For weeks, a little girl from across the street waved at me day and night. I couldn’t shake the haunting look in her eyes. When I finally went to see who she was, nothing could’ve prepared me for the heartbreaking truth waiting behind that door.
Every evening, I would watch this little girl from my window. She was always there, a small, petite figure no older than five standing by the window, her tiny hand waving at me. Her eyes, fixed on mine, held an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. Who was she? What did she want from me?
A little girl waving her hand from a window | Source: Midjourney
I turned to my wife, Sandy, who was curled up on the couch with a book. “Babe, she’s there again. The girl I told you about.”
Sandy looked up, her brow furrowed. “The one who’s always waving at you?”
I nodded, feeling a pang of sorrow. “Yeah. There’s something… I don’t know. Something in her eyes. It’s like she’s trying to tell me something.”
A woman reading a book | Source: Midjourney
Sandy set her book aside and joined me at the window. “Oh, Arnie,” she said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Maybe she’s just a lonely kid. Have you tried waving back?”
I shook my head, my eyes still fixed on the little figure across the street. “No, I can’t explain it, Sandy. It feels like more than that. Like she’s calling out to me.”
Sandy’s grip on my shoulder tightened. “Honey, you’re scaring me a little. It’s just a kid waving. Don’t read too much into it, okay?”
I tore my gaze away from the window and forced a smile. “You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking things.”
A man looking somewhere | Source: Midjourney
As I pulled the curtains shut, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was turning my back on something important.
That night, sleep eluded me, my dreams haunted by the image of the little girl crying out for help.
“Don’t leave me,” she sobbed in my dreams. “Please, don’t go.”
I woke up in a cold sweat, Sandy’s concerned face hovering over me.
“Arnie? Are you okay? You were talking in your sleep.”
Grayscale shot of a man sleeping | Source: Pexels
I sat up, my heart racing. “I… I don’t know. That girl. She was in my dreams. She was crying.”
Sandy’s eyes widened with worry. “Maybe we should talk to someone about this. A therapist, maybe?”
I shook my head. “No, I think I need to do something. I can’t keep ignoring this.”
At the break of dawn, I woke up exhausted. My head was pounding from last night’s nightmares. The aroma of freshly made pancakes wafted up from the kitchen, but even the promise of my favorite breakfast did little to lift my spirits.
A distressed man holding his head | Source: Pexels
I trudged downstairs, where Sandy greeted me with a steaming cup of tea and a plate of golden pancakes.
“Rough night?”
I nodded, taking a sip of the hot tea. “Yeah, couldn’t shake off those dreams.”
As I finished my breakfast, I was drawn to the window again. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the little girl standing there. She waved at me the moment our eyes met.
Her tiny outstretched hand seemed to pull me towards her like a moth drawn to a flame.
A sad little girl waving her hand | Source: Midjourney
I set down my cup with a clatter. “That’s it. I’m going to talk to her parents. I can’t take this anymore.”
Sandy’s eyes widened. “Arnie, are you sure about this?”
I nodded, my eyes fixed on the building across the street. “I have to know, Sandy. I can’t explain it, but… I feel like she needs me. She’s getting creepy. She waved at me the same way last night. What does she want? I don’t get it.”
Window view of a building across the street | Source: Pexels
Sandy came up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Just be careful, okay? And call me if anything feels off.”
I turned and kissed her forehead. “I will. I promise.”
The walk across the street felt like the longest journey of my life. My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the building, my palms sweaty as I pressed the buzzer for the apartment I’d seen the girl in so many times.
Close-up of a man pressing a buzzer near a door | Source: Pexels
There was a long pause, and then a woman’s voice crackled through the intercom. “Yes? Who is it?”
“Hi, I’m Arnold from across the street. I wanted to talk to you about your daughter.”
Another pause, longer this time. Then, the door buzzed open.
A woman holding the door handle | Source: Pexels
A woman stood in the doorway. My heart stopped the moment I saw her.
“JULIETTE?” I whispered, hardly believing my eyes.
She nodded, her eyes glistening with tears. “Hello, Arnie. It’s been a long time.”
