What happens when the joy of welcoming a newborn is eclipsed by betrayal, cruelty, or heartbreaking abandonment? These four emotional stories reveal how families navigated the deepest wounds caused by those they loved most… stories that will leave you gripping your heart.
A newborn’s cry should be the sound of hope, love, and new beginnings. But for these families, the arrival of their children was met with betrayal, manipulation, and heartbreak. Each story reveals the raw reality of navigating parenthood while enduring the deepest wounds inflicted by those closest to them.
A newborn baby | Source: Unsplash
Story 1: I Went to Pick Up My Wife and Newborn Twins from the Hospital — I Found Only the Babies and a Note
I was all smiles driving to the hospital that day, balloons bobbing beside me. I couldn’t wait to bring Suzie and our newborn twin daughters, Callie and Jessica, home. I’d spent days perfecting the nursery, cooking a family dinner, and planning a warm welcome. But when I arrived, everything unraveled.
Suzie was gone.
A man holding balloons | Source: Midjourney
I found my daughters sleeping peacefully in their bassinets and a note waiting for me:
“Goodbye. Take care of them. Ask your mother WHY she did this to me.”
The words hit like a freight train. My hands shook as I reread them. This wasn’t real… couldn’t be. Suzie was happy, wasn’t she?
A man reading a note | Source: Midjourney
A nurse entered with discharge paperwork, but her calm expression crumbled when I demanded to know where Suzie was. “She checked out this morning,” she said nervously. “She told us you knew.”
I didn’t know. I drove home in a daze, my daughters in the backseat, and the note crumpled in my fist. At home, my mom, Mandy, greeted me on the porch with a bright smile and a casserole dish.
“Oh, let me see my grandbabies!” she exclaimed.
An excited woman | Source: Midjourney
I stepped back, holding the car seat protectively. “Not yet, Mom,” I said coldly, thrusting the note at her. “What did you do to Suzie?”
Her smile faded, and as she read the note, her face paled. “Ben, I don’t know—”
“Don’t lie to me! You’ve never liked her! You’ve always criticized and undermined her. What did you do that pushed her to take this extreme step?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran inside the house. “I’ve only ever tried to help.”
A woman reading a note | Source: Midjourney
I couldn’t trust her anymore. That night, while the twins slept, I searched for answers. In Suzie’s things, I found a letter in my mom’s handwriting:
“Suzie, you’ll never be good enough for my son. You’ve trapped him with this pregnancy, but don’t think you can fool me. If you care about them, you’ll leave before you ruin their lives.”
I could not believe my eyes, and I confronted my mom immediately. She tried to defend herself, saying she was protecting me, but I was done.
“You drove her away! Pack your things. You’re leaving tonight,” I yelled, leaving no room for argument. She tried to pacify me, but I wasn’t listening.
She left, but the damage was done.
A man carrying twin babies into a house | Source: Midjourney
In the following weeks, I juggled sleepless nights and frantic searches for Suzie. I reached out to her friends and family, desperate for a clue.
Finally, her friend Sara confessed, “Suzie felt trapped… not by you, but by everything. Your mom told her the twins would be better off without her. Your mom had been so manipulative and controlling.”
The knife twisted deeper. Suzie had been suffering in silence, afraid I wouldn’t believe her.
A man with his head in his hands | Source: Midjourney
Months passed without a word. One day, I received a text from an unknown number. It was a photo of Suzie in the hospital, holding the twins. Beneath it was a message:
“I wish I was the type of mother they deserve. I hope you forgive me.”
“Suzie? Is it you? Oh my God… please come home. Please… please,” I pleaded as I called the number, but it was disconnected. My resolve to find her only strengthened.
A man speaking on his phone | Source: Midjourney
But days passed like leaves on a breeze, and I couldn’t find my wife. Then, a year later, on the twins’ first birthday, there was a knock at the door.
Suzie stood there, clutching a small gift bag, her eyes brimming with tears. She looked healthier, but the sadness lingered. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Suzie?!” I gasped, tears running down my cheeks as I pulled her into my arms. For the first time in a year, I felt whole.
“I’d been such a fool to give in to your mom’s words and run away from my own family. I thought… I thought I wasn’t good enough, like she’d said,” she cried.
“Let’s not talk about her anymore. I’m glad that you’re back… to us,” I said, kissing her forehead as we approached our toddlers.
A man hugging a woman | Source: Midjourney
In the weeks that followed, Suzie opened up. Postpartum depression, my mom’s cruelty, and her own feelings of inadequacy had driven her away. Therapy had helped her find strength, but the scars remained.
