Arlene sent her seven-year-old, Justin, to visit his father, Pierce, in Orlando. Pierce waited for his son in anticipation of all the fun they would have, but his flight had allegedly arrived, and his son was nowhere to be found. That’s when both parents started worrying and realized their shocking mistake.
Arlene and her son, Justin, were at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. The seven-year-old was about to board a flight to Orland, Florida, where his father, Pierce, awaited him. It was the first time he had traveled as an unaccompanied minor, but luckily, the airline attendant made her feel safe.
“It’s going to be alright. Many minors travel alone around the country, and we should reach your husband in time,” she stated. “He’ll have an escort, and this flight is best because there are no connections. Everything will be perfect.”
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Arlene nodded, her face filled with emotion. Justin might be growing, but he was still a child. It was hard to let him go, mainly because he hadn’t seen his father in years. After their bitter divorce, Pierce moved from Virginia to Orlando, Florida, and he was busy most of the time.
“How is that possible?” Arlene wailed, almost starting to cry from the worry and exasperation. But something occurred to her at that moment. “Give me a second.”
However, his company had just given him a two-week vacation, and he invited Justin to come to spend time with him. They were going to the theme parks, so that Arlene couldn’t say no. Her son was too excited because he loved everything relating to superheroes and dinosaurs. It was his dream.
But now, she was almost regretting it. “Ok, Justin. You’re going to with this lady and get on the plane. Listen to the adults around. Don’t run off from your escort, and you’ll reach your dad soon. When you land in Orlando, you call me immediately. And then, call me again when you meet your father. Understand?” she requested, kneeling in front of the kid and holding his arms tenderly.
“Yes, Mom!” he replied, smiling and doing a makeshift military salute. This kid had a great sense of humor. He was going to love that trip.
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“Ok. Love you. Go on!” she continued and watched as Justin grabbed the attendant’s hand and entered the gate.
She thought about leaving but sat down at an airport café. She was going to wait for the plane to take off. But once she saw that the flight had taken off, she decided to stay and wait for Justin’s call if anything happened. After all, the flight was less than two hours long. The time would pass quickly.
***
Meanwhile, Pierce was waiting for Justin at Orlando International Airport, and he couldn’t wait. He was just as excited as the kid to see all the attractions at the park. It was crazy that he had lived in the city for years but had yet to attend. His work kept him way too busy. This trip was going to be amazing.
He arrived an hour before Justin’s flight and went to the arrival area to wait for him. Finally, the flight landed, and Pierce got closer to the gate so his son could see him immediately. “I should have made a sign,” he muttered to himself as he saw other people waiting for their loved ones. It was too late now. He stayed in the front at all times.
However, many passengers came out, and there was no Justin. According to the unaccompanied minor service, Arlene said that he would have top priority. So, someone should have brought him out already. He didn’t want to call her yet to avoid worrying her. Maybe, Justin had to go to the bathroom, which could explain the delay. He would wait for a while.
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But at one point, no other passengers were coming out of the arrival area. It had been an hour since the plane landed. It shouldn’t take that long. He approached someone from the airline and started asking questions. An attendant came to assist him.
“I’m sorry, sir. There was no one by the name of Justin on that flight. We have no record of an unaccompanied minor serviced hired for it either,” the attendant, shocking Pierce.
“That’s impossible. Please, check again,” he demanded, trying to stay calm, but the sweat on his forehead gave away his fears.
The assistant typed away on her computer, and Pierce’s phone rang. It was Arlene. Hopefully, she knew what was going on. “Hello?”
“Hey, Pierce. Why didn’t you guys call me when Justin arrived? I told him to call me when the plane landed and when you met with him,” Arlene wondered, and he could tell that she was agitated for some reason.
“Arlene, listen. I’m sorry to say this, but Justin has not arrived. An attendant here said that he was not on the flight. I don’t understand what’s going on,” he was forced to reveal, and Arlene yelled in his ear.
“No! That’s crazy! NO! Tell the attendant to check again!” she started yelling. “I’m going to talk to someone on my end too. I’m still at the airport.”