Portrait of a woman near a door | Source: Midjourney
Before I could respond, a small figure appeared behind Juliette. The little girl. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and hopeful.
“DADDY?!” she chirped.
I felt like I was on a boat in a storm. I gripped the doorframe to steady myself.
“What did she say?”
Juliette stepped aside, ushering me in. “Come inside, Arnie. We have a lot to talk about.”
A cheerful little girl looking up and smiling | Source: Midjourney
I sank onto the worn couch, my head spinning. Juliette sat across from me, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Arnie, do you remember that weekend at the lake house? Six years ago?”
I nodded, memories flooding back. “Our last weekend together before—”
“Before we broke up,” she finished. “What I didn’t know then was… I was already pregnant.”
My head snapped up. “What? But how? Why didn’t you tell me?”
A shocked man | Source: Midjourney
Juliette’s tears spilled over. “I tried, Arnie. God, I tried. But you’d moved out of town and changed your number. It was like you’d vanished.”
“I had a right to know,” I choked out, my eyes stinging.
“I know. I was young and scared. By the time I worked up the courage to really look for you, years had passed. I thought it was too late.”
The little girl, whom Juliette called Heidi, sat silently in a corner, her eyes never leaving my face.
My daughter. The word echoed in my mind, foreign, terrifying, and wonderful all at once.
A woman crying | Source: Pexels
“When did you move here?” I turned to Juliette.
“A few months ago. I got a job transfer. When I saw you through the window that first day…” she trailed off, her eyes distant. “I told Heidi you were her father. I thought maybe it was fate giving us another chance. But then, I saw you with someone—”
“She’s my wife, Sandy.”
A long silence. Then I stood up abruptly, my mind reeling. “I need to go. I need to think.”
A distressed man sitting on the couch | Source: Midjourney
Heidi’s face crumpled. “Daddy? Are you leaving?”
The word struck me like a dagger to my heart. I knelt down in front of her, my heart breaking at the fear in her eyes.
“I’ll be back, sweetheart. I promise. I just need some time, okay?”
She nodded solemnly, and I felt a surge of love so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet.
A cheerful little girl | Source: Midjourney
As I left the apartment, Juliette called after me. “Arnie? I’m sorry. For everything.”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond.
The walk home was a blur. I found Sandy waiting anxiously by the door.
“Arnie? What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
A heartbroken man walking on the road | Source: Pixabay
I collapsed into her arms, the tears finally breaking free. Between sobs, I told her everything. About Juliette, about Heidi, and about the daughter I never knew I had.
Sandy listened in stunned silence, her arms tight around me. When I finished, she pulled back, her eyes searching mine.
“What are you going to do?” she asked softly.
I shook my head, lost. “I don’t know. I have a daughter, Sandy. A little girl who’s been waving at me and trying to reach me. How do I just walk away from that?”
A woman looking at a man | Source: Midjourney
“I’m just as shocked as you are, Arnie. But we need to be careful. You can’t just take everything Juliette says at face value.”
“What do you mean?”
“We should get a DNA test first. Just to be sure,” Sandy said, squeezing my shoulders.
A woman talking to a man | Source: Midjourney
The next day, I stood at Juliette’s door again. When she opened it, I blurted out, “Juliette, I think we need a DNA test.”
Her face instantly hardened. “What? You think I’m lying? You just found out you have a child, and you’re already doubting me? You’re unbelievable, Arnie.”
“I just want to be certain before I commit to anything,” I tried to explain, but she slammed the door in my face.
An angry woman | Source: Pexels
Dejected, I returned home and shared what happened with my mother. She listened quietly, then asked for Juliette’s address.
I wasn’t sure what my mom said to her, but the next day, Juliette called.
“Hey, Juliette here. I got your number from your mother. I’ve thought about it and understand. We can do the DNA test.”
I sighed with relief. “Thank you, Juliette. I appreciate it.”
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
When I told Sandy, she wasn’t thrilled. “I love you, Arnie. God help me, I do. And I’ll stand by you through this. But I’m scared. I just hope this doesn’t change anything between us,” she sobbed as I pulled her closer, my eyes brimming with tears.
The next few weeks were an emotional rollercoaster, each day bringing a new wave of anxiety, hope, and fear.
