I never liked my own family—call it dysfunctional if you may. But I still couldn’t fathom how my sister would betray me like this, twice, even though I helped her and our father out.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I was born into a better family. You know, with better parents who actually know how to be parents? But you don’t always get what you want in life, isn’t it?
I can’t really blame my mother actually—she ran away from the family when I was just ten, presumably since my father was abusive and manipulative. I still wish she took me and my sister away with her at that time, but then again, it is what it is. Sometimes there’s no use in looking back at things and constantly thinking about “what could’ve been.”
That’s what my therapist kept telling me. Don’t look back on the things you can’t change and think about what could’ve been. Look forward, time is linear, there’s no going back.
But she also said writing it out might help—so here it is, I guess.
I grew up in a dysfunctional family | Source: Shutterstock
As I said, my father was an abusive and manipulative monster—self-centered, arrogant … he only cared about himself and the things that actually concerned him. Sometimes I wonder how come my mother actually married him. That’s something I’d never find out, I guess.
As for my younger sister Cheryl, you can probably understand what kind of person she’d grow up to be under such circumstances. We were close when we were kids—at least before everything happened —but after my mother ran away, it had gotten worse since then.
My father never liked me since I was a kid, but he hated me even more after my mother ran away. Why? I have no idea. He probably thought I was the reason why she ran away—he never thought it was his fault.
Well, he blamed the stripper when he was drunk sometimes, but it takes two to tango, isn’t it? Or that it took two to have a lapdance, in this context.
Anyway. My sister Cheryl.
Cheryl and I used to be close when we were kids | Source: Pexels
Ever since mother left, Cheryl became dad’s favorite, presumably since she was still too young to understand what happened. Since I was too old to be converted into daddy’s little girl at that time, he focused on Cheryl instead.
That’s what I meant when I said things began to go downhill from there—he and Cheryl began to gang up on me, alienating me in the house. It wasn’t pleasant, and to be honest, I don’t really want to go into details about what happened. Let’s just say I wish I had a more functional family.
Cheryl grew up to be a spoiled brat. That’s the thing about my father. He might be an absolute jerk of a person, but he wasn’t stupid. In fact, he made himself a fortune by setting up a trading company. It made sense though since he had every single trait of being a psychopathic CEO.
Chery, being daddy’s little girl of the family, had everything she needed and wanted—and even things she didn’t know she wanted. I can still remember the Gucci bag my father gave her when she was just 12. Can you believe that? A 12-year-old girl holding a Gucci bag?
Needless to say, Cheryl grew up to be a dysfunctional human being.
I remember how I used to smell like fast food every night after work | Source: Pexels
As for myself, I had to work hard for everything that I had. Since I wasn’t getting any allowances from my father, I began taking up part-time jobs here and there just to get by. I worked in McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and even handed out leaflets outside Sears at some point. I can still remember how I used to smell like French fries after my shifts. You just cannot get rid of that stench.
In a way, I am thankful for the experience, since all of these things taught me things I needed to know in life. It made me who I am—it taught me how to be resilient and got me through some dark times.
I moved out as soon as I could. I remember I was 18 at the time—it was a long and hot summer, and I packed up my things and went off to California in my old Honda Civic without even saying goodbye. I probably had $400 in my account at the time, but it was liberating. I can still remember the sweet summer breeze of youth and freedom along the Pacific Coast.
I found myself an IT job in California | Source: Pexels
Fast forward 10 years from there, I got my college degree and began working for an IT company. I wouldn’t say I had a great career, but I managed to have a decent life and save some money of my own. To be honest, I wouldn’t stay in IT if not for the money. But hey, we all gotta make a living somehow.
It was then when I received an email from Cheryl. I hadn’t spoken to her nor my dad since the day I moved out, not that they cared anyway. They could’ve reached out to me somehow, but they did not. Ten years, not a single message from them.
But surprise surprise, Cheryl actually asked me for help in the email. How things have changed, I thought to myself.