“I didn’t want to leave,” she admitted one night, her hand trembling in mine. “But I didn’t know how to stay.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I promised.
And we did. Healing wasn’t easy, but love, resilience, and the shared joy of raising Callie and Jessica brought us back together. Together, we rebuilt what had almost been lost.
A man rocking a baby | Source: Midjourney
Story 2: I Came Home with My Newborn Twins to Find the Locks Changed, My Stuff Thrown Out, and a Note Waiting for Me
The day I was discharged from the hospital with my newborn twin daughters, Ella and Sophie, should have been one of the happiest of my life. Instead, it became an unforgettable nightmare.
My husband Derek was supposed to pick us up, but at the last minute, he called.
An upset mother with her newborn babies | Source: Midjourney
“Mom’s really unwell,” he said hurriedly. “I need to take her to the hospital. I can’t make it to you.”
I was stunned. “Derek, I just gave birth. I need you here.”
“I know,” he sighed. “But this is serious. I’ll come to you as soon as I can.”
An upset woman on a call | Source: Midjourney
Knowing his mother, Lorraine, and Derek’s tendency to prioritize her, I wasn’t convinced he’d return anytime soon. Reluctantly, I arranged a taxi to take me and the girls home.
When we arrived, I froze. My suitcases, diaper bags, and even the crib mattress were dumped on the lawn. Panic crept in as I paid the driver and approached the door, calling, “Derek?”
No answer.
A messy front yard | Source: Midjourney
I tried my key. But it didn’t work. The locks had been changed. My heart raced as I spotted a note taped to a suitcase:
“Get out of here with your little moochers! I know everything. — Derek”
My breath hitched. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. This couldn’t be Derek, the man who had been by my side through every moment of my pregnancy.
A shocked woman reading a note | Source: Midjourney
I called him, but it went straight to voicemail. Again and again, but no answer. Sophie and Ella started crying, their wails matching the panic in my chest. Shaking, I called my mom.
“Derek changed the locks,” I choked out. “He threw me out. There’s a note… Mom, I don’t understand.”
“WHAT?!” she exclaimed. “I’m coming right now.”
When she arrived, she hugged me tightly, her anger barely contained. “This doesn’t make sense. Derek loves you and the girls. Let’s go to my place until we figure this out.”
An upset older woman | Source: Midjourney
At her house, I tried to piece things together. The note didn’t make sense, and Derek’s silence only fueled my anxiety. Unable to sleep, I decided to confront him.
The next morning, I returned to the house. The yard was empty, and all my belongings were gone. I knocked on the door, then peered through the window. The sight froze me: Lorraine was sitting at the dining table, sipping tea.
When I banged on the door, she opened it just a crack, her face smug. “You’re not welcome here, Jenna. Didn’t you see the note?”
“Where’s Derek?” I snapped.
A shocked woman peaking through a window | Source: Midjourney
“He’s at the hospital, taking care of his mother.”
“You’re not sick!” I yelled. “And you’re NOT in the hospital!”
She smirked. “I’m feeling better now. Miracles happen.”
Realization dawned, heavy and suffocating. “You lied to him. You faked being sick to get him out of the house.”
“And?” she replied, unbothered.
“Why? Why would you do this?”
A nonchalant older woman standing by a door | Source: Midjourney
Crossing her arms, her lips curled into a cruel smile. “I told Derek from the start that our family needs a boy to carry on the name. But you? You gave us two girls. Useless.”
Her words knocked the air out of me.
“You threw us out over that?”
“Of course. I even made sure he couldn’t call you by taking his phone. He stayed there overnight, worried, thinking I was truly ill. I bribed a nurse this morning to keep him at the hospital longer to discuss my ‘illness.’ And you know what? It worked perfectly! My naive son believed me when I told him I needed some fresh air and was going for a walk. I just wanted to get back to our beloved home for a hot shower with my favorite bath bombs and some nice chamomile tea! And if you’re planning on exposing me to my son… forget it! Derek loves me too much to believe you, honey!”
A smug older woman | Source: Midjourney
Shaking with rage, I stormed out and drove straight to the hospital, finding Derek pacing in the waiting room.
“Jenna!” he said, relief flooding his face. “I’ve been trying to reach you, but I don’t have my phone.”
“Your mother took it,” I cut him off. “She faked being sick, locked me out of the house, and left that awful note.”
His face darkened with fury. “What?”