When the DNA test results finally arrived, my hands trembled as I opened the envelope. The words blurred before my eyes, but one phrase stood out in stark clarity: “99.99% probability of paternity.”
My heart raced. Heidi was my daughter.
A document on a table | Source: Midjourney
But a small part of me, the part still reeling from this life-altering revelation, whispered doubts.
What if there was a mistake?
I couldn’t bear the thought of embracing this new reality only to have it ripped away.
So I took another test and endured another agonizing wait. The second results came back, also positive. Tears streamed down my face as I called out to Sandy.
An emotional man | Source: Pixabay
“It’s true,” I sobbed on her shoulders. “She’s really mine. My daughter.”
Dead silence, then, “Oh, Arnie, I’m here for you. For both of you.”
Sandy and I visited Juliette’s apartment, where Heidi greeted me with a cry of “Daddy!” and threw herself into my arms.
As I held her, I looked at Sandy, afraid of what I might see in her eyes. But she was smiling through her tears, her hand reaching out to smooth Heidi’s hair.
“She’s beautiful,” Sandy whispered.
A happy little girl holding a teddy bear | Source: Midjourney
Juliette watched us, joy and sadness brimming in her eyes. “I never meant to complicate your lives,” she said. “I just wanted Heidi to know her father.”
I nodded, understanding flooding through me. “I’m glad you did. I’m glad I know her now.”
As we left that day, Heidi clung to my leg. “You’ll come back, right Daddy?”
I knelt down, looking into those eyes that were so like mine. “Of course, I will, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
A little girl looking up with a warm smile | Source: Midjourney
On the walk home, Sandy laced her fingers through mine. “So, we’re parents now, huh?”
I squeezed her hand. “Looks like it. Are you okay with this?”
She was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “We’ve been trying to have kids for two years now, but it hasn’t happened. It’s not how I imagined it happening. But yes, I think I am okay.”
As we reached our front door, I pulled Sandy into a hug. “I love you. Thank you for being so amazing through all of this.”
“I love you too. And Arnie? I think you’re going to be a wonderful father.”
Silhouette of a couple holding hands and walking | Source: Unsplash
That night, as I stood by our window, I saw Heidi waving from across the street. But this time, instead of fear or confusion, I felt only love. I waved back, my heart full to bursting.
Maybe this wasn’t how I’d planned to become a father. Maybe it wasn’t the path I would have chosen. But as I stood there, waving at my daughter, I knew with absolute certainty that it was the path I was meant to be on all along.
A man waving his hand | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
Our Stepdad Gifted My Mom a Pack of Toilet Paper for Her Birthday — Our Revenge on Him Was Harsh
My stepdad always made a big deal about being the “man of the house,” but when his “special gift” for my mom’s birthday turned out to be a pack of toilet paper, I decided it was time for payback. And let’s just say someone else ended up desperately needing that present.
My stepfather, Jeff, loved reminding us he was the breadwinner of the house throughout our entire childhood. Anytime we sat down to dinner, he’d start with his usual spiel.
A man lauhing at a dinning table | Source: Midjourney
“You’re lucky I keep this roof over your heads,” he’d say and chortle. He also said it all the time while leaning back on his worn-out recliner. It was his favorite thing in the world.
My mom, Jane, always nodded along. She was the kind of woman who avoided conflict at any cost. She wasn’t raised in the 1950s, but her upbringing had been different from ours. Staying quiet had become almost an art form for her.
As her kids, my siblings (Chloe, Lily, and Anthony) and I could see that she desperately wanted to speak up but didn’t. Meanwhile, we surely didn’t consider him “the king of the castle” or a “real man,” which were other phrases Jeff used to describe himself.
A woman at a dinning table | Source: Midjourney
Yes, he paid all the bills while we were growing up, and we were thankful. But that wasn’t an excuse to treat our mother like a servant and think he was better than the rest of us.
We had tried for years to get Mom to leave him to no avail.
Eventually, we all moved out of their house as we reached adulthood, but my sisters and I continued to visit Mom often. Anthony lived on the other side of the country, but he checked in every other day.
A man on the phone | Source: Midjourney
Still, we worried about her.
