Jessica wanted to buy a $250 washing machine, but she couldn’t afford it, so she had to ask the seller for a discount. He consented right away, to her surprise, but when she got home and opened the machine, she discovered something even more surprising inside.
When Jessica and her husband Edward welcomed their first child, Kathy, they quickly understood that parenting would not be easy. The young parents were having financial difficulties then, and there was constantly a lack of funds.
Edward owned a textile business in Texas, but it was struggling. Meanwhile, Jessica worked as a nanny on weekends while Edward looked after Kathy. With a baby at home now, expenses went up, while income stayed the same or even went down some months.
Jessica bought the washing machine at a discounted price | Photo: Shutterstock
Ahh, it must be challenging for them too. Perhaps more difficult. Jessica reflected as she drove away from work one weekend, glancing at her neighbor Sandra and her children.
Sandra was already raising a third child even though her husband was just a truck driver. Although he got paid on a piecemeal basis, he wasn’t rowing millions of dollars there. Sandra had been working on a farm for several years to help support her husband financially, and it was the only way they could make ends meet.
Jessica and Edward, like their neighbors, were scraping by on whatever they could. Edward had stopped going to bars with friends to conserve money after Kathy’s arrival, and Jessica had given up on the little things she had managed to buy after saving money from the monthly budget.
Luckily, one month, things were going well financially. Edward’s business grew slowly but steadily, and Jessica managed to save some money. But just when it appeared like they would be having a less stressful month, another problem knocked at her door: the washing machine broke down.
After Kathy’s birth, Andrew and Jessica were having a hard time | Photo: Pexels
After considering her options, Jessica realized that there was no point in getting the machine repaired. The labor and motor replacement cost would be slightly less than the cost of a new machine, and there was no guarantee that the repaired equipment would last as long. After all, this was the fourth time the machine demanded a repair in the same year.
Knowing there was no other option but to look for a new machine, Jessica sat down on the computer, looking for an affordable one. An hour of searching led her to one suitable find, but it cost $250, and Jessica could only afford to pay $150.
In the end, she decided to see the merchant in person and request a discount right then and there. James Carter, 1216 East Madison Street, Brownsville, TX, said the advertisement. Jessica made a note of the owner’s address.
Upon arrival, a man about Jessica’s age opened the door. There was a calmness in his eyes, but the dark circles beneath them revealed inner stress and exhaustion. “How may I assist you?” he asked, his voice deep but mournful.
“Hi, are you James Carter? I’m Jessica Turner. I messaged you regarding the washing machine. Can I have a look at it?”
“Oh, Jessica. Yes, sure. Come in,” James said, and Jessica followed him in.
Jessica visited the seller’s house | Photo: Unsplash
The entire house was in shambles, and Jessica deduced from the disorganized layout that the man was planning to relocate, which was why he’d put the machine up for sale. As she entered the room next to the hall, she saw the white washing machine. It appeared to look brand new, precisely as she’d seen it online.
“Well, I hope you remember I said I wanted to talk about the price,” Jessica said, having viewed the machine from the exterior. “I can’t afford to pay $250! I agree the machine still looks brand new and everything, but I can’t extend my budget beyond $150. We just had a baby, and you know things are not so well financially, so I was wondering if you could please give me a discount?”
James stood there silent for a while, pondering, and then nodded his head in agreement. “Sure. I don’t mind. $150 sounds like a good deal to me,” he said absentmindedly and then turned around to lift the machine.
Jessica’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? Thank you! Thank you so much!”
James gave Jessica a slight smile and the woman could sense that his thoughts had wandered beyond the room in that short while, but she didn’t bother much about it as she was rejoicing in luck.
James agreed to sell the washing machine at $150 | Photo: Pexels
After 5 minutes, the two of them carried the huge machine to Jessica’s car without gloves, belts, or loading belts, huffing and sweating. She’d already paid James and was looking forward to getting the machine home.
As she prepared to leave, she gave her hand to say goodbye and asked him to meet her somewhere in the future, but James’ answer was a flat no. “I’m leaving this place for good, and I won’t be returning, so I don’t think we’ll be meeting again. Anyway, I hope the machine is useful to you,” he said with a quick but honest smile. Jessica simply smiled at the odd response and thanked him once more before leaving.
When she got home, the first thing she did was double-check the equipment’s functionality. However, as she opened the dryer to check the lint filter, she was shocked to find $150 in there.
It also contained a folded piece of paper in one corner with a message. “It’s a gift for your newborn baby,” it read. “I didn’t think it was fair to ask for money from someone who was already struggling financially.