“She said it’s because our daughters aren’t boys.”
A man at a hospital | Source: Midjourney
Without another word, Derek grabbed his keys and drove us home. Lorraine’s smug expression faded when we arrived.
“Derek, darling—”
“STOP!” he snapped. “You lied to me, locked my wife and children out of our home, and wrote a fake note to drive them away. What’s wrong with you?”
She sputtered excuses, but he wasn’t having it.
An older woman having tea | Source: Midjourney
“Pack your things and leave. You’re done here.”
Tears streamed down her face. “You can’t mean that. I’m your mother!”
“And Jenna is my wife. Those are my daughters. If you can’t respect them, you’re not welcome in our lives.”
An angry man shouting | Source: Midjourney
“You’ll regret this,” she hissed as she packed her things, slamming doors as she went.
That night, Derek apologized repeatedly. He changed back the locks, blocked Lorraine’s number, and reported the bribed nurse. Over time, we rebuilt our life. Lorraine had tried to destroy us, but she only brought us closer together.
A happy woman with her man | Source: Midjourney
Story 3: My Husband Dumped Me as Soon as He Walked into the Hospital Ward and Saw Our Newborn Twin Daughters
After years of infertility, I thought giving birth to twin daughters would finally bring my husband Mark and me closer. The pregnancy had been grueling, but as I lay in my hospital bed, Ella and Sophie nestled at my sides, all the pain seemed worth it.
I sent Mark a text: They’re here. Two beautiful girls. Can’t wait for you to meet them.
A woman holding her newborn twin girls | Source: Midjourney
I imagined him rushing in, joyful tears streaming down his face. But when the door opened, his expression wasn’t joy. It was stone cold.
“Hey,” I said softly, trying to smile through my exhaustion. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
Mark’s eyes landed on the girls, his jaw tightening as disgust flickered across his face. “What the hell is this?” he muttered.
Confused, I frowned. “What do you mean? They’re our daughters!”
“You tricked me!” he snapped, venom lacing his words.
A man standing in a hospital room | Source: Midjourney
My heart sank. “What are you talking about? They’re healthy, Mark. Perfect. What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” He laughed bitterly. “You didn’t tell me they were girls! You knew I wanted boys. I thought we were having boys!”
I blinked, stunned. “You’re upset because… they’re girls?”
“Damn right, I’m upset!” He stepped back, his expression like he was staring at strangers. “This whole family was supposed to carry on my name. You’ve ruined EVERYTHING.”
An angry man | Source: Midjourney
My chest tightened as tears welled in my eyes. “Mark, please, they’re our daughters—”
“No,” he cut me off, shaking his head. “You betrayed me. These aren’t even mine.”
The accusation hit like a punch to the gut. I was speechless, my mind racing to comprehend how the man who had been my rock could say something so vile.
Before I could respond, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
A man gesturing angrily | Source: Midjourney
I stared at the door in shock, then down at my girls. Their tiny hands curled against my chest as if they knew I needed comfort. “It’s okay, sweethearts,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure it would be.
Days passed. I moved in with my parents, hoping everything would be alright and that Mark would return, apologizing for a silly misunderstanding. But he vanished without a trace.
Rumors swirled that he was vacationing in a tropical paradise while I grappled with sleepless nights and endless diapers. The betrayal cut deep, but the worst was yet to come when his mother, Sharon, called.
An upset woman with her twin daughters | Source: Midjourney
“You ruined everything,” she hissed in a voicemail. “Mark deserved sons, not… this. How could you betray him like that?”
The messages didn’t stop. Sharon bombarded me with accusations: I had cheated, I was a failure as a wife, and my daughters weren’t good enough for their family.
The nursery became my refuge. Each night, I rocked Ella and Sophie to sleep, whispering, “I’ll keep you safe. We’ll be okay.” But inside, I was breaking.
One sleepless night, as I cradled the girls, a realization hit me: I was waiting for Mark to come back, but he didn’t deserve us. I needed to take action… not for him, but for my daughters.
Close up of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
I hired a lawyer who gave me hope.
“With Mark’s abandonment,” she explained, “you’re in a strong position. Full custody. Child support. We’ll handle visitation on your terms.”
For the first time in weeks, I felt a spark of power.
I began to rebuild. On social media, I shared photos of Ella and Sophie — tiny milestones, giggles, and gummy smiles. Each post was a celebration of our new life, without Mark. Friends rallied around me, and the posts spread through our circle.