I felt that our visits weren’t enough to truly know what was going on in that house. I often sat alone in my apartment and wondered if Mom would ever leave this man and if there was something he could do to finally make her snap out of her proverbial shackles.
Yes, this is where it gets good.
This year, Jeff simply went too far. For days leading up to Mom’s birthday, he wouldn’t stop bragging about the “special gift” he’d picked out for her.
A man on a reclining chair | Source: Midjourney
“This one’s going to knock her socks off,” he said over dinner at their house, grinning like a buffoon.
I wanted to believe him. Maybe he had finally decided to treat her with the respect she deserved. But deep down, I knew better. Jeff was Jeff, and people like him never changed.
My mom’s birthday arrived, and of course, my sisters and I were there, sitting in the living room. Jeff had a twinkle in his eyes, and I knew Mom had hope in hers.
Three sisters with presents in their hands | Source: Midjourney
After she opened our presents, my stepdad handed her a huge, beautifully wrapped package. He was smiling, and my mom’s face lit up as she carefully untied the ribbon.
“Oh, Jeff, you didn’t have to,” she said softly.
“Yes, I did. Go on. Open it,” he urged, leaning forward in his chair.
She unwrapped the box slowly, savoring the moment… until she saw what was inside— toilet paper. 12-pack. Four-ply. Jumbo rolls.
A woman smiling with a big present | Source: Midjourney
Mom blinked in confusion.
“It’s so soft. Just like you!” Jeff declared, slapping his knee and cackling. “And look, four-ply, to represent your four kids. Perfect, right?”
Mom let out a nervous laugh, but I could see her eyes glistening. My sisters and I exchanged a look. This wasn’t just a bad joke; it was cruel.
We’d had enough. We had to do something.
A woman looking angry | Source: Midjourney
***
Two days later, our plan began to take shape. Jeff loved two things: being the “big man” and free food. So, we invited him to a “family dinner” at the Chinese restaurant he always raved about.
Chloe, my youngest sibling, was the one who planted the idea.
“We’ll do it in his favorite place. He won’t suspect a thing,” she said, smirking.
Lily, being the eldest and most practical, raised an eyebrow. “And what happens after?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Chloe replied. “We’ll handle it.”
A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
We set the date and made sure to hype it up, so Jeff wouldn’t miss it.
“Dinner’s on us this time,” Chloe told him sweetly
Jeff puffed out his chest. “Well, it’s about time someone else paid for once. I’m glad that being out of the house has finally opened your eyes to how great you fared because of me!”
We rolled our eyes internally.
The restaurant was bustling that night. Shiny red lanterns hung from the ceiling, giving the space a nice reddish glow.
Chinese restaurant | Source: Midjourney
The food from other tables smelled delicious, and I could tell Jeff was hungry as we sat down at our table.
“When are your mom and Lily getting here?” he asked, wrinkling his nose toward the front door.
“Don’t worry. They’ll be here soon. How about we order food anyway?” I suggested, nodding towards Chloe.
She agreed and started rattling off things she wanted, things we specifically planned to order: Szechuan beef, Kung Pao chicken, and the spiciest mapo tofu on the menu.
Chinese menu | Source: Midjourney
Jeff ordered his usual, but I knew what we had in mind would still work.
Each dish came out looking like a masterpiece of fiery reds and deep browns, garnished with fresh herbs and enough chili to make a grown man cry.
Chloe’s eyes twinkled as the waiter finished arranging everything on the table.
“Jeff, you can handle spicy, right?” she asked, pretending to be concerned.
A woman smiling at Chinese restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Jeff stayed silent for a second, stumped, then nodded quickly. “I didn’t realize you gals wanted to share everything. Of course, I can eat anything. Nothing is ever too spicy for a real man.”
I chimed in with, “Be careful with these, though. They’re pretty hot.”
I just knew my words would make him mad.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Amelia,” Jeff scoffed and took his chopsticks to skewer a piece of beef straight into his mouth.
A man looking serious at a Chinese restaurant | Source: Midjourney
At first, he gave out an exaggerated moan, to “prove his manliness,” but soon, his face turned redder than the lanterns above us. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he chewed and breathed through his nose.