It started with a bunch of formal addresses like “Dear Emma,” “I hope this email finds you well,” and my favorite—“Sincerely yours.”
I received an email from Cheryl while at work one day | Source: Pexels
She was asking me for money since her kid got sick and needed surgery, but her ex-boyfriend ran away with some chicks and left her with nothing. She said she hadn’t been talking to dad for a few years already due to some argument … bla bla bla. That was why she needed my help.
I was hesitant at first, but then I opened the attachment in the email—it was a picture of my nephew. He was adorable.
After looking at that picture, I debated on what I would do—or rather, the right thing for me to do. You see, I might not like my family, but the kid was innocent. He shouldn’t be pulled into the whole family feud that we had.
After a night of turning over and over again in my bed, I decided to wire her the money.
Cheryl didn’t respond to my emails after I wired her the money | Source: Pexels
The next month I sent her an email, asking her if everything was alright with the kid—alas, no response.
So I did a bit of research and found out where she lived. Well, as it turned out, she didn’t move far—basically six or seven blocks from where we used to live. I decided to drop by and give her a visit.
It had been more than ten years since I left—but that’s the thing about small American towns … scenery might change, but people don’t. I can still recognize the same shops and people I used to know. Older, but not necessarily wiser.
Then, as if God intervened through some twisted manner, before getting to Cheryl, I bumped into an old classmate of mine who happened to know my family cause you know, small town.
I bumped into John at a gas station—it was truly a strange coincidence | Source: Pexels
John was a classmate of mine back then. His mother and my father were neighbors growing up, so he was kind of a family friend. He was beyond surprised when he saw me at the gas station.
“Hey. Is that you, Emma?” he said as he approached me from his car.
“ …John? God, could barely recognize you there, man,” I said.
“What brought you back here? Haven’t seen you in years,” he continued. “Came here to see your old man?”
I assumed he didn’t know what happened to my family all these years.
“Nah, just wanna check on Cheryl and my nephew,” I said, trying to shrug it off and make it sound as natural as I could.
“Your nephew? I didn’t know Cheryl had a kid,” responded John, with a pair of confused eyes. “That’s strange, I would’ve known since I live across the road from her,” he added.
Now things were getting weird.
John happened to live across the road from Cheryl | Source: Pexels
Out of curiosity, I asked John about my father after a brief explanation that we haven’t been talking for quite a few years.
“Yea, he goes over to Cheryl’s every weekend. His business partner screwed him over, I heard, so he lost quite a bit of money there. He seemed sad for a while but he seems alright now,” he said. “I think Cheryl managed to bail him out or something.”
“His partner screwed him over? When was that?”
“Maybe a month or two ago? I remember seeing him walking around Cheryl’s driveway, calling and cursing at his phone—must’ve been around that time.”
I decided to pay Cheryl a visit. I had to know what happened.
I knocked on Cheryl’s door, not entirely sure what I was expecting | Source: Pexels
So, I pulled up in front of Cheryl’s house, rang the doorbell, and she opened the door for me.
From the door I could see my father sitting in the living room, having a glass of wine in his hand—and no, I did not see any kid in the house.
Cheryl was surprised to see me there, as you can guess by now. “Emma? What’re you doing here?” she asked.
“Just trying to check up on my nephew,” I responded.
For a fleeting moment, I could see it in her eyes that she was trying to avoid the topic.
“Oh, a friend of mine is babysitting Anthony now,” she responded. “Do you want to come in? We haven’t seen you in years,” she added.
I was still hesitant at the time—just one step, and I could step inside the house and perhaps deal with all that trauma sown within me years ago. It was so close, that feeling of being able to make things right at last.
But I wasn’t ready. I told them I was a bit under the weather and got back into my car and drove to a nearby motel.
Unable to face Cheryl and my father, I drove to a motel nearby for the night | Source: Pexels
The next day I bumped into John again at a local diner. God certainly works in mysterious ways.