Divorce papers | Source: Pexels
Mark didn’t stay away for long. One day, I hosted an open house to introduce my daughters to friends and family. The house buzzed with warmth and laughter, and the twins wore matching outfits with little bows.
Then the door flew open.
Mark stood there, wild-eyed and furious. “What the hell is this?” he barked.
I stood my ground. “It’s our life, Mark. The one you walked out on.”
“You turned everyone against me!” he accused, his voice rising.
“You did that yourself when you abandoned your family because you didn’t get the sons you wanted,” I replied.
“You robbed me of my legacy!” he roared.
A furious man | Source: Midjourney
I stepped closer, meeting his gaze. “You didn’t deserve us, Mark. You made your choice, and this is mine. You’re not welcome here.”
Friends surrounded me, their silent support forcing Mark to retreat. Humiliated, he stormed out.
A few weeks later, Mark received court papers detailing custody and child support. There was no escaping his responsibility, even if he refused to be a father.
As for Sharon, her final message went unread. I was done with their family.
That night, as I rocked my daughters to sleep, I felt a profound peace. Mark’s absence wasn’t a loss. It was freedom. And as I held Ella and Sophie close, I knew our future was brighter without him.
A woman glancing at her phone | Source: Midjourney
Story 4: My Husband Came to Take Me and Our Newborn Triplets Home – When He Saw Them, He Told Me to Leave Them at the Hospital
After years of struggling to have children, the birth of our triplets — Sophie, Lily, and Grace — was a dream come true. As I held my tiny girls in the hospital room, their peaceful faces filled me with overwhelming love.
But when my husband Jack walked in the next day to bring us home, something was wrong. His face was pale and his movements hesitant. He lingered by the door, refusing to come near.
A woman with her triplets | Source: Midjourney
“Jack,” I said softly, trying to ease his nerves, “come look at them. They’re here. These lovely little angels. We did it.”
He shuffled closer, his eyes darting to the bassinets. “Yeah… they’re beautiful,” he muttered, but the words felt hollow.
“What’s going on?” I pressed, my voice trembling.
He took a deep breath and blurted out, “Emily, I don’t think we can keep them.”
A nervous man | Source: Freepik
I stared at him, my heart plummeting. “What are you talking about? They’re OUR daughters!”
Jack looked away, his voice shaky. “My mom went to see a fortune teller. She said… she said these babies will bring bad luck. That they’ll ruin my life… even cause my death.”
I froze, disbelief washing over me. “A fortune teller?” I repeated, my voice rising. “Jack, they’re babies, not bad omens!”
He looked torn but nodded grimly. “My mom swears by her. She’s never been wrong before.”
Anger boiled in my chest. “And because of this, you want to abandon them? You want to leave your own daughters in the hospital?”
A nervous woman in a maternity ward | Source: Midjourney
Jack couldn’t meet my eyes. “If you want to keep them, fine,” he said weakly, “but I won’t be there.”
Tears blurred my vision as his words sunk in. “If you walk out that door, Jack,” I whispered, my voice breaking, “don’t come back.”
He hesitated for a moment, guilt flickering in his eyes. But then he turned and left without another word.
The door closed behind him, and I sat frozen in shock. A nurse entered moments later, her face softening when she saw my tears. She placed a hand on my shoulder as I clutched my daughters closer, whispering, “I’ll always be here for you. I promise.”
An angry woman in maternity ward | Source: Midjourney
Over the following weeks, I adjusted to life as a single mother. Raising triplets alone was overwhelming, but my love for Sophie, Lily, and Grace kept me going. Friends and family helped where they could, but the weight of Jack’s abandonment lingered.
Then one afternoon, Jack’s sister, Beth, visited. She had been one of the few from his family to stand by me. That day, her expression was painful, and I knew she had something to say.
“Emily,” she began hesitantly, “I overheard Mom talking to Aunt Carol. She… she admitted there was no fortune teller.”
I froze. “What are you saying?”
Two nervous women talking | Source: Midjourney
Beth sighed, her face full of regret. “She made it up. She thought that if she convinced Jack the girls would bring bad luck, he’d stay close to her instead of focusing on you and the babies. Moreover, she had wanted grandsons. And she was really disappointed right from the gender reveal party. I guess she’d been planning this for a long time.”
Rage surged through me. “She lied to destroy our family,” I whispered, my hands shaking. “How could she?”
Beth nodded. “I don’t think she realized he’d actually leave, but I thought you should know.”
I didn’t sleep that night. I wanted to confront Jack, but more than that, I needed him to know the truth. The next morning, I called him.
