But every trip was a reminder of how connected we were and how much we valued this time together. It was a break from our everyday lives, a chance to let loose and just be, at least for some time.
“Mom, do you remember that time at the beach house when Kayla fell off the dock?” Evelyn would laugh, nudging her sister.
“Don’t remind me!” Kayla groaned, but she couldn’t help smiling. “I still can’t believe you all left me in the water like that.”
“We didn’t leave you, sweetheart. We were laughing too hard to pull you out,” I would tease, shaking my head.
These moments were precious, and I held onto them fiercely. But things started to change when Liam, my only son, got married to Beth.
Beth was sweet when they first met. Quiet, reserved, but kind-hearted. I was genuinely happy for them, and when they got married, I welcomed her into our family with open arms. Naturally, I invited her to join us on our girls’ trips. I wanted her to feel included, to be a part of our little tradition. It felt right at the time.
At first, Beth fit in well enough. She was always polite, maybe a little shy, but I thought she’d warm up eventually. She wasn’t as chatty as my girls, but she seemed to enjoy the trips. We all tried to make her feel comfortable.
“So, Beth,” Kayla asked one afternoon as we sat in a café on one of our trips. “What was it like growing up in Maine? I’ve always wanted to visit.”
Beth smiled softly, twirling the straw in her iced coffee. “It was nice. Quiet. Not much to do in my town, but the summers were beautiful.”
The conversation felt a bit forced, but we all chalked it up to Beth needing time to adjust. She’d become part of our family, and I wanted her to feel like she belonged.
But after Beth gave birth to her son, Lucas, things changed. She gained a lot of weight during pregnancy, which isn’t unusual. However, eight years later, she still hadn’t lost the baby weight.
I noticed how much it was affecting her, not just physically but in the way she moved and interacted with us. It was becoming harder to include her in our trips.
One day, we were out shopping. It was supposed to be a fun, lighthearted afternoon, just like old times. We’d hit the mall, grabbed lunch, and made our way through the stores, chatting and laughing. But Beth kept falling behind.
I glanced back and saw her sitting on a bench near the entrance of a department store. She looked exhausted, wiping the sweat from her brow. “You guys go ahead,” she said, breathing heavily. “I’ll catch up.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow at me, trying to hide her frustration. “Mom, do we need to wait again?”
I sighed. “Let’s just give her a few minutes.”
But those few minutes turned into long stretches of waiting. We’d walk ahead, browse through the racks, and eventually circle back to find Beth still sitting there. It was becoming a pattern — and not just on that day. Every trip we went on, we had to slow down, stop more often, and accommodate her.
By the time we left the mall that day, the mood had shifted. What was supposed to be a carefree afternoon felt strained, and my girls were clearly frustrated.
“Mom, I hate to say it, but these trips aren’t the same anymore,” Kayla said as we loaded the shopping bags into the car.
“I know,” I replied, running a hand through my hair. “I just… I don’t want to leave her out.”
Evelyn nodded, her face softening. “We get it. But we can’t keep doing this. It’s not fair to us either.”
I couldn’t argue with that. I knew they were right. The truth was, Beth’s presence had begun to change the dynamic of our trips, and not for the better.
We were holding back, compromising our enjoyment to accommodate her. And it wasn’t just about walking slower or sitting more. It felt like the whole energy of our outings was different.
The tipping point came when we started planning our annual trip to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard. It’s a tradition we’ve had for years — my favorite time of the year.
The fall colors, the smell of apples in the air, the laughter as we wandered through the orchard picking fruit. It was something we all looked forward to.
As we sat around the kitchen table, Evelyn looked up from her phone. “So, are we inviting Beth this year?”
I hesitated. We all knew what that would mean. Long breaks, slow walks, and probably missing out on some of the things we enjoyed most about the trip.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I finally said, my voice low. “It’s a lot of walking, and… well, you know.”
