When I realized that my daughter and I weren’t talking as much as we used to, I knew something was wrong. I decided to surprise her, hoping to reconnect. I got up early, baked her favorite cinnamon buns, and hopped on a train to visit her in the city. But when I knocked on her door, what happened next was nothing like what I had expected.
Let me tell you about myself. My name is Ingrid, and for most of my life, everything I did was for my daughter, Anna. I raised her on my own as a single mother. To make ends meet, I worked double shifts at a diner, and now, I’m the manager.
Anna wasn’t exactly planned. But when I found out I was going to be a mom, I promised myself that no matter what, she would never have to go without anything. And I kept that promise. Over the years, Anna and I became incredibly close, like best friends. We were a team, just like Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls—minus the drama.
As Anna got older, she had one serious relationship, with a man named Jason. He was a good guy—funny, kind, and I really liked him. Eventually, they got married, and moved to a city that was three hours away. It was hard for me, but it was her life.
At first, we talked every single day. She’d tell me all about her new adventures with Jason. But as time passed, our conversations started getting shorter. She’d say she was “busy,” and I could tell she wasn’t telling me everything. My heart ached. Was this normal? Was I losing her?
Most mothers might’ve just moved on, but not me. I couldn’t let it go. I needed to know what was going on. So, I decided to pay her a visit.
Two weeks ago, I woke up early, baked cinnamon buns, and hopped on a train to her city. I imagined her face lighting up when she saw me, happy and surprised. But when I knocked on her door, the reaction I got was far from what I had imagined.
The door cracked open, and Anna peeked out. Her eyes widened—not with excitement, but with something else. She quickly stepped outside, as though trying to hide something behind her, and shut the door behind her.
“Mom? What are you doing here?” she whispered, her voice tense, almost angry.
I smiled, holding up the basket of cinnamon buns. “I just wanted to see you! I brought your favorite,” I said, trying to sound cheerful.
She glanced nervously down the hall. “You can’t be here. Just go, Mom.”
My heart sank. “Anna, what’s going on? Is Jason—”
“Mom, I said GO!” she snapped, her voice sharp. She looked me right in the eyes for the first time in what felt like forever. I saw fear there. But before I could say anything else, she slammed the door in my face.
I stood there, holding the basket of buns, completely stunned. Was it Jason? Were they having problems? My mind started spinning with a thousand terrible thoughts. Was she scared of him?
No way was I leaving now. I knew knocking again wouldn’t help, so I quietly moved around the corner of the hallway and waited. I couldn’t just leave her like this. Hours passed, and I could feel my worry growing with every minute. Was she in trouble? Was he inside?
Finally, I saw the door crack open again. I quickly ducked out of sight, praying she wouldn’t see me. Anna stepped out, looking around nervously. Her face was pale, and her eyes were red from crying. My stomach turned. I had to do something.
She called the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, I hurried to her apartment. I didn’t exactly know what I was going to do, but I figured I’d figure it out when I got there. Fortunately, she had left the door unlocked. Quietly, I slipped inside.
If Jason was there, I was ready to confront him. I even pulled out my phone, ready to call 911 if things went sideways. But what I saw when I stepped into the apartment took me completely by surprise.
The place was a mess—clothes scattered around, dishes piled up on the counter. But what made me stop in my tracks were the small clothes, the little dishes, the signs of a baby. My heart skipped a beat. And then, I saw it.
There, in the living room, was a crib.
A crib.
I froze, my heart racing. My daughter had a baby, and she never told me. I felt like the ground was slipping out from under me. I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, as if I were dreaming.
Just then, I heard footsteps behind me. I barely turned around before Anna was standing in the doorway. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she saw me.
“Mom…” she whispered, her voice full of shame.
“Anna… you have a baby?” My voice was shaking, full of emotion. I felt tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I was so overwhelmed.
She looked down at the floor, nodding slowly. “I didn’t know how to tell you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Tell me that you’re a mother? Anna, that’s the most important thing you’ll ever do!” My voice cracked. “Where’s Jason? Is he hurting you? Is he hurting the baby? Is that why you were so scared?”
She shook her head, her voice shaky. “No, Mom. It’s not like that.” She let out a long, heavy breath. “He left. When I told him the baby wasn’t his, he left me.”
I was stunned. “What?” I couldn’t believe it. “What happened?”
Her face twisted with guilt. “I made a huge mistake, Mom. I cheated on Jason with my boss. I thought he could give me something more than what Jason and I had, but it ruined everything.”
I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. Her boss?
Anna continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “I asked him to leave his wife, but he just laughed at me and fired me. And then I found out I was pregnant.”
My heart sank as I processed her words. “Anna, you should’ve told me sooner. You didn’t have to go through this alone.”
“I know,” she said quietly, her voice breaking. “I didn’t want to disappoint you. You worked so hard to give me a better life, and now look at me. I’m a mess.”
I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. “Oh, sweetheart, I did all of that because I love you. I didn’t do it so you could hide from me. I’m here for you, no matter what.”
Anna broke down into tears, sobbing into my sweater. “I thought I could fix everything on my own, but it’s been so hard, Mom. I’m barely holding it together.”
I gently stroked her hair and whispered, “Well, Mama’s here now. You don’t have to do this alone. I’m here for you, for both of you.”
Anna wiped her eyes, and through her tears, she looked up at me. “Her name’s Stella.”
Stella. My granddaughter.
I stayed with Anna for the next couple of weeks, helping her through the chaos of new motherhood. But no matter how tough things got, I knew one thing for sure: she wasn’t going to face this alone.
As for the man who had taken advantage of my daughter? He wasn’t getting off that easily. I’ve already hired a lawyer, saved up some money, and tracked down his wife’s Facebook page.
I guess the “man drama” is real, after all. But not in the way I expected.
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