’t dare!”
I looked into his eyes. “Attention!”
After giving me a long look, he slammed the door so hard that the walls shook as he stormed out with his bag.
After standing there and taking deep breaths for a while, I put my hands on my belly. The baby’s soft kicks made me feel like I wasn’t by myself.
Telling him in a whisper, “I promise I won’t raise you to be like your dad,”
The baby kicked gently, as if to let me know I wasn’t by myself.
Share this story with your friends and let us know what you think. It could give them ideas and make their day better.