Kayla sighed with relief. “I’m glad you said it, Mom. It’s been hard with her.”
“We haven’t had a proper girls’ day in so long,” Lauren added, looking at her sisters. “I miss the way things used to be.”
The truth was staring me in the face, and there was no avoiding it.
That’s when I made the decision not to invite Beth. It wasn’t easy, but I told myself it was for the best. My daughters deserved a day to relax and enjoy themselves without constantly having to adjust to Beth’s limitations.
The day of the trip came, and it was perfect. The weather was crisp, the leaves were golden and red, and we spent the entire day walking through the orchard, picking apples, and laughing.
We didn’t have to stop or slow down. It was like the old days, just me and my girls. I even posted a few pictures on Facebook, not thinking much of it.
But later that night, my phone rang. It was Beth.
I took a deep breath before answering. “Hi, Beth.”
“Lilian, I saw the pictures on Facebook,” she said, her voice tense. “Why wasn’t I invited?”
I felt my stomach drop. I knew this conversation was coming, but I wasn’t prepared. “Oh, it was just a small trip,” I stammered. “Nothing big.”
“But I’m family,” Beth said, her voice rising. “Why didn’t you invite me?”
There it was. The question I had been dreading. I could’ve lied, made up some excuse, but what would be the point? The truth was staring me in the face, and there was no avoiding it.
“Beth,” I said softly, trying to choose my words carefully. “It’s not that we don’t want you there. It’s just… well, the walking. You’ve needed a lot of breaks, and it’s made it hard for us to enjoy the trips the way we used to.”
Silence hung in the air for what felt like an eternity.
“So, you didn’t invite me because of my weight?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I swallowed hard. “Yes,” I admitted, guilt washing over me. “It’s been difficult. We’ve had to change the way we do things, and… I didn’t want to say anything, but it’s affected our trips.”
Beth was quiet for a moment, and I could feel the hurt radiating through the phone. “I thought I was part of this family,” she finally said, her voice trembling. “I thought you cared about me.”
“I do care about you, Beth—”
“No, you don’t,” she interrupted. “If you did, you wouldn’t have excluded me like this. You wouldn’t make me feel like an outsider.”
And with that, she hung up. I sat there, staring at the phone, my heart heavy with regret.
Later that night, Liam texted me. “Mom, Beth’s really hurt. You need to apologize.”
I read the text over and over, feeling torn. Should I apologize? Was I wrong to protect this time with my daughters? I wasn’t sure anymore.
The next morning, I talked to the girls. “Do you think I was too harsh?” I asked as we sat around the kitchen table.
“No, Mom,” Evelyn said, shaking her head. “We love Beth, but it’s not fair to us either. Our trips haven’t been the same.”
Kayla nodded. “We just want to enjoy ourselves like we used to. You did the right thing.”
Their reassurance helped, but I couldn’t shake the guilt. I didn’t want to hurt Beth, but I couldn’t ignore the strain her presence had put on our trips.
I’d reached my limit. Maybe I could’ve handled it better, maybe I should’ve been kinder, but the truth was out now.
I still don’t know if I made the right decision. All I wanted was to protect the bond I had with my daughters. But now I wonder if that decision has cost me something far greater.
Do you think I handled it correctly? What would you have done in my place?
Rich Man Accidentally Meets Little Girl Who Is His Carbon Copy, She Begs Him to Help Her Mom — Story of the Day
Alex was sitting in the park, lost in thought when he was interrupted by a voice from behind. “Please help my mother!” it begged. When Alex turned around, he saw a little girl crying bitterly. Alex was frozen in place by the mere sight of her. She looked so much like him!
Why did you do that, Charlotte? Why didn’t you just tell me you weren’t happy with me? Alex sighed as he reflected on the events of the previous night.