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“Ok. Listen, calm down. Everything will be alright. There must be a mix-up or something,” he said, trying to calm his ex-wife because he knew she was prone to hysterics.
“I’m not calming down! This is our child, Pierce! Talk to you later!” she screamed and hung up.
“Sir, like I said. There was no Justin on the flight. There’s nothing I can do. Are you sure this is the airline?” the attendant asked.
“Yes! It’s the only flight that arrived at this time from Virginia! My son was on that flight. My ex-wife just confirmed. Please, help me, miss. He’s only seven. Can you call anyone? Should I call the police?” Pierce started asking questions rapidly. The attendant sighed and grabbed her phone.
***
“Justin, where are you? Why didn’t you call me sooner? What’s happening?” Arlene asked desperately on her phone.
“Mom, we have been trying to find Dad for hours, and he’s nowhere. Did you talk to him?” the little boy said through the phone.
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“Your father is right at the arrival area. He’s just as worried as I am. Please, give the phone to your escort,” Arlene requested and demanded an explanation from the woman, who only reiterated what Justin said earlier. There was no Pierce anywhere in the airport.
She told them to wait until she called again and dialed her ex’s number. “Pierce, Justin called me and said they’ve been looking for you for a long time. What’s going on?” she said, one hand running through her hair in frustration. She knew Justin was safe, but there was no reason why they couldn’t find each other.
“There’s no way, Arlene. That’s impossible. People here are saying he was not on the flight!” Pierce stated.
“How is that possible?” Arlene wailed, almost starting to cry from the worry and exasperation. But something occurred to her at that moment. “Give me a second.”
She went to her emails where she had sent Pierce the flight details. However, she had written them instead of sending a screenshot, and she suddenly realized her big mistake. “Pierce,” she started, again putting the phone in her ear. “Where are you?”
“What do you mean? I’m at Orlando International Airport. Why?” Pierce questioned, confused by her words. But something clicked in his brain at that moment.
“Justin arrived at Orlando Sanford International Airport!” Arlene yelled, and Pierce took off in a run.
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“Jesus! Arlene, why didn’t you say that in your email! Most flights got to MCO!” he scolded her breathlessly as he ran to his car. “I’ll be there in 30 minutes!”
While Pierce was on his way, Arlene called Justin and explained to his escort what had happened. She was relieved too, and they waited for Pierce to arrive.
Less than an hour later, Justin called her. “I’m with Dad, Mom! Thank you for helping me! I’ll send you pics of Disney soon!”
Arlene hung up the phone with her son and breathed deeply as if she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. Finally, she walked to her car.
What can we learn from this story?
- You must send all the details of a flight and check several times. These poor parents worried so much because they had not communicated well enough. Luckily, nothing happened, and they resolved the issue.
- It’s always best to fly with your kids. While an unaccompanied minor service is perfect for busy parents and other situations, Arlene should have traveled with her son if she was going to worry so much. She would have avoided worrying so much.
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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who adopted a boy she found on the side of the road, and his father showed up years later.
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.
Homeless Twin Sisters Inherit Property from Grandmother They Never Knew — Story of the Day
Madison and Jessica turned to a life of robbery after escaping their abusive stepdad. One fateful burglary at an unknown older lady’s mansion leads them down an unexpected path when they stumble upon a photo linked to their past.
“One last signature there,” the attorney said, smiling when the 25-year-old twins Madison and Jessica followed his lead. “There! It’s all yours!”
Once the lawyer left, Jessica’s gaze lingered on the towering ceilings and ornate décor of the Victorian-style mansion nestled in the outskirts of the quiet town.
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“Can you believe it, Maddy!?” she exclaimed, feeling excitement swishing through her veins. “We own this now! It’s OURS!
Jessica rejoiced, not realizing that her sister hadn’t said a word and was instead quietly crying.
“Maddy, what’s wrong?” Jessica asked, confused.
“Jess, this mansion, the way we got it…It still feels like a dream,” Madison said, breathless and disbelieving. She closed her eyes and thought about the lower point in their life 16 years ago. They were nine and had only $3 in their pockets after fleeing their stepfather.
