A lonely old woman who is affectionately called “Gran” by her neighbor’s son is surprised to find the boy cleaning her yard one snowy morning. Little does she know it’ll reunite her with the love of her life after a 25-year-long wait.
As the first rays of the morning sun peeped in through the little kitchen window, Dorris hurried downstairs, throwing on a coat, eager to sip her coffee and enjoy the sun.
Three days. That’s how long Dorris had waited to see the sun. It had been so frigid and chilly, with the snowy waves and cold gusts blowing across the city.
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A smile danced on her lips as she switched on the radio, which broadcasted a reporter’s voice reading the morning news. “The roads are going to be clear after three days of disruption due to the snowstorm…”
“Thank God the sun is finally out! A cup of coffee is the best antidote to this weather!” she told herself as she pulled her coat closer and poured some hot coffee into her cup.
As she stood on the front porch now, Dorris squinted her eyes and frowned. She noticed her neighbor’s son clearing snow from her yard…
Thirteen years. That’s how long Dorris had known her next-door neighbor, Cynthia, and her son, Jack.
When the mother and son first moved to the neighborhood, Cynthia was pregnant with Jack. Dorris had been so happy to be next door to a new mom.
When Cynthia gave birth, Dorris helped her look after little Jack. She cleaned his poopy diapers, sang him lullabies, and, oh dear, only she knew how many sleepless nights she had after Cynthia’s maternity leave was over.
The young mother had to return to work because she was the only one Jack had. His father had died in a car crash, after which Cynthia moved to Dorris’ neighborhood to escape the painful memories.
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Soon, her son and work became her life, and a big part of that life became Dorris when she offered to help her raise Jack.
While Cynthia spent nights dealing with demanding deadlines and meeting reports, Dorris rocked little Jack in her arms and sang songs to him. The bond between Cynthia, Jack, and Dorris became deeper than blood.
Grandma—that’s what Jack called her affectionately, and it never felt like anything else to Dorris. She had always been there for him as a grandmother. A loving one.
But Dorris’ life was not all roses. She had had a terrible life in the past, and having Cynthia and Jack around had healed her broken heart. Their love had filled the void in Dorris’ life, which the mother-son duo had no idea about.
So when Cynthia’s boss informed her that she was being transferred to another city, a big mess followed.
Cynthia had invited Dorris over for dinner to break the news to her, and the old woman was left in tears.
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“I have to report to the new office by next week, Dorris,” said Cynthia with a heavy heart. “Wish I had a better way to tell you about it. It was all just… so sudden…”
Just minutes earlier, Dorris had been beaming with joy upon finding her favorite chicken curry and apple pie for dinner. But after receiving the news, she lost her appetite. She could no longer stand the lingering aroma of food on the table in front of them.
“So you are going to leave me?” she asked, putting down her fork.
“No way, Dorris. That’s not what I’m saying! We promise we’ll visit you!” said Cynthia, but the older woman didn’t seem convinced.
“It’s gonna be hard for you, Gran Dorris, I know…” Jack chimed in. “It’s gonna be hard for us too… I will MISS you.”
“And I will miss you too, sweetheart,” said Dorris sadly. “I will…”
“Dorris, are you alright?” asked Cynthia, feeling bad for the older woman. “I wish we could stay here. I really do.”
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“It’s ok, honey,” Dorris said. “I’m used to it… people leaving me…”
“Dorris! Don’t say that—”
“It’s true, honey,” she said, and at that point, Cynthia saw a strange loneliness in Dorris’ eyes. Something she had never seen before.
“I was very young when I fell in love with a man,” Dorris said in tears. “He was a bright, talented man. We had a son, a specially-abled child, while we were dating. Soon after his birth, things changed. His father didn’t want to do anything with me, and we separated. He was rich! Very rich! And he took my child away from me. I still remember how my baby smelled… that sweet smell… oh… it will be fine if you left too… it will be just fine… ” And Dorris got up and left.
Jack and Cynthia couldn’t fathom what they’d heard. Dorris’ story broke their hearts.
“I can’t believe Dorris never mentioned it to us,” said Cynthia, stunned.
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“Mom,” added Jack. “Can we do one last thing for Gran Dorris before we leave?”
“I wish we could do something, Jack!”
“We can, mom… I’ve got a plan… “
***
“Jack, sweetheart, what are you doing there? Out in the cold? Oh, come on in, I’ll make you some hot chocolate!” shouted Dorris as she saw the young boy clearing the snow in her yard.
“Gran Dorris, I have something to show you! I need to do this!” he replied with a silly smile, and Dorris frowned.
“Lies!” she shouted from her front porch. “You’re lying, aren’t you, smarty-pants? Oh, you’re going out of your way to help me! It’s all right, Jack. Don’t do it. Don’t spoil me because you and Cynthia are about to leave!”
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Dorris and Jack were engaged in their silly talk while the young boy continued to clear the snow in her yard. As soon as the path leading to the house was cleared, Dorris saw a car pull over right outside her home.
Cynthia got down from the car and smiled at Dorris, and Jack waved at her. “Mom, you’re here! Gran Dorris, close your eyes!”
“What?”
“Just do it!” the boy insisted and covered her eyes with his hands.
Dorris closed her eyes, oblivious to what would follow. Soon, she heard a screeching sound, the sound of wheels rolling on gravel, and as the sound faded, she instantly opened her eyes. Her heart was pounding as she looked at the man in front of her.
“I don’t believe this!” she cried, and her coffee cup slipped from her grasp on the porch. “He—he can’t be here! Oh, what have you done?”
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Dorris had waited for him for 25 years. Her son was the love of her life. She fell to her knees and hugged him.
“Oh, my baby, how I missed you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for leaving you, child!”
The young man, Aaron, hugged Dorris and cried his heart out. “I forgave you, mom. I never held a grudge because I knew it was all dad’s fault. I’m just so happy to see you again! I left that life, and I’ve come for you. I won’t leave you. I’m not going anywhere. I LOVE YOU!”
“Isn’t the Internet cool?” Jack smiled in tears. “I’m sorry for sneaking into your bedroom and stealing your personal diary where you had written everything about Aaron and his dad, Gran Dorris. But I wanted to do this one thing for you before we left. I have a few friends who helped me find him and—”
“Oh, come here!” Dorris hugged Aaron and Jack, and her tears flowed freely. “You reunited me with my son. Thank you. Thank you! My family just got bigger and complete. Thank you so much, child.”
As the sun’s rays mingled with the snow that morning, melting the white layers over the city, the grief from Dorris’s heart and the burden on Cynthia’s shoulder of leaving Dorris alone faded. They were all happy.
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What can we learn from this story?
Never give up hope because a brighter day arrives only after a dark night. Dorris never imagined she’d see her son again, but it happened after a painful 25-year wait.
A family is made with love and commitment. Cynthia and Jack weren’t related to Dorris by blood, but their love for one another brought them together as a family.
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