He’d arrived home early from work to surprise his wife on their wedding anniversary. But all of his excitement was dashed when he discovered her in their bedroom with another man. The man was holding her waist, and her arms were wrapped around him. After a brief moment, they clasped hands, kissed passionately, and didn’t stop until Alex barged into the room.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Is this what you do behind my back, Charlotte?” he lashed out at his wife, still holding the bouquet and cake he’d brought for the special day. “You’re cheating on me with a man half your age?!”
Charlotte, who didn’t expect Alex to be home so soon, was taken aback by his presence. “Oh, Alex…I…”
“You have one hour to leave this place, Charlotte, with that man! Run away as far as you can! I don’t want to see you again,” he threatened her and left the room. Then he ordered the guard to go into the house and make sure that behind his back, Charlotte didn’t take anything extra from his home.
Alex got into his car and drove all night aimlessly, stopping only once to refuel. Then, as his fuel gauge reminded him that he needed to fill up, he pulled over to a park and sat on a bench, lazy to go to the station again.
A quick glance at his wristwatch revealed that it was around 6 a.m. The park was as deserted as a cemetery, and he was glad he was alone there because the sad thoughts of his wife cheating on him hadn’t left him even after the long drive. He soon covered his face with his hands, attempting to calm himself and get over the events of the previous night.
Perhaps she never wanted a relationship. Maybe she was always after my money, he pondered.
Suddenly, a sobbing sound from behind interrupted his thoughts. “Sir, can you please help me? My mother needs help!” it said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Turning around, Alex noticed a small child holding a teddy bear. The sun had nearly risen, and the rays falling on the girl’s face froze Alex in place. No way! This isn’t possible! She can’t be… Wake up, Alex! You’re imagining things because you didn’t sleep last night!
“Sir,” she said again, pulling his jacket closer to her. “Please help my mom!”
What if she’s a member of one of those gangs that threaten and rob people? After all, what is she doing here alone at this hour of the morning?
“Umm…where is your mom? And what happened to her?” Alex asked, looking around for anything suspicious, but when he didn’t see anything dubious, he hurried after the girl.
As she walked to the back of the park and into the abandoned forest, Alex was constantly keeping his eye out, waiting for someone to jump out from around the corner and force him to hand in everything in his pockets. However, other than his car keys and a phone, he had nothing else to offer at the time.
As they moved deeper into the forest, the girl came to a halt in front of a massive oak tree. She then turned to Alex and motioned with her hands to the tree. “My mom… she’s there. She needs help!”
Seeing a human’s hand protruding from one corner of the tree, he quickened his pace and found a woman lying there unconscious. Squatting next to her, he touched her hand to check for a pulse. She was still alive and breathing, but her body was sweltering. He gently turned her over on her back and froze in shock once again. The woman was his first love, Camilla.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
He immediately dialed 911 and requested that an ambulance be dispatched to the scene. Then he dashed to his car to get his water bottle.
Having splashed water on the woman’s face, he tried to bring her to her senses, but she began shaking from the cold. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, holding her tightly in his arms.
“How did your mom come here, sweetie?” he asked the little girl, trying to control the tears in his eyes at having doubted her. “Where’s your father?”
“I don’t have anyone other than my mother,” the girl sniffed. “Will mommy be alright?”
“Of course she will!” Alex comforted the child.
When the ambulance arrived, the doctors examined Camilla quickly and loaded her onto a stretcher. They didn’t even ask Alex if he knew Camilla. “Is the child staying with you?” asked the orderly quickly. Alex nodded in agreement.
The little girl cried and asked to join her mother, but Alex promised her that he would definitely take her to her mother when she gets better. “I know your mom. She and I were close friends once, so don’t worry, okay?” he said gently. But the girl looked at him incredulously as they both walked to his car to head home.
When they arrived, Alex ordered the housekeeper to look after the little girl then left for the hospital. When Camilla awoke, she was shocked to see Alex at her bedside. “You? What are you doing here? And where’s my daughter?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Shutterstock
“Please, Camilla, calm down. She’s at my house and safe. I can video call her right now if you want.”