In the fall of 2002, the twins lived with their stepfather, Martin, after their mother died in a car accident 1999. While he always had trouble drinking, his wife’s death worsened things. He took his frustrations out on them and couldn’t hold down a job.
Madison and Jessica tried to be good, despite how often he reminded them they were a burden. But after years of this mistreatment, Martin got home drunk one night, expecting food on the table.
“We’re really sorry, sir,” Madison said softly, her head lowered in fright. “We had a lot of homework to do today. Dinner will be ready in just 20 minutes. Please forgive us for being late.”
“She’s telling the truth,” Jessica agreed.
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Still, Martin didn’t like their answer. He grabbed their notebooks and bags, hurling them around the living room carelessly.
“I don’t care about your school. Do you understand, you lazy little rats?” Martin yelled, terrifying them. “If I have to raise you, you’ll have to work around here! If this happens again, you’ll be out on the streets!”
The girls looked at each other, and although this wasn’t the first time he had threatened to kick them out, his words still caused intense terror.
Madison began to cry while Jessica tried to stop the tears, uttering, “Yes, sir.”
Martin grinned, his rage dissipating now that he knew they were afraid. He grabbed a beer from his fridge and sat in front of the TV while dialing to order some pizza. Of course, he wouldn’t share that with them.
Madison ran to their room, and Jessica followed closely. “What are we doing to do?” she asked her crying sister. “We can’t live with that ogre anymore.”
Her twin wiped her tears away. “Where would we go?”
“I know, but he doesn’t even feed us. He hates us,” Jessica continued. “Wouldn’t it be better to just leave? Run away?”
“Run where?” Madison asked, looking around.
“Anywhere. Somewhere better than here,” her sister added, shrugging.
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“OK,” Madison said, nodding. They quieted and stared into each other eyes for a long time. Then, they hugged tightly and began to pack. They checked the few pennies and dimes they’d managed to steal here and there, but it was only three dollars between them.
When they were ready, they exited their room slowly, checking that Martin was fast asleep. His pizza box was only half empty, and his beer can was still in his hand.
Jessica stopped Madison for a second. “Wait, I can’t leave until I do something,” Jessica said, put her things down, and ran to her stepfather’s room.
“What are you doing?” Madison whispered-yelled, panicking. But Jessica was back quickly with a bottle. She tiptoed to Martin’s and poured a powder on his open beer can. Luckily, he was snoring loudly.
Jessica threw the bottle on the floor, grabbed her things, and ushered Madison out.
“What was that?” her sister asked.
“Laxative,” she answered, grinning slightly.
Madison almost burst out laughing loudly but covered her mouth, and they left, never to see their horrible stepfather again.
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For the next 15 years, the girls traveled all over the country, surviving by stealing and begging where they could. Eventually, they raised enough money to buy a cheap minivan.
They had to leave towns quickly and change their appearances after stealing. It was a complicated life, but it worked for them. Jessica was the most daring, while Madison was usually more reserved and scared when stealing.
While traveling through Boston, they suddenly encountered a neighbor with a large, beautiful mansion.
“Look at that house, Maddy. I bet we could grab just one box of jewelry and be set for the rest of the year,” Jessica pointed out, stopping the car only a few paces away.
“I don’t know, Jess. Those wrought-iron fences are heavy-duty. It’ll be tough to climb. Plus, these places probably have alarm systems and stuff, right?” Madison shook her head but stared at the state with wonder.
“Well, I’m going,” Jessica insisted, removing her seat belt and climbing out of the driving seat. Madison followed, trying to talk her out of it.
As predicted, the fence was hard to climb, but there was no alarm, at least. Jessica was an expert in picking locks, but she knew rich folks always left their doors open. “Bingo,” she whispered, rolling a side door open.
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The twins entered a dressing room and ransacked as quickly as possible, finding jewelry and designer bags galore.
When they were ready to leave, Madison lifted her heavy bag and accidentally knocked a vase.
“Oops!” she whispered, looking at her sister with panicked eyes.
“We have to go,” Jessica said calmly. “Let’s pray she didn’t hear this.”
“Who’s there?” they suddenly heard as lights turned on. An old woman in her nightgown stood in the doorway. “Who are you?”