But it was a bit different this time—when he saw me at the diner he simply turned around without saying a single word.
That was strange, I thought to myself. Considering we were on good terms the whole time, there was something odd about it. I decided to walk towards him and asked him what’s up.
“Hey man, sup? Is everything alright?” I asked him when he sat down at his table.
He tried to avoid having eye contact with me, but I just stood there, utterly bewildered by his reaction.
“Hey, I know it’s none of my business, but I think you might need some help,” he said.
Now this just got way more confusing.
“What? Why? I don’t think I understand,” I said.
“Look, I talked to Cheryl last night, about her having a kid—she told me that … well, she told me why you left,” he said meekly.
“What? What did she say?”
“She said you were … imagining things, and they had to send you away to the hospital.”
“W—what? How?”
I bumped into John again in the diner, but I could tell that something was wrong | Source: Pexels
“She doesn’t have a kid and I don’t understand why you said she has. So last night I went over to her place and asked her about it, and she told me what happened,” he said, but then he paused for a moment. “She said you just showed up out of nowhere and started asking about her kid … Look, I don’t want any trouble here.”
That … wretched woman. I don’t know if I can still call her my sister anymore. Did she just throw me under the bus after all I did for her and presumably our father? Am I hallucinating? No, I was pretty sure I was not.
“Wait a second,” I said to John as he was about to leave. I then went through my inbox and showed the email to John. He looked at it and went quiet for a while. But at last, he responded.
“Look, it’s really none of my business, just leave me out of this,” he said, and he simply left the diner without touching his pancakes.
Here I am, back in San Francisco, wondering if I did the right thing | Source: Pexels
So here I am, back in San Francisco at my own apartment. I just drove all the way back here after that interaction with John—Lord knows what other folks in town were talking about right now. Can you imagine that? My very own sister, fabricating a lie so that I could save our father who never cared about me, and then throwing me under the bus and telling the folks that I was crazy? Seriously?
I am not sure how I should feel about it—I admit that writing it down did make me feel better. But still … I couldn’t help but wonder if it would have made a difference if I actually walked into the house and talked to them. Maybe I had a chance to change something? Maybe things wouldn’t end up the way they are now?
I don’t know. I really don’t know.
What can we learn from this story?
Sometimes we just have to let things go. It is what it is, sometimes there’s just nothing we can do about it. Let go and start living.
Look forward. We cannot change the past, whatever that is, but we can try and move on, one way or another.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed reading this, you might also enjoy this one where a man sheltered a homeless woman and discovered who she really was.
Homem deitado em caixa perto do Walmart no frio do Natal é ignorado por muitos, menino fica com pena — História do dia
Um menino de 7 anos traz um milagre à vida de um morador de rua na véspera de Natal por meio de seu ato de gentileza.
O Natal é uma época triste e destinada apenas aos ricos. A frase veio a Cameron em um instante depois que o murmúrio da multidão o sacudiu e o batizou com o nome da depressão amorfa que o atormentava a noite toda.
Estava nevando mais uma vez. O céu ainda estava escuro, e as pessoas entravam e saíam da loja Walmart onde ele estava deitado em uma caixa, aconchegado em um cobertor quase rasgado e uma jaqueta preta, que ele não trocava há muito tempo.
De todos os milhões de pessoas na Flórida, ele foi praticamente o único que decidiu dormir cedo na véspera de Natal para evitar a dor constante que estava sentindo — em parte devido à traição que sofreu e em parte devido aos hematomas que cobriam quase cada centímetro de seu rosto.
Cameron estava pedindo esmolas do lado de fora de uma loja do Walmart | Foto: Shutterstock
Cameron era um rico fabricante farmacêutico no Texas, e ele e seu amigo e parceiro de negócios Nicholas estavam a caminho da Flórida para um acordo comercial alguns dias atrás. Cameron mal sabia que era tudo um estratagema sujo para tirá-lo do caminho, e que ele estaria em um estado terrível um dia.
