A pregnant mother of three needs to sell her stroller to feed her three children after she was abandoned by her husband.Anne Sargent sat on her kitchen floor and cried. It was past midnight, and it was the only time she could allow herself to show her pain — when her three children were asleep upstairs.Anne felt the baby move and placed a tender hand on her belly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to her unborn child. “I’m doing my best, but it’s just not good enough…” Just two months ago, Anne had been a radially happy wife and mother, confidently expecting the birth of her fourth child, and confident in her place in the world and her husband’s love. That woman was gone.Anne was expecting her fourth child when her husband walked out.| Source: Unsplash Derek had come home one night and told her he was leaving, just like that. “But why?” asked Anne. “I don’t understand, I thought we were happy!”“YOU were happy!” Derek cried. “YOU,not me! All you did was have babies and fuss over them, now there’s one more on the way!” “But you WANTED children!” Anne protested. “You were happy every time I was pregnant…”A family is built on understanding and mutual respect. Happy?” screamed Derek. “Happy that you gave all your love and attention to the kids? All I was to you was a paycheck! Well, that’s OVER!” So three months after Anne announced her fourth pregnancy, Derek was gone. Anne immediately went out and found herself a part-time job at a local grocery store.All you did was have babies and fuss over them!” | Source: Unsplash The owner would have been willing to give her a full-time job, but for that, Anne would have needed to pay a sitter for her three boys and that would have consumed most of her salary,so she carefully stretched her salary. But even with the child support check Derek sent, it just wasn’t enough. Anne started selling some antique china she’d inherited from her grandmother and that paid for the utilities for a few months. Then she sold a silver brush-and-mirror set she’d had since she was a little girl, and that paid for groceries. Little by little, as her belly grew, Anne sold her treasures to keep her family safe and fed. Then one day, there was nothing left to sell except bric-a-brac. Anything of greater value was gone. Anne looked at the old stroller she’d brought up from the cellar. It had been hers when she was a baby and had been used by each of her children in turn. It was very old, probably from the sixties,but it was in mint condition.Anne was devastated by Derek’s attitude. | Source: Unsplash She ran her hand over the roses painted on the side and bit back her tears. She needed it for the new baby, but she needed the money even more.She thought about getting a good price for it down at the flea market. Vintage items were always popular… And so she took the stroller to the flea market, and one of the dealers gave her $50 for it. Not much at all, but every cent helped.Anne walked away, sure she’d never see the stroller again, but she was wrong. Two days later, she opened the front door and saw the stroller on the porch! There was an envelope inside and Anne opened it and read: “Please call me.” The message was followed by a phone number. Anne called the number ad a woman answered her. “Hello?” Anne said. “Are you the person who left the stroller? How did you know who it belonged to and where I live?”Anne got a part-time job as a teller. s Derek told me,” the woman on the other side said. “I’m Grace Robbs. I think we should meet.” An hour later, Grace was sitting on Anne’s sofa sipping tea. She was a pretty woman, six or seven years younger than Anne, and she looked very unhappy. Her pale skin was blotched and her eyes were swollen as if she’d been crying. “How do you know Derek,” Anne asked, even though in her heart she already knew the answer. “I was his girlfriend,” Grace said. “Was?” asked Anne. “You broke up?”What Anne earned just wasn’t enough. | Source: Unsplash “Today, as a matter of fact,” Grace said and started crying. “I didn’t know…I didn’t know about you or the children, or the baby… I found out I was pregnant, and I didn’t know how to tell him…” t“So I went to the flea market with a friend and saw this darling stroller and I bought it. I put it in the middle of the lounge and tied balloons to it with a message: ‘Hello Dad!’” “But he wasn’t happy like I thought he’d be. He started screaming and asking where II got the stroller and if his stupid wife had given it to me. He asked if it was a joke.” He told me to take it right back, that he didn’t want to know about your baby. So I told him: ‘It’s for OUR baby.’ and that’s when he went crazy.” “He accused me of wanting to trap him and said he already had three brats with you and one more on the way, and he didn’t want my baby. He told me to get out and come to you.”Anne sold her beautiful vintage stroller in the flea market. | Source: Unsplash He said: ‘Might as well have all the breeding cows under the same roof.’ I’m so sorry, I didn’t know about you, I guess I didn’t know him at all!” Anne got up and put her arm around the crying girl. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay, you’ll see.” “He’s kicked me out,” Grace said quietly. “I have no family here and nowhere to go. I have a job, but with the rents in this city, I can’t afford to live alone, and who is going to want a pregnant roommate?” “I will!” Anne said firmly. “I need a tenant because what I earn isn’t enough, and I can’t work full-time because I can’t afford a babysitter for after school.” “But…” Grace’s face lit up. “I work online! I can take care of the kids after school. I love kids!”Anne and Grace comforted each other. | Source: Unsplash Advertisement “So I can take a full-time job?” asked Anne, delighted. “The owner of the grocery store wants me to manage it for him. With your help, I can! And you don’t have to worry about stuff for the baby. After three kids I have enough for an army.” Grace smiled through her tears. “And we have the stroller too…” she pointed out. “Are you sure? It’s Derek’s baby…” “No,” Anne shook her head. “It’s YOUR baby, and my children’s sibling, that is all that matters.” The two women settled into a new life together, and when Anne’s baby was born, Grace was there. When it was Grace’s turn four months later, Anne held her hand. They became a real family and raised their five children together.Anne and Grace raised their children together. | Source: Unsplash Advertisement As for Derek, he had several failed relationships and eventually came knocking on Anne’s door. He was shocked when he saw Grace there and asked to speak to Anne. “What do you want, Derek?” Anne asked. “I miss you, babe…” Derek said. Anne stared at him for a long moment then said, “Sorry, so not interested!” And she closed the door in his face.