A nervous woman in a chair | Source: Midjourney
“Jack, it’s me,” I said when he answered. “We need to talk.”
He sighed heavily. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Your mother lied,” I said, anger making my voice tremble. “There was no fortune teller. She made it up because she didn’t want to share you with us. She wanted grandsons. She was disappointed right from the gender reveal party.”
Silence stretched on the other end. Finally, he scoffed. “My mom wouldn’t lie about something this big.”
“She admitted it to her sister, Jack. Beth overheard her. Why would I make this up?”
“I’m sorry, Emily,” he said dismissively. “I can’t do this.”
The line went dead.
An angry woman talking on her phone | Source: Midjourney
Weeks turned into months. Each day, I grew stronger, building a life around my daughters. Friends and neighbors pitched in, and slowly, the ache Jack left behind faded. Sophie, Lily, and Grace became my world, their smiles and coos a balm to my soul.
Then one day, Jack’s mother knocked on my door. Her face was pale, her eyes full of regret.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “I never thought Jack would leave you. I just… I was scared of losing him.”
I crossed my arms, holding back my anger. “And what about your preference for grandsons over granddaughters? Your fear and selfishness destroyed my family,” I said coldly.
A sad elderly woman | Source: Pexels
She nodded, her face crumpling. “I’m so sorry. I’ll do anything to make it right.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing you can do. Please leave.”
She walked away, her shoulders slumped.
A year later, Jack showed up on my doorstep, looking gaunt and ashamed. “I made a mistake,” he said, his voice breaking. “I should have believed you. I’m sorry. I want to come back. I want to be a family again.”
But I had already made my choice.
“You left us when we needed you most,” I said firmly. “We’ve built a life without you, and I won’t let you hurt us again.”
I closed the door, my heart steady and strong.
An angry woman in her living room | Source: Midjourney
That night, as I rocked my daughters to sleep, I realized we didn’t need Jack. Our family was whole — just me and my girls.
Newborns symbolize hope and new beginnings, yet these stories reveal how family drama can cast a long shadow. In the face of heartbreak, the resilience of these parents shines, proving love for their children can weather any storm.
A woman holding a baby | Source: Pexels
Little Boy Brings Food To Beggar & His Dog Daily, One Day Boy Sees Dog Barking On His Doorstep – Story Of The Day
A policeman’s son befriends a homeless man and his dog and brings them food every day. Then the dog appears unexpectedly and alerts him to an injustice.At twelve, Brian Devlin was small for his age, and not very athletic. His father, Gary, didn’t really understand his shy, bookish son. His son was nothing like him…
He had been a tall, strapping, boisterous boy, always up to his ears in mischief. Gary tried to build his son’s self-confidence, but the harder he tried, the more Brian seemed to pull away.
Brian was smart, that Gary couldn’t deny, and he had a scholarship at a prestigious private college on the other side of town. The boy was scared of taking a bus, but since the school was close to his work, Gary picked him up every afternoon.
Gary was a desk Sargeant at the local precinct, and by the time his work ended at 5:00 p.m., the school day was long over. In the winter, Brian waited in the library and did his homework. But in the summer, he sat on the school steps and waited for his dad, soaking up the sunshine.
One afternoon, when Gary arrived, Brian wasn’t on the steps. He was outside the school gates petting a dog. Brian looked up at his dad with a happy grin.
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are.
“Look, Dad,” he cried, then he said to the dog, “Dance!”
The dog hopped up onto its back legs and did a little jig, front paws up in the air and its tongue lolling out happily.
“Isn’t that so cool?” the boy asked.
“Yes,” Gary said, surprised by the enthusiasm Brian was showing. “Whose dog is that?”
“It’s Carl’s,” Brain said, and pointed at a man sitting on the pavement and leaning back against the school fence. The man was in his forties and he was clearly homeless.
A ragged bundle of blankets lay on the ground next to him, and he was unshaven. The dog, however, was well cared for. It was a Golden Retriever, and its fur was groomed and gleaming.
The man shrank back when Gary looked at him, so he said to his son, “Come on, now, it’s time to go.”
On the way home, Gary said, “Listen, Brian, I want you to stay away from that man and his dog, OK?”
“Carl’s OK and I love Goblin!” Brian protested.
“Goblin?” Gary asked. “Is that the dog’s name? Well, I’m sure Goblins’ a good dog, but I don’t want you befriending vagrants, Brian. Do you understand?”
“But dad…” Brian protested.