A noite em que tudo isso aconteceu começou como qualquer outra. Nicholas foi à casa de Cameron para discutir o plano. Eles concordaram em encontrar alguém nos arredores da Flórida que os levaria à fábrica central da cidade, onde os produtos farmacêuticos que eles estavam interessados em produzir eram fabricados.
Quando Cameron e Nicholas se aproximaram dos arredores da fábrica, um homem na faixa dos 30 anos se aproximou de Nicholas e pediu que ele saísse do carro sozinho. Nicholas disse a Cameron para ficar dentro de casa.
Nicholas e o homem estranho ficaram a uma distância do carro, conversando sobre algo, ocasionalmente olhando para Cameron e apontando para o prédio onde tinham chegado. Eles logo se afastaram, com Nicholas gesticulando para Cameron que ele voltaria em breve.
O que eles estão discutindo? Por que diabos aquele homem iria querer falar com Nicholas sozinho? A mente de Cameron correu com as suspeitas mais bizarras ao vê-los.
Cameron congelou em choque quando atendeu o telefone de Nicholas | Foto: Pexels
De repente, o telefone de Nicholas, que ele havia esquecido no carro, tocou, e um choque percorreu Cameron. O papel de parede do telefone era uma foto de Nicholas e a esposa de Cameron, Linda, se beijando, e o contato que apareceu na tela era chamado de “amor”.
É possível que seja Linda? Devo atender a ligação? Cameron ficou perplexo.
No entanto, ele atendeu, e suas suspeitas foram confirmadas. “Oi, querida, você chegou em segurança? Você conseguiu se livrar daquele idiota do Cameron?” a voz perguntou.
Cameron reconheceu que era Linda. Era a voz dela. E o acordo que Nicholas tinha organizado não era farmacêutico. Era tudo um plano para se livrar dele, e Cameron percebeu isso tarde.
Ele imediatamente saiu do carro e começou a procurar uma saída, mas dois homens vestidos todos de preto estavam em seu caminho. Nicholas e o homem estranho logo apareceram atrás deles, Nicholas sorrindo. “Sinto muito, Cameron. Não tive escolha. Espero que você me perdoe.”
Cameron foi atacado e abandonado nos arredores da Flórida por Nicholas | Foto: Pexels
Era tudo o que Cameron lembrava quando abriu os olhos um dia e se viu em um túnel subterrâneo nos arredores da Flórida. Sua carteira, telefone e dinheiro tinham sumido, e um lado do rosto estava coberto de sangue seco.
Provavelmente já fazia dias que ele não ficava sozinho ali no túnel. Talvez ele tivesse sido atacado na cabeça, daí o sangue, ele raciocinou.
Ele saiu lentamente da área e subiu, com a cabeça ainda latejando de dor, até chegar a uma rodovia onde tudo o que encontrou foram grandes plantações e um silêncio mortal e assustador.
Felizmente, ele logo encontrou um gentil motorista de caminhão que estava a caminho da cidade para vender alguns de seus produtos e se ofereceu para lhe dar uma carona até a cidade, bem como o velho cobertor que ele estava usando para se aquecer.
Cameron de alguma forma chegou à cidade naquele dia, mas não sabia o que fazer depois disso. Ele estava muito fraco e cansado e mal conseguiu chegar à loja Walmart mais próxima. Seu estômago estava roncando de fome, e ele se sentiu tonto como se fosse desmaiar.
Cameron estava fraco e cansado | Foto: Pexels
A essa altura, o Natal estava a apenas um dia de distância. Cameron cerrou os punhos em volta do estômago, tentando silenciar seu ronco e aliviar a dor que sentia. Ele não conseguia se lembrar da última vez que comera, mas já fazia vários dias porque estava cansado e exausto.