Grandkids Destroyed My Neighbor’s House with Party While She Was at Husband’s Funeral – I Taught Them a Harsh Lesson
Grandkids Destroyed My Neighbor’s House with Party While She Was at Husband’s Funeral – I Taught Them a Harsh Lesson
My sweet old neighbor recently lost her husband and left to fulfill his wish to be buried beside his father, leaving her house in her grandchildren’s care. But the brats trashed it with a party and ran off. I stood up for the poor old lady and taught her grandkids a priceless lesson.
So, here’s a story about the time I had to teach some bratty grandkids a lesson they’d never forget. It all started with my sweet, kind, and friendly neighbor, Mrs. Jacobs.
Her husband, Mr. Jacobs, passed away recently. His last wish was to be buried next to his father’s grave, which was several hundred miles away on the other side of the city…
People at a funeral | Source: AmoMama
Mrs. Jacobs, being the devoted wife she was, went off to fulfill his last wish, saying she’d be back ASAP. She assured me everything would be fine while she was away.
Before she left, I offered to feed her two dogs and cats. Mrs. Jacobs thanked me but told me it wasn’t necessary.
“I’ve invited my grandchildren, Jordan and Ariana, to stay over while I’m gone. They’re in their sophomore year in college, so they can handle it,” she said. Famous last words.
An older lady walking on a porch | Source: AmoMama
She seemed so confident in their ability to manage the house and take care of her beloved pets, and I didn’t want to undermine her trust in them.
I’m a nurse, so I had a graveyard shift that night. The next morning, I decided to drop by Mrs. Jacobs’s house to check if everything was okay and maybe say hi to the grandkids.
A young nurse outside a house | Source: AmoMama
It had been several months since I last saw them, and I thought it’d be a good time to offer my condolences. Plus, I wanted to ensure Mrs. Jacobs’s pets were doing alright in her absence.
When I knocked on the door, no one answered. Weird. So, I slowly pushed it open, and it was unlocked.
For illustration purposes only | Source: AmoMama
What greeted me was pure chaos. Imagine empty alcohol bottles, broken cabinets, graffiti on the walls, stale pizza boxes, and clothes strewn everywhere. It was like a tornado had hit the place.
The mess was so extensive that it was hard to know where to start if you wanted to clean it up.
It didn’t take long to figure out what had happened. Her lovely grandchildren had thrown a massive party and left the house trashed.
A chaotic party scene | Source: AmoMama
I couldn’t believe my eyes. The audacity of these kids! Instead of being there for their grieving grandmother, they turned her home into a frat house.
They showed no respect for her or her property, and it made my blood boil.
I was seething with anger, but I knew I had to act fast. Just then, a cab pulled up, and out stepped Mrs. Jacobs. She looked exhausted but hopeful. But when she saw the mess, she burst into tears.
A shocked older woman | Source: AmoMama
It was heart-wrenching to see her so devastated by the destruction of her home.
“Nina, what… what happened to my house?” she sobbed, clutching my arm, her body shaking with the intensity of her grief and shock.
I took a deep breath. “I don’t know, but I’ll fix this,” I promised, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Why don’t you stay at my sister’s place for a couple of days? I’ll take care of everything here.”
An upset older lady sitting on the couch | Source: AmoMama
Her eyes filled with gratitude. “What are you going to do?” she asked, looking at me with hope and desperation.
“Just trust me,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. “I have a plan.”
Glistening eyes of older woman | Source: AmoMama
The next morning, I called Jordan and Ariana.