“As a result, I chose to return it. Someone very close to my heart once told me that if I have the resources, I should help those who are less fortunate.” Jessica was shocked. When did he place this inside the machine?
Jessica found a note inside the washing machine | Photo: Pexels
Suddenly, it hit her. She’d asked him to help her move the machine to the yard while she fetched ropes from the car trunk to pack the machine properly, and it’s possible that’s when he put it there.
Jessica wanted to express her gratitude to him for his assistance. However, because he didn’t provide a phone number on the website and returning to the house would be a two-hour journey from her home, she decided to see him the next day.
Unfortunately, it was too late by then, as the man had already left the house, and a for sale sign was posted in the yard. Jessica left the house dejected, thanking him once more in her heart.
One year later…
Jessica and Edward were finally moving into a larger home. Kathy had been accepted to a good school, and Edward’s business was doing well.
Jessica was standing on the balcony of her former house, surveying the area where she’d spent most of her days. The place held a lot of memories for her. She switched her sights to Sandra’s residence and overheard Sandra and her husband bickering over purchasing a new washing machine.
One year later, Jessica gave the machine to Sandra | Photo: Shutterstock
Jessica took a look at the wet linen-laden rope on Sandra’s terrace. Oh, that poor woman must have done all the laundry herself. I should do something to help her.
So before leaving, she rang the doorbell at Sandra’s and left the washing machine on her doorstep with a note that read, “With love from your neighbor, Jessica.”
Jessica saw how happy Sandra was when she opened the door and spotted the machine on her porch.
So this was how James felt when he helped me. Ahh, honestly, it does feel amazing. However, I’m still curious about who encouraged him and asked him to assist people in need. Jessica pondered as their car sped away to their new destination.
What can we learn from this story?
- Never hesitate to assist someone in need if you have the means to do so. The way Jessica helped Sandra and James helped Jessica are beautiful examples of this.
- Learn to emulate the goodness of your surroundings. Jessica was inspired by James’ example and stepped in to assist Sandra.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a widower who discovered his wife’s hiding place after her death and learned a shocking truth.
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.
Nurse Gives Woman the Wrong Baby, Then New Mother Turns Pale — Story of the Day
The nurse examined Lucy’s twins before discharge, but Lucy was shocked when she returned them. The nurse had brought two baby girls after the examination, and Lucy had given birth to one boy and one girl.
Lucy and her husband Ross had been trying to conceive for a long time, and when they discovered they were expecting twins, they were over the moon.
The ultrasound had revealed they would be having a boy and a girl, and the couple was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the twins. However, when the nurse brought the children post-examination, they were both girls. Lucy’s face turned pale.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Where has my son gone? What exactly did you do to him? And whose baby is this other girl?” she screamed, gazing at the nurse who had just brought the kids in.
“They are your daughters, ma’am,” the nurse, Savannah, said, her eyes fixated on the documents. “I double-checked the reports and I’m confident there is no error.”
“Have you lost your senses?” Lucy snapped. “I have all the reports with me as proof that I was supposed to deliver a boy and a girl. And I was informed about the same after delivery. There’s no way they’re both girls!”
Lucy noticed the fear in the nurse’s eyes when she looked up from her reports. She was about to say something to her when Dr. Linda Carter walked in. “Would you please keep quiet, ma’am? This is a hospital, and there are other patients,” she explained to Lucy.
“Quiet? Seriously?” Lucy glared at her. “Your nurse brings me a random child, then tells me she’s not wrong! Is that how your hospital administration operates? Should I contact the chief doctor and inform him of the situation?”
“I agree with my wife, doctor. We don’t want to create a scene either,” Ross intervened. “But your nurse is lying. We don’t know why she’s doing that, but if we don’t get our son back, we’ll have to call the police!”
“Please, sir, calm down,” Dr. Carter said. “I’m sure there’s just some misunderstanding. Savannah has been working at this hospital for several years. Perhaps she brought the wrong documents. Savannah, may I have a look at the papers?” Dr. Carter inquired. But Savannah didn’t give it to her and instead started stammering, “There’s no need, ma’am…I mean, I checked it, and they’re fine.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Dr. Carter sensed something was wrong and softly told her, “It’s fine. Let me quickly check the reports.” However, when she read through them, she realized Lucy was correct.
“Please give me a minute, ma’am,” she said as she flipped through the pages. “I assume Savannah brought the incorrect paperwork. There was another patient named Lucy Matthews, and Savannah got confused.”
