Emma Richards was a poor, old, and lonely woman. Life had been quiet and heavy since her husband John died seven years ago. The grief had nearly broken her, and she often wondered how she would survive the rest of her days alone.
They had never had children, and every time someone asked her why, Emma would just shrug and avoid answering. The truth was something she had carried silently in her heart for decades.
One gray afternoon, while Emma sat in her bedroom watching TV, the sudden sound of the doorbell startled her. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Slowly, she made her way to the door and opened it.
Standing there was a delivery man, about forty years old, his face hidden behind a mask. In his arms were several large boxes.
“Hello,” Emma said politely but confused. “I’m not expecting a package from anybody. May I know who this is from?”
The man gave a gentle smile beneath his mask. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but these packages were sent anonymously. Rest assured, our security checked them, and they are absolutely safe. These are for you.” He carefully placed the boxes on the table by her door.
Emma tilted her head, baffled. “That’s strange… thank you, sweet boy,” she murmured before closing the door.
Curiosity burned inside her. She quickly opened the first box. Inside were brand-new household appliances—a toaster oven, a sandwich press, and even a coffee maker. Her eyes widened.
“Who would give me all of these?” she whispered to herself. She tore open the second box, only to find beautiful clothes neatly folded, alongside groceries.
And it didn’t stop there. Every single day, packages kept arriving. And every single day, it was the same delivery man who brought them. Emma started to grow curious about him.
One morning, as he dropped off another box, she asked, “What is your name, sweet boy?”
He straightened and gave her a warm smile. “My name is Ted Harrison. And Mrs. Richards,” he continued, handing her an envelope, “the sender requested for us to give you this. I’ll wait until you finish reading it.”
Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the envelope. The letter inside read:
Mrs. Richards, please let me know what you need for yourself, and I will grant them.
Emma gasped. “Oh, I am dying to know who has been giving me all of these! Now that person even wants me to make requests!”
Ted chuckled softly. “I’m sure the sender loves you very dearly, even though you don’t know who it is.”
Though she was hesitant, Emma decided to write back. She didn’t want to burden whoever was doing this, so she only asked for necessities—some groceries, warm clothes, and books.
From that day on, her relationship with Ted changed. Whenever he came by, Emma prepared quick snacks for him. They began sitting together, chatting while munching on sandwiches or cookies. Sometimes Ted even helped her with chores around the house—things her frail body could no longer manage.
Weeks passed, and Emma grew used to Ted’s company. She even found herself looking forward to his knock at the door each morning.
But then, one day, Ted didn’t come.
Worried, Emma put on her sweater and walked to the local post office to find him. She approached the young woman at the reception desk.
“Hello, can you please page Ted Harrison? I just have some donuts I wanted to give him,” Emma asked kindly.
The woman frowned. “I’m sorry, ma’am. There’s nobody named Ted Harrison who works here.”
Emma’s heart sank. “Oh… but he has been delivering my packages every day. That’s strange.”
Disappointed and confused, she walked home slowly. Her mind was racing with questions. Who could this kind Samaritan be? Did I go to the wrong post office? Was Ted just pretending to be a delivery man?
When she reached her porch, something caught her eye—a tiny box sitting on the step. Inside was a shiny key and a folded note. Her hands shook as she opened it and read:
I learned the truth just a month ago when I hired a private investigator to find out where I came from. I know you blame yourself and regret what you did. However, I want you to know that I don’t blame you. I know you only had my best interest at heart.
You and your husband couldn’t feed me, so you gave me up for adoption. I ended up in a wealthy family who treated me well, but something always felt missing. That missing piece was you, mom.
You’ve been lacking in my life, and I would love to spend more time with you. If you’d be willing, I recently bought a new house. I had a key duplicated for you, in case you wanted to move in with me. Please, allow me to take care of you. With love, your delivery man, Ted.
Emma dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her chest heaved with sobs as the truth hit her—Ted was her son. The boy she had given up so many years ago.
Her mind raced back to those painful years. She and John had been drowning in debt, their marriage shaken by poverty. When she discovered she was pregnant, they had been terrified. Raising a child then seemed impossible. With broken hearts, they left their baby at an orphanage, along with a letter explaining why they couldn’t keep him. It had haunted Emma every single day since.
Still clutching the note, Emma whispered through her sobs, “My son… my boy…”
Before she could leave to search for him, a knock echoed through the house. With trembling hands, she opened the door—and there he was.
Ted.
His eyes softened as he said quietly, “Hi, mom.”
Emma broke down completely. “I can’t believe it. My son,” she sobbed, pulling him tightly into her arms. “I am so sorry, sweetheart. I truly am. I wish you can forgive me.”
Ted held her, his voice steady. “You don’t need to apologize, mom. I’m here because I want to spend more time with you. It’s not too late to start over. We can still be a family.”
That night, the two of them worked side by side, packing up Emma’s belongings into boxes. A moving truck waited outside, ready to take her to a new home.
When they arrived at Ted’s house, Emma was greeted with another surprise—Ted’s wife and children. They smiled warmly, welcoming her with hugs.
Emma’s heart swelled. After years of loneliness, she was no longer alone. She had a family again.
Lesson from the story:
The past doesn’t have to decide the future. Emma thought she had lost her son forever, but life gave her another chance. And instead of holding on to bitterness, Ted chose forgiveness. Together, they built the family they were both missing all along.