“Not another word,” Gary snapped.
The next day, when Gary came to fetch Brian, the boy was studiously sitting on the steps reading a book, but that night, his wife co
mplained that half a roast chicken was missing.
“I don’t understand!” she cried. “I set it aside to make sandwiches for Brian’s lunch and now it’s gone!”
Gary looked over at Brian and the boy looked so innocent that he was immediately suspicious. Was Brian taking food to school for that vagrant and his dog?
Gary started keeping an eye on the pantry and noticed that tins of sausages kept vanishing. He now knew that his son was stealing so he could feed the dog and the homeless man every day. Gary felt a pang.
His son, who had such difficulty making human friends, had bonded with the dog. It was a pity it belonged to a vagrant, a man who might be dangerous.
Two days later, Gary got off work early and when he arrived at the school, he caught Brian outside the gates. He had a bag in his hand and he was saying: “Hey guys, I have your favorite spaghetti, Carl. And for you boy, your favorite sausages!”
“BRIAN!” he thundered. “What are you doing?”
The boy looked up at him, and for the first time, Gary saw fear in his son’s eyes. Immediately he felt a surge of anger
It was this derelict’s fault that his son was afraid of him! He stepped forward and clenched his fists. “Get away from that man,” Gary shouted. “Get into the car!”
That night, Gary and his wife sat down and talked to Brian about the dangers of befriending strange men. Brian shrugged it off. “Dad, I know about stranger danger and bad touching. Carl is NOT like that, he’s nice. You can tell he’s a good person because Goblin loves him so much, and Goblin’s the BEST, smartest dog.”
“Brian,” Gary said quietly. “I’m sure Goblin’s a great dog, but you know what? Hitler had a great dog and he loved him, and I’m sure the dog loved him back. A good dog does NOT make this vagrant a good person. Please stay away from him, Brian!”
“NO!” shouted Brian, and he pushed back his chair. “Carl is my friend and I love Goblin! Why do you always have to spoil everything? I HATE YOU!”
That night, Gary made a decision. He was going to solve this problem his own way…
That Saturday, Brian woke up early to the sound of anxious barking. He thought sleepily, “That sounds just like Goblin!”
Brain jumped out of bed and looked out of his window. It WAS Goblin, and he was standing on the porch barking anxiously and looking very unhappy.
“Goblin!” Brian cried as he opened the door, and immediately the dog ran to him. Goblin put his head in Brian’s lap and started whining. “What’s wrong, boy? Where’s Carl?”
But the dog just whined and shivered so Brian decided to do something he’d always been afraid to do before — go to his dad’s work and ask for his help.
Gary was stunned when he saw Brian at the precinct with the dog by his side. “Brian!” he gasped. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“Dad!” he cried. “I think something bad happened to Carl. Goblin came looking for me and he’s very scared…” But Goblin wasn’t looking scared, he was looking up at Brian’s dad and growling.
Brian had never heard Goblin growl before. “Dad!” he asked. “What have you done?”
Gary flushed. “Carl was loitering near a school and he was warned off twice, so we arrested him!”
“But dad!” Brain cried. “He did nothing wrong! He’s not well, he needs help…You don’t know anything about him! He’s a veteran and he was in the bomb squad and he worked with sniffer dogs to find explosives. That’s why Goblin’s so well trained. He’s a good man and you arrested him because he’s sick!”
“He’s not SICK!” Gary cried angrily. “He’s a bum!”
Brian had tears in his eyes. “No, dad,” he said softly. “He doesn’t drink or anything, and most of the time he talks to people who aren’t there. He needs help.”
Gary was ashamed of himself, mostly because he couldn’t admit that there was a part of him that was jealous of Carl and his easy friendship with his son.
He did some investigating and discovered that Carl had a sister in a neighboring state who had been looking for him for years. He contacted Carl’s sister and she was overjoyed.
She took Carl home and enrolled him in an outpatient mental health clinic immediately. Goblin went too, of course. Brian missed Carl, but mostly he missed Goblin.
Then one day his dad came home with a big grin on his face and a strange lump under his jacket. He lifted out a wriggling puppy and presented it to Brian. “There you go,” he said. “You have to name him!”
Brian started crying, he was so happy. “Goblin,” he gasped. “His name is Goblin Two!”
What can we learn from this story?
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are. Gary assumed Carl was a drunk and a danger before he knew anything about him.
Kindness and compassion are the greatest of virtues. Brian’s empathy led him to befriend Carl, and he helped him find his way back home.
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