“I’m glad you noticed your mistake,” Lucy said, glaring at her. “I would recommend that you hire responsible people as members of the staff the next time!”
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” Dr. Carter apologized again as she turned to face Savannah. “Would you mind accompanying me, Savannah? I need you to find the correct reports for me.”
Savannah swiftly followed Dr. Carter, but Lucy spotted the tears in her eyes as she walked away. She got a strange feeling Dr. Carter and Savannah were up to something, so she decided to follow them.
She watched them both enter Dr. Carter’s clinic and then heard someone crying. It had to be Savannah, she reasoned. Fortunately, the door was slightly ajar, so Lucy sat on one of the chairs just outside the room and listened to what they were saying.
“What were you thinking, Savannah?” Dr. Carter spoke in a firm tone. “Lucy Matthews delivered twins: a boy and a girl at 10:30 a.m. today. Even the reports said that. Why are you lying to them? Be honest!”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“I didn’t have a choice, ma’am,” Savannah sobbed. “That other newborn girl belongs to my sister. Her spouse had abandoned her after he learned about the pregnancy, and unfortunately, she didn’t make it post-delivery. I could have adopted her, but my husband refused.”
“Why don’t you place her in a nursing home?” Dr. Carter proposed. “She’d be well taken care of there.”
“I’m afraid I can’t, ma’am. It was my sister’s last wish for her daughter to grow up in a loving home,” Savannah sobbed.
“When I saw Mrs. Matthews this morning and how she and her husband were supporting each other, I thought they would be a beautiful family for her. So I decided to swap Mrs. Matthew’s son with my sister’s daughter and place him in a nursing home instead.”
“But that’s not right, Savannah,” Dr. Carter pointed out. “We can’t let that happen. Get Mrs. Matthews’ son right now. And, yes, this should stay confidential between us. Let me see what I can do for you.”
Lucy’s eyes had welled up when she heard the story. There wasn’t a nefarious intention behind exchanging the kids. A helpless woman wanted her niece to end up in a lovely family. I feel sorry for the child, honestly. Lucy pondered as she returned to her room.
A few minutes later, Dr. Carter returned to Lucy’s room and handed over her newborn son. “Sorry about the mixup, ma’am. I apologize on behalf of my staff,” Dr. Carter said.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Having overheard the whole story earlier, Lucy, decided not to file a complaint against her. But every time she tried to sleep at home that night, her thoughts returned to the poor child, and her innocent face flashed straight in front of her eyes.
“I can’t forget about her, Ross,” Lucy told her husband at breakfast the next day. “I had a dream yesterday in which I saw a girl who had come to our house by mistake and was living peacefully with us. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I can’t get that out of my head.”
“It’s because of what happened yesterday, honey,” Ross explained. “Try to distract yourself with something else. How about we go somewhere? You’ll feel better.”
“No, Ross,” Lucy looked at him. “I don’t feel like leaving that child alone. I want to adopt her.”
“But honey!” Ross cried. “Are you sure? We already have two children to look after, and a third would be far too much! Don’t make emotional decisions! We need to be practical.”
“I understand, Ross, but please. I can’t persuade myself. I pondered it all night and decided to adopt her. Can we please go to the hospital today?”
“Well, honey. I am there with you in all your decisions, but I’m worried it’ll be too much work for you.”
“I can manage that, Ross. Please?” Lucy insisted.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Ross initially opposed the adoption, but his feelings changed when he held the child in his arms. She had brown eyes with a slight green tinge, and she kept staring at him. Ross was moved by her innocent looks, to say the least.
“I’m delighted you considered adopting her, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. She is indeed lucky,” the doctor told them.
“Well, doctor, we tried a lot for kids, and now, when a child wants to come to us, we can’t just let it go. Just let me know when we can take her home,” Lucy said.
“It’ll take some time, but for now, I’ll submit the documents to expedite the process.”
As the doctor had said, it took some time, but Lucy and Ross had no regrets about their decision. When they brought the child home, they felt as if their family was finally complete. They named the baby girl Amelia.
Savannah visited them after learning Lucy and Ross had adopted the child and couldn’t stop thanking them. Since then, she’s become a regular at the Matthews’, and she mostly spends the weekends with Lucy’s kids: the twins Sia and Mark and Amelia.
What can we learn from this story?
- Relationships are formed through love and care, not necessarily by blood. Lucy and Ross’s adoption of Amelia as their kid is a beautiful example of this.
- Some accidents are beautiful. Savannah brought Amelia to Lucy simply because she wanted her to be adopted by a good family, and in the end, the poor child was blessed with a lovely family.
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