Considerando que era Natal e uma alma gentil o ajudaria, Cameron abriu seu sobretudo e o dobrou várias vezes para fazer um recipiente parecido com uma tigela. Ele se enrolou no velho cobertor que tinha e sentou-se ali implorando por comida.
“Com licença, senhora. Você pode me trazer um pão?”, ele pediu a uma mulher que tinha acabado de sair da loja Walmart. Ela não lhe ofereceu nada; em vez disso, ela zombou dele por ser um sem-teto e então foi embora.
A segunda pessoa que passou por Cameron lançou-lhe um olhar crítico, e algumas outras afastaram seus filhos, rotulando Cameron como um “maluco sem-teto” e aconselhando-os a ficarem longe dele.
Os olhos do pobre Cameron se encheram de lágrimas. Ele abaixou a cabeça e a colocou no círculo das mãos, e começou a chorar. De repente, uma voz estridente de uma criança o interrompeu. “Por favor, pegue isso antes que minha mamãe descubra!”, disse a criança.
Um garotinho veio em socorro de Cameron | Foto: Pexels
Cameron levantou a cabeça lentamente para ver um garoto de cerca de 7 anos parado na frente dele, segurando uma caixa de chocolates. “É Natal, e todo mundo gosta de chocolate no Natal. Espero que você goste tanto quanto eu”, ele disse com um sorriso.
Cameron não conseguia parar de chorar ao ver o garoto. “Muito obrigado, rapaz! Você não tem ideia do quanto me ajudou!” Ele soluçou ao aceitar a caixa.
“Eu tenho que ir agora. Senão, a mamãe vai me dar uma bronca. Tchau!”, disse o menino, se preparando para ir embora, mas quando ele se virou, viu sua mãe parada atrás dele, com as mãos na cintura, dando-lhe um olhar severo.
“Quantas vezes eu já disse a você, Tom, para não sair da minha vista? Tem tanta gente aqui, querida! Você pode se perder!”
“Mas mãe!” Tom gritou. “Eu estava te contando algo, mas você não estava me ouvindo!”
Tom ofereceu chocolates a Cameron | Foto: Pexels
“Eu não comprei os chocolates para você, Tom? O que mais você quer? Querida, você deveria saber que eu trabalho muito duro para te sustentar. Eu já comprei seu carrinho de brinquedo favorito e chocolates.”
“Não, mãe!”, disse Tom. “Não é sobre mim. Quando estávamos chegando na loja, vi que ninguém estava ajudando ele, mãe. Então comprei os chocolates para ele!” Tom apontou para Cameron, que estava segurando a caixa de chocolates nas mãos e olhando atentamente para Tom e sua mãe, Jade.
“Desculpe, eu não sabia que o garoto tinha te incomodado por isso. Você pode pegar de volta”, Cameron disse, devolvendo a caixa, mas Jade recusou e, em vez disso, ofereceu ajuda a ele.
“Você parece doente. Você tem muitos ferimentos no rosto. Você pode vir conosco, e nós podemos te examinar”, ela sugeriu.
“Obrigada!” Cameron gritou. “Seria muito gentil da sua parte! Mas… Você pode me emprestar seu telefone… Eu – eu preciso…” Cameron tinha acabado de começar a falar quando se sentiu desorientado e agarrou sua cabeça, chorando de dor. Olhando para sua condição, Jade o levou ao hospital, onde os médicos a informaram que Cameron precisaria ficar por um tempo devido a um ferimento na cabeça que exigia tratamento.
Cameron estava inconsciente, e Jade decidiu não deixar o homem sozinho. Ela e seu filho ficaram com Cameron naquela noite no hospital.
Jade se ofereceu para ajudar Cameron | Foto: Unsplash
Quando Cameron acordou na manhã seguinte, ele contou toda a sua história para Jade e, com a ajuda dela, relatou o incidente à polícia.
Jade o visitava todos os dias e cuidava dele enquanto os policiais investigavam seu caso. Quando Cameron finalmente recebeu alta do hