Kendall stood frozen in the middle of the living room, her heart pounding in her chest. Her adoptive mother’s face was twisted with fury, her voice shaking the walls.
“Get out!” she screamed. “You disgusting sinner! I won’t have you in this house with your innocent brothers and sisters!”
Tears blurred Kendall’s vision as she looked toward her adoptive father, silently begging for his help. But he wouldn’t meet her eyes. His shoulders slumped, and he turned away, confirming what she had feared all along—he would never stand up to his wife.
“The sins of the fathers,” her mother spat, shoving her toward the door. “I should’ve known you’d turn out just like your mother! A disgrace!”
Kendall barely had time to grab her coat before the door slammed shut behind her. The night air was cold, biting through her thin sweater as she sank onto the curb, hugging herself as sobs wracked her body.
Minutes stretched into an eternity before the door creaked open again. She looked up, hope flickering for a brief moment. Her adoptive father stepped out, his face pale and guilty. He held out a backpack.
“Your sister packed a few things for you,” he said quietly. He hesitated before slipping a small roll of dollar bills into her hand. “I’m sorry, Kendall… but you know your mom.”
Kendall stared at the money in her trembling hand. Fifty-six dollars. That was the price of her existence to them. Her chest tightened with anger and heartbreak as she looked up at the man who had promised to love her.
“She’s not my mom,” she choked out. “And you’re not my dad. Real parents don’t throw their children away.”
The man flinched, looking down at his shoes before turning and walking back inside. The door shut with a finality that made Kendall’s breath hitch. She was alone.
Kendall had always known the Jordans were strict, but she never thought they’d abandon her like this. They had taken her in as an infant, raised her alongside their other children, but their love had always come with conditions. They didn’t celebrate birthdays or Christmas, claiming it was sinful. Their world revolved around church, rules, and obedience.
But Kendall had longed for more. She wanted to go to the movies, wear makeup, and dance at parties. She wanted to fall in love. And when she met Jake, the school’s bad boy, she thought she had found her escape. A few months later, two little lines on a test changed everything.
She wiped her tears, her fingers tightening around the money. “No guardian angel to save me now,” she muttered bitterly.
Growing up, she had always believed in her own guardian angel. Every year, mysterious gifts appeared for her at school—birthday presents she had to hide in her locker, Christmas stockings filled with treats hanging from the tree outside her window. She had watched for her angel, hoping to catch a glimpse, but never did.
Now, she needed that angel more than ever.
She wandered through the dark streets, eventually finding herself in the park. The cold bench beneath her was unwelcoming, and fear clawed at her chest. She counted her money again. Not enough for a motel. Not enough for anything.
Tears welled in her eyes again. She had nowhere to go. No one to turn to.
“Hey there, girl, what could be so bad? Maybe Momma Mila can help you out.”
Kendall looked up, startled. A tall woman with warm eyes and a bright floral apron stood before her, a bundle of roses in one hand and pruning shears in the other.
“I… I’m okay,” Kendall sniffled, wiping her nose.
Mila tsked and sat beside her. “No, honey, you’re not. But you can tell me. I don’t judge.”
And just like that, Kendall poured out her entire story. The pregnancy, the betrayal, the fear of the future. By the time she finished, her throat ached, and fresh tears tracked down her cheeks.
Mila nodded thoughtfully. “Well, I got a flower stand, and I’ve been wanting to open another closer to the business district. How about you work for me?”
Kendall’s eyes widened. “You’d really give me a job?”
Mila grinned. “Course I would. And I got a little place you can stay. But, sugar, that baby’s yours to care for.”
Kendall’s heart swelled with gratitude. “I can do that. I love flowers!”
Mila led her to a small but cozy apartment. It wasn’t much, but to Kendall, it was everything. She had a roof over her head and a chance to build something for herself. Maybe her guardian angel was still watching over her after all.
Months passed, and things got better. The flower stand was a hit, and Kendall felt a sense of pride she had never known. Mila took her to a doctor, who assured her both she and the baby were healthy.
When her son, Michael, was born, Mila gave her three months off work. The adjustment was brutal. Michael cried constantly, needing to be fed and changed every hour. Kendall was exhausted beyond words.
One morning, she woke up to sunlight streaming through her window. Panic surged through her as she ran to Michael’s crib—only to find him sleeping peacefully. His bottle was empty, his diaper fresh.
Her heart pounded. Had she fed and changed him in her sleep?
The next night, it happened again. And the night after that.
Determined to figure out what was happening, Kendall forced herself to stay awake. At three in the morning, she heard soft murmurs from Michael’s room. Slowly, she crept to the door and peeked inside.
A woman was leaning over Michael’s crib, whispering gently as she changed his diaper. Kendall’s breath caught in her throat.
“Who are you?” she gasped, flicking on the light. “Get away from my baby!”
The woman spun around, her eyes wide with shock. Michael whimpered but soon settled in her arms.
“Hello, Kendall,” she said softly. “I’m Martha Douglas. I’m your mother.”
Kendall’s world tilted. “My… my what?”
Martha took a shaky breath. “I was sixteen when I had you. My mother forced me to give you up. It was the hardest thing I ever did, but I never stopped loving you.”
Kendall’s mind reeled as Martha explained how she had secretly kept watch over her, sending birthday gifts, leaving Christmas stockings.
“I built a business,” Martha continued. “I own over thirty flower shops. I had Mila offer you a job so I could make sure you were okay. I never meant for you to find out this way, I just wanted to help.”
Tears spilled down Kendall’s cheeks. “I’m lucky,” she whispered, hugging Martha. “I have you and Mila. Without you, I would’ve lost Michael too.”
Martha’s arms tightened around her daughter. “You’ll never lose anything again. I promise.”
And for the first time, Kendall truly believed it.
She had found her guardian angel after all.