“Everything alright?” Chloe asked, again faking worry.
“Yes, yes,” he lied through his full mouth. “This is good stuff.”
I was sure Jeff wouldn’t grab more after gulping down an entire glass of Coke, but Chloe and I began eating in earnest.
“Oh, it’s not so spicy after all,” Chloe commented, smiling sugary-sweet. She was baiting him.
A woman smiling with chopsticks in her hand | Source: Midjourney
I nodded, grabbing more.
Not to be outdone, Jeff began to eat more. He was breathing roughly now, but when we asked if he was alright, he simply said, “This really clears the sinuses, gals.”
Still, his fingers went up and snapped at the waiter to bring him more Coke.
Chloe leaned over and whispered, “He’s going to feel that later.”
“Oh, definitely,” I whispered back, grinning conspiratorially.
A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
***
While Jeff was busy showing off his “macho” tolerance for heat, Mom and Lily were busy back at the house with a rented U-Haul and movers.
They worked quickly to load up Mom’s belongings, such as clothes, keepsakes, her favorite chair, and even the toaster. I told them to take the things Mom had given Jeff over the years by saving up when she could: the recliner and his specialty tools.
A truck and workers loading boxes | Source: Midjourney
But the pièce de résistance was Chloe telling them to remove every single roll of toilet paper in the house.
***
Jeff was still red when we left the restaurant, and he was grumbling about Mom and Lily being no-shows. So I just suggested going to the house to see if anything had happened.
When we arrived, everything was ready. The truck had already left. Meanwhile, Mom and Lily were hiding in the garage.
Jeff walked in with Chloe and me right behind him. He barely made it two steps into the living room before he froze.
A dimly lit living room | Source: Midjourney
“Where’s my recliner?” he barked, scanning the empty spot.
“Gone,” Chloe piped in casually, tilting her head. “Mom took what’s hers.”
Jeff turned to us and his face reddened again, but before he could say another word, his stomach gurgled loudly. He doubled over slightly, clutching his gut.
“Oh, man, I think that spicy food—” He paused, looking around frantically.
A man holding his stomach | Source: Midjourney
“Is something wrong, Jeff? I hope it wasn’t the food,” I said, blinking innocently.
He stared daggers at me before bolting down the hall. Moments later, we heard the bathroom door slam.
Lily and Mom appeared out of their hiding spot right in time to hear the sound of Jeff panicking. “What the hell? Where’s all the toilet paper?!” he yelled.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“We took that along with the recliner!” I shouted, laughter bubbling up. “After all, it also belonged to Mom!”
A woman laughing | Source: Midjourney
“WHAT?” he shouted back.
It seemed like he wasn’t getting it, so Mom stepped closer to the bathroom door. “I’M LEAVING YOU, JEFF! And I took what was mine,” she exclaimed firmly. “Including my dignity.”
Jeff groaned loudly from behind the bathroom door. “You can’t just leave me like this!” he yelled.
“WATCH ME!” Mom replied, adding, “Not that you can right now, but enjoy staying in the bathroom all night!”
A woman next to a closed door | Source: Midjourney
My sisters and I stared at each other, giggling.
Jeff groaned, and there were other unsavory sounds, which I took as our cue to leave. “Let’s go, Mom,” I said.
She nodded and walked out, thanking us.
***
The next day, Jeff tried to call her. Over and over again, he left voicemails full of fake apologies and pitiful excuses.
“Jane, come on, be reasonable! You can’t just run off like this!” he begged.
A man using a phone | Source: Midjourney
But Mom didn’t answer or call back.
Instead, Chloe had a better idea.
On his birthday, we sent Jeff a little gift. A jumbo pack of toilet paper, wrapped just as carefully as the one he’d given Mom.
Attached was a handwritten note that read: “For a real man.”
Rolls of toilet paper on a porch | Source: Midjourney
Mom moved in with Lily, a temporary arrangement where we all helped while she found a job. Anthony was delighted to learn about what we had done and wished he was there, too.
From what I hear, Jeff’s still complaining to anyone who’ll listen. But Mom is finally living her life without his control, and we couldn’t be prouder.
A happy woman | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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