“Listen, your grandma is not well,” I lied. “She doesn’t have much time left, and she’s deciding who will inherit her estate.”
“Wait, what?” Jordan sounded shocked. My plan seemed to work and I knew I had his attention.
A young man talking on the phone | Source: AmoMama
“She’s got a significant amount of money in her bank account,” I continued.
“She’ll leave it to the grandchild who proves they care about her the most.”
“Are you serious?” Ariana asked when I called her next, excitement evident in her voice. I could practically hear the wheels turning in her head, calculating her chances of getting the inheritance.
A young woman in a cafe engaged in a phone call | Source: AmoMama
“Yes, and if she finds out about the mess you made, you’ll both be out of the will,” I warned, hoping the threat would motivate them to take immediate action.
Within hours, Jordan and Ariana showed up with a few friends.
They cleaned up the mess, scrubbed the walls, fixed the broken cabinets, painted the fence, and even took care of the leaky roof Mrs. Jacobs had been complaining about for months.
A young man and woman in a car | Source: AmoMama
I watched from my balcony, sipping on my cinnamon coffee, a triumphant smile on my face as they worked tirelessly to restore the house.
“Make sure you get that spot by the fireplace,” Jordan barked at one of his friends, pointing at the grime that had accumulated there over time.
A young woman clutching a cup of coffee on the balcony | Source: AmoMama
Ariana was on her knees, scrubbing the floor. “This better be worth it,” she muttered under her breath, clearly not enjoying the task but determined to see it through.
The next evening, Mrs. Jacobs returned. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the spotless house.
“Oh my goodness, Nina, I’m not able to recognize my own house! How did you manage this?” she asked, tears of joy streaming down her face.
A surprised older woman | Source: AmoMama
“Just a little trick, Mrs. Jacobs!” I replied, not giving away the whole truth. I wanted her to feel at peace and not worry about the effort it took to clean up the disaster her grandkids had left behind.
Her grandchildren hovered around her, eager to please. They competed for her attention, hoping to secure their place in her will. It was almost comical to see how quickly they had changed their tune.
Teary eyes of an older woman | Source: AmoMama
“Nana, I made your favorite stew,” Ariana said, presenting a steaming bowl with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. The effort was there, even if the sincerity was questionable.
Jordan cut in, “And I’m taking you to the new art exhibit downtown this weekend. Thought it’d be a nice change of pace,” he added, trying to one-up his sister.
Young man with older woman | Source: AmoMama
Over the next few weeks, I watched in amusement as Jordan and Ariana doted on their grandmother.
Jordan took her on a vacation to Miami, something he’d never done before, and Ariana drove her around town, did her laundry, and even cooked meals for her. They were going above and beyond to show their care.
Young lady in the kitchen | Source: AmoMama
It was such a pleasure to watch the grandchildren take care of Mrs. Jacobs and have most of her wants fulfilled. For instance, Mrs. Jacobs had a rotten tooth that needed immediate attention.
It thrilled my heart to watch Jordan and Ariana fight on the porch over who would take their grandma to the dentist.
Young man and woman staring at each other | Source: AmoMama
“You took her last time!” Ariana shouted, crossing her arms defiantly, clearly not wanting to back down from the responsibility.
“Yeah, but she likes my car better,” Jordan retorted, keys dangling from his finger, trying to assert his superiority.
An annoyed young lady | Source: AmoMama
You won’t believe it, but they started visiting their grandma regularly on weekends and even drove her to church every Sunday.
I was so happy for Mrs. Jacobs and the pleasant changes in her fragile, old age.
But deep down, it also saddened me to know that her grandkids were competing only for her money. It would hurt the poor old lady if she ever discovered this, right?
Woman sitting on a couch | Source: AmoMama
God, I hope such a day never arrives in Mrs. Jacobs’s life, or it would tear her apart.
One day, Mrs. Jacobs came over to my place, a radiant smile on her face.
“Nina, I’m so happy. My grandchildren have changed so much. They’re always around, taking care of me. I don’t know what you did, but thank you!” she chirped.
I smiled, squeezing her hands. “Just did what needed to be done,” I said, winking at her, feeling a mixture of satisfaction and relief that my plan had worked so well.
Happy older woman on a warm evening | Source: AmoMama
She hugged me tightly. “They’re taking me to a movie today,” she said, beaming with joy and pride in her “transformed” grandchildren.
As she left, I offered a silent apology, hoping she’d never discover the truth. I wanted her to live happily, surrounded by the love she deserved, without ever knowing the extent of my intervention.
Older lady and young woman embracing each other | Source: AmoMama
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