“Yes! Do that!” Camilla cried. “I want to see her!” Camilla didn’t rest until she saw and spoke with her daughter on the phone. Once the call was over, she burst into tears. “I’m sorry for doubting you, Alex, but I really have none other than Kate in my life.”
“It’s all right, Camilla. For the time being, you should rest. The doctors said it was pneumonia, and you’re lucky your fever went down; otherwise, they’d have to keep you in the intensive care unit… By the way, how did you end up in the forest?”
“Actually, I always take that route because it’s like a shortcut to Kate’s kindergarten,” she admitted, her voice trembling with embarrassment. “I start early in the morning to save money on bus fare. It is difficult to raise a child on one’s own.”
“But where’s her father? Why doesn’t he take responsibility for his child?” Alex asked curiously.
Camilla fell silent. “Well…” Before she could say anything, doctors walked into the room and asked Alex to leave. They said Camilla would be under observation for a few days.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
During Camilla’s stay at the hospital, Alex visited her every day and looked after her. When she was discharged, he took her home, and during that phase, they became close involuntarily.
Meanwhile, Alex was constantly bothered by the thoughts of why Kate resembled him so much. He felt a strange affection for the young girl and he wanted to ask Camilla if his suspicion was true and Kate was his daughter. So he decided that after Camilla recovered completely, he would sit with her and talk about it. But fate had different plans.
One day, as he and Camilla were about to leave the house for a check-up, they ran into Charlotte, who’d come to discuss the divorce settlement with Alex.
Imagine her shock when she spotted her husband’s ex-lover at the house. “Oh! So you’re back together now? Is she the reason you were so eager to get rid of me, Alex, without even giving me a chance to explain myself?” She sneered.
“Well–” Before Alex could say anything, little Kate came running and hugged Alex. “Let’s go! But the doctor won’t give me those tablets, right?” she asked Alex curiously.
“Woah! Look at you! Aren’t you happy after kicking me out of the house? You have your lover and your daughter with you. What else do you want?” Charlotte mocked.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“What?” Alex turned pale upon hearing Charlotte’s remark. “My daughter?” He looked at Camilla, who quickly averted her gaze and looked down.
“Oops! Looks like someone didn’t tell you the truth!” Charlotte added.
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Alex asked, dumbfounded.
“I’ll tell you everything, Alex,” Camilla said in a quiet voice. “You go inside and play, honey. Mumma will come soon,” she added, turning to Kate, who happily followed her mom’s instructions and went inside. Then Camilla revealed the whole story to Alex.
It turns out Charlotte always knew Kate was Camilla and Alex’s child. She liked Alex a lot and decided to drive a wedge between him and Camilla. Hence, she asked one of her friends to take false photographs of Camilla with another man to convince him that Camila was cheating on him.
Alex was heartbroken when he saw those photographs of Camilla hugging and kissing another man and broke up with her. Charlotte saw this as the perfect opportunity and started dating Alex. They were childhood friends, after all, and their families were also convinced that they were perfect for each other. Meanwhile, Camila had not informed Alex of her pregnancy. She decided to raise their child alone after Alex left her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Shutterstock
“I didn’t want to break your marriage, so even after I came here, I didn’t tell you about Kate,” Camila explained. “I had no idea you and Charlotte were divorcing.”
Alex started hating Charlotte even more after learning the whole truth. He not only divorced her but also made sure she received no money from his inheritance. Later, after the divorce case was resolved, he married Camilla and they lived happily together.
What can we learn from this story?
- You always meet people because you’re destined to and not by chance. Alex was destined to reunite with his lover and daughter, and that’s precisely what happened in the end.
- Karma is unavoidable. Charlotte thought she could get away with cheating on her husband, but in the end, karma reached her.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a store clerk who kicked out a little boy who wanted to buy a doll for his dying mother.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
Leave a Reply