The twins stared at each other, wondering what to do next.
“Oh, no. Please don’t take that,” the lady continued, her eyes on the box Jessica had in her hands because it didn’t fit in her bag. Her eyes teared up quickly. “Take anything else but that, and I won’t call the police.”
The twins were flustered, but Jessica would not leave that box now that the old woman basically confirmed it was valuable. “MADDY, RUN!” she yelled, rushing to the old woman at the door and pushing her to the side.
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“Please, those jewels are worth more than money!” the old woman wailed after catching herself from falling.
Madison only hesitated a second before following her sister. They rushed down, exiting through the sliding door and not looking back until they were securely in their van. Madison looked up at the mansion and saw the old woman staring through the window.
“We did a terrible thing, Jess,” Madison lamented. “She said they’re worth more than money.”
“Yeah, that means what’s in this box is more valuable than everything else. This is how we survive,” Jessica snapped, driving on.
They were too tired to get away from Boston that night, so they stopped at an empty rest stop, and Jessica fell asleep quickly. Madison couldn’t stay still, so instead, she grabbed the box and returned to the old woman’s house.
Instead of breaking in again, Madison rang her doorbell. The old woman’s eyes widened when she saw her without a mask and holding the jewelry box in her hand.
“I’m sorry for what we did earlier,” Madison spoke in a soft voice laced with guilt and sympathy. “My sister and I were in a tough spot. Please, forgive us. Don’t call the police.”
The old woman stared at her sweetly, holding back tears, and asked Madison inside. She asked the younger woman to call her Mrs. George, and they began to talk. After a while, Madison looked at the pictures on her mantelpiece, noting many people.
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But one frame caught her eye.
“Wh—who is this?” Madison stuttered, her eyes brimming with tears. The old lady’s eyes followed Madison’s gaze at the photo, and she was puzzled about what had suddenly made the young woman cry.
“Well, that’s…that’s my late daughter, Amber,” Mrs. George replied softly, her glass becoming foggy due to the warm tears in her eyes. “she was a beauty, wasn’t she? But why do you cry?”
Madison’s heart skipped a beat as she stared intently at the photo and then back at Mrs. George.
“What? Your daughter? It can’t be…Th—that’s my MOM!”
The living room fell silent as the two women exchanged a puzzled glance, their eyes filled with emotion. “Your mother?!” the grandmother whispered as her face was drained of blood.
“Oh, my God! This is unbelievable! Honey, I’m your grandmother!” Mrs. George gasped as she pulled Madison into a tight embrace, realizing they were connected in a way they could have never imagined.
“Wh—How can this be? I never knew we had a grandmother!” Madison exclaimed in shock. “I’ll go bring my sister. She needs to know too!”
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Madison bolted to the minivan and told Jessica everything.
“What! And she’s our grandma? OMG…how’s that possible? How come we didn’t know about her all these years?” Jessica was stunned when her sister revealed the encounter back in the grandmother’s estate.
“Yeah, Jess! It’s unbelievable. The woman we just robbed is our GRANDMOTHER! Let’s go and find out further.”
They talked to the old woman, apologizing for stealing from her. Mrs. George apologized, too, because she never knew of their existence.
“My daughter and I had several problems. She was boy-crazy and didn’t pick the right men. She cut me off eventually, and I didn’t even know where she moved to. I thought it was best to let her come to me later,” their grandmother explained.
They talked more, and the old woman told them to stay in her house. They took a DNA test a few days later to confirm, and Mrs. George promised they would never have to steal again.
Nine months later, Mrs. George passed, and Madison and Jessica inherited her house and the entire estate, although it took a few months before they finalized everything.
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“If we had known about her before, we could’ve lived this life all along,” Madison cried, and Jessica ran to her arms.
“Instead, we burglarized our grandmother’s house,” Jessica cried and laughed, tightening her embrace.
“Breaking into this house was the best thing we ever did,” Madison said. “So, thank you. For being our brave and stupid Robin Hood.”
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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about twins who found a baby abandoned on a stroller and discovered her $3 million legacy later.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers 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.
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