Miriam’s relaxing beach getaway was shattered when she locked eyes with her daughter Pamela and her son-in-law across the hotel lobby, the same people she had tearfully buried five years earlier. With her heart racing, Miriam had to decide: confront the ghosts before her, or let them slip away into the sun-drenched crowd.
Miriam stepped out of the airport shuttle, inhaling deeply. The salty air of The Bahamas filled her lungs, which was a welcome change from the stuffy plane cabin.
At sixty-five, this vacation was long overdue. Five years of grief had taken their toll on Miriam, etching lines around her eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there before.
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The Ocean Club Resort rose before her. Its gleaming structure promised nothing but relaxation and escape, so Miriam allowed herself a small smile as she followed a bellhop into the lobby.
The marble floors echoed with the chatter of excited tourists and the clinking of luggage carts, and Miriam stared at all their happy faces, hoping she would end up feeling just like them.
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“Welcome to The Ocean Club, ma’am. May I have your name for check-in?” The receptionist’s cheerful voice snapped Miriam out of her thoughts.
“Leary. Miriam,” she replied, fishing for her ID from her purse.
As the receptionist tapped away at the computer, Miriam’s gaze wandered. That’s when she saw them.
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Time seemed to stop.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Standing by the gift shop, examining a display of colorful seashells, were two people who couldn’t possibly be there. Her daughter, Pamela, and son-in-law, Frank.
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But they were dead. Killed in a car crash five years ago… Or so she thought.
“Ma’am? Your room key,” the receptionist’s voice sounded distant.
Miriam’s hand shot out, grabbing the key without looking, while her eyes never left the couple as they turned away from the gift shop and headed for the exit.
“Hold my bags,” Miriam barked, already moving. “I’ll be right back.”
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She hustled across the lobby, struggling with her breath. She was really out of shape, and the couple was almost at the door.
“Pamela!” Miriam called out. Even her own ears heard the desperation.
The woman turned, and her eyes widened in shock. It was unmistakably Pamela!
Suddenly, she grabbed her husband’s arm and whispered something urgently. Frank looked back, and Miriam saw his face transform into a mask of panic.
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Without any more warning, they bolted.
Miriam’s heart raced as she followed them out into the bright sunlight.
“Stop right there!” she yelled, her voice carrying across the palm-lined driveway. “Or I’ll call the police!“
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The threat worked.
The couple froze, and their shoulders slumped in defeat. Slowly, they turned to face her.
Pamela’s eyes brimmed with tears, but Miriam had no idea why. Was Pamela crying because of guilt, because of the lie, or because of something else?
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“Mom,” her daughter whispered. “We can explain.”
***
Pamela and Frank’s hotel room door clicked shut behind them, sealing off the cheerful vacation atmosphere outside. Inside, the air felt heavy, charged with the past five years of Miriam’s mourning and her current anger.
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She stood rigid with her arms crossed. “Start talking,” she demanded firmly.
Frank cleared his throat. “Mrs. Leary, we never meant to hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” Miriam’s laugh was harsh. “I buried you. Both of you. I grieved for five years. And now you’re standing here, telling me you never meant to hurt me?”
Pamela stepped forward, trying to reach out. “Mom, please. We had our reasons.“
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Miriam recoiled from her daughter, although she also had the same urge. “What reason could possibly justify this?”
Frank and Pamela exchanged troubled glances, and it took a second before Frank spoke. “We won the lottery.”
Silence fell, broken only by the distant sound of waves crashing on the beach outside.
“The lottery,” Miriam repeated flatly. “So you faked your own deaths… because you won money?”
Pamela nodded and began to elaborate, although her voice could barely be heard.
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“It was a lot of money, Mom. We knew if people found out, they’d all want a piece. We just wanted to start fresh, without any obligations.”
“Obligations?” Miriam’s own voice rose. “Like paying back the money you borrowed from Frank’s family for that failed business? Like being there for your cousin’s kids after their parents died? Those kinds of obligations?”
Frank’s face hardened. “We didn’t owe anyone anything. This was our chance to live the life we always wanted, and we don’t plan on letting anyone get in our way.”
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“At the expense of everyone who loved you, and I bet you’re also avoiding taxes,” Miriam shot back. She turned to her daughter. “Pamela, how could you do this? To me?”
Pamela looked down and sniffled. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t want to, but Frank said…”
“Don’t blame this on me,” Frank interjected. “You agreed to the plan.”
Miriam watched as her daughter wilted under her husband’s glare. At that moment, she clearly saw the dynamic between them, and her heart broke anew.
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“Pamela,” she said softly. “Come home with me. We can fix this. Make it right.”
For a moment, hope flared in Pamela’s eyes. Then Frank’s hand clamped down on her shoulder.
“We’re not going anywhere,” he said, resolute. “Our life is here now. We have everything we need.”
Pamela’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, Mom,” she whispered. “I can’t.“
Miriam stood there, staring at the strangers her daughter and son-in-law had become. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room.
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She couldn’t enjoy her vacation after that and changed her plans immediately. But the trip home was a blur.
Miriam moved on autopilot as her mind replayed the confrontation over and over. What should she do? Was faking your death illegal? Was Frank hiding something else?
However, by the time she reached her empty house, she had made a decision. She wouldn’t report them. Not yet.
She’d leave that door open, hoping against hope that Pamela would walk through it one day.
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***
Three years passed.
Miriam tried to move on, but the weight of this secret and the pain of betrayal never truly left her. Then, one rainy afternoon, there was a knock at her door.
Miriam opened it to find Pamela standing on her porch, soaked from the rain, with her arms wrapped around her body and looking utterly lost.
“Mom,” Pamela’s voice cracked. “Can I come in?”
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Miriam hesitated, then stepped aside.
Pamela shuffled in, leaving a trail of water on the hardwood floor. In the harsh light of the entryway, Miriam could see how much her daughter had changed.
The designer clothes and perfectly styled hair were gone, replaced by worn jeans and messy hair. Dark circles shadowed her eyes.
“What happened?” Miriam asked, her tone carefully neutral.
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Pamela sank onto the couch, her shoulders hunched. “It’s all gone,” she whispered. “The money, the house, everything. Frank… he got into some bad investments. Started gambling. I tried to stop him, but…”
She looked up, meeting Miriam’s eyes for the first time. “He left. Took what was left and disappeared. I don’t know where he is.”
Miriam sat down across from her daughter, processing the information.
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Part of her wanted to comfort Pamela, to wrap her in a hug and tell her everything would be okay. But the wounds were still too fresh, the betrayal too deep.
“Why are you here, Pamela?” she asked quietly.
Pamela’s lips trembled. “I didn’t know where else to go. I know I don’t deserve your help, after everything we did. How selfish I was. But I… I miss you, Mom. I’m so sorry. For all of it.”
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Silence stretched between them because Miriam had no idea what to do. This was what she wanted ever since that day in The Bahamas.
So, she studied her daughter’s face, searching for signs of the girl she used to know. After a few moments, Miriam sighed.
“I can’t just forgive and forget, Pamela. What you and Frank did… it was more than just lying. I think you broke the law. Faking your death may not be exactly illegal, but I bet you didn’t pay any taxes on that money. But also, you hurt a lot of people, not just me.”
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Pamela nodded as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “I know,” she whispered. “And you’re right. Part of the reason Frank wanted to leave was to avoid paying taxes. Everything else… what he didn’t want to pay back to his family… well, that was just icing.”
“If you want to make this right with me and with everyone else,” Miriam continued, her voice firm, “you need to face the consequences. That means going to the police. Telling them everything. About the faked deaths and everything else you two did with that money. All of it.”
Pamela’s eyes widened in fear. “But… I could go to jail.”
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“Yes,” Miriam agreed. “You could. I don’t want you to, but it’s the only way forward. The only way to truly make amends.”
For a long moment, Pamela sat frozen, sniffling slightly. Then, slowly, she nodded. “Okay,” she said softly. “I’ll do it. Whatever it takes.”
Miriam felt a glimmer of pride break through her anger and hurt. Maybe her daughter wasn’t completely lost after all. Being far away from Frank was definitely a good thing for her.
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“Alright then,” she said, standing up. “Let’s get you into some dry clothes. Then we’ll head down to the station.”
As they walked out to the car a short while later, Pamela hesitated. “Mom?” she asked. “Will you… will you stay with me? While I talk to them?”
Miriam paused, then reached out and squeezed her daughter’s hand, allowing herself to again feel and show all the love she had for her. “Yes,” she said warmly and desperately. “I’ll be there, for sure.”
“Thank you,” Pamela nodding and taking a deep breath. Suddenly, her expression shifted. Her mouth set in a firm line, and determination filled her eyes. “Let’s go.”
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There’s my girl!
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.
Rich Man Falls in Love with Homeless Girl He Sees on the Street and Rushes to Find Her — Story of the Day
He saw a girl begging on the sidewalk and somehow couldn’t get her face out of his mind. He had to know her story.
Wealthy businessman Roger Landers was often annoyed by the sight of the homeless begging on the street outside his office building. There seemed to be more and more of them each year, he reflected.
As he passed a young woman huddled against a wall, a kindly soul dropped a coin in her cup. The woman looked up and smiled at her benefactor and that smile pierced Roger to the heart. In one second, that huddled anonymous annoyance became a lovely radiant woman.
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Roger walked into the building and that moment when the girl’s face was transformed by her smile replayed over and over in his mind. He found himself wondering who she was, what had driven her to live in the pitiless streets of L.A.?
For the rest of the week, Roger found himself almost obsessed by the young homeless woman. He watched her surreptitiously, and once when he dropped a coin in her cup, watched that miraculous transformation at close quarters.
Love can sometimes lurk in the most unexpected places.
He found himself thinking about her, inventing stories about her, little fantasies in which he discovered she was really a reporter writing about homelessness at close hand, or a deeply committed actress preparing for a role…
Finally, on Friday afternoon, after he wrapped his work for the day and dismissed his employees, Roger did what he’d been longing to do all week. He walked up to the girl sitting on the sidewalk and talked to her.
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“Hi,” he said awkwardly. “Would it be okay if I bought you a cup of coffee? You look really cold.” The girl lifted up her face and smiled at him.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly. “I’d like that.” Roger was struck by her low educated voice and her grace as she got to her feet. She was tiny, he realized, a petite 5′ 3″ next to his towering 6′ 2″.
He walked her to a nearby coffee shop and ordered her hot food to go with her coffee. Once again Roger was surprised by her delicate gestures, her manners. This was an educated girl. How had she ended up on the streets?
When Roger saw color flood back into the girl’s face after she finished her hot soup, her grilled sandwich, and her coffee, he asked her exactly that. “How did this happen to you? Living on the streets?”
The girl looked him straight in the eye. A wry smile twisted her lips. “I was stupid, and trusting,” she said. “It’s not an original story. I was in love with this boy in my hometown — Idaho — if you can believe it.
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“My parents disapproved of him, which only made him even more romantic and attractive to me… To cut a long story short, he convinced me to withdraw my college funds and run away with him to L.A. He was going to be a movie star, and I’d be a screenwriter…”
Roger shook his head sadly. “A lot of people come out here every year, less than a handful make it!” he commented.
“Well, I’ll never know.” A tinge of bitterness colored the girl’s voice. “The first night in L.A., we booked into a motel. When I woke up in the morning Kevin was gone, so was my money and everything I had.”
Roger gasped. “Did you go to the police? Call your family?” The girl was shaking her head, tears in her eyes.
“I was too ashamed. I made a deal with the motel manager. She let me sleep in the storeroom and I cleaned the rooms. Some of the guests gave me tips, and I managed to eat. But then her husband started trying…” The girl shook her head. “You know how it is. I left the motel and ended up here, on the streets.”
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“What’s your name?” Roger asked gently.
“Emma,” the girl said with one of those radiant smiles. “Emma Sinclair from Preston, Idaho!”
“Well, Emma Sinclair from Preston, Idaho,” Roger smiled back. “I’m Roger Landers from Los Angeles, California, and I’m sending you home.”
Roger took Emma into a nearby mall and he bought her several outfits and a suitcase. He waited at the food court while she changed and came out of the restroom transformed.
He drove her to the bus station and bought her a bus ticket home. He tucked a $100 bill in her hand. “Listen,” he said. “Don’t let any more charming rascals talk you into coming to L.A., OK?”
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Emma was crying and smiling through her tears. She reached up and gave Roger a hug. “Thank you, thank you, and God bless you!”
Roger watched her board the bus with a sinking feeling in his heart. Why did he feel that this was a mistake? He wanted to run after that bus, beg Emma to stay… What was happening to him?
That night, Roger realized that the petite waif with the glowing smile had stolen his heart. “If I let her go, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!” he told himself. “She’s special, and I love her.”
Two days later, Roger was driving into Preston, Idaho. He stopped at the police station and asked where he could find Emma Sinclair. “Emma?” asked one of the deputies suspiciously. “What do you want with Emma?”
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Roger blushed. “Well, you see, I met her in LA, and I wanted to see if she was alright…”
The deputy looked him up and down. “You can find Emma at her mom’s laundromat, two doors down. I’m coming with you. I don’t want any more trouble for Emma!”
Roger’s heart was beating fast as he walked into the laundromat and saw Emma. She looked up and her face lit up. At that moment, Roger knew she had been feeling the same way: they belonged together!
So just three weeks after she returned home, Emma headed back to LA once again, but this time she was with a man who loved and cherished her. By the end of the year, Roger and Emma were married, and she became involved in a program to help runaways find their way home.
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What can we learn from this story?
- Helping others can be a transformative experience. Roger helped Emma, and in the process, he found his own way to life-long happiness.
- Love can sometimes lurk in the most unexpected places. Roger found love with a homeless waif when everyone expected him to marry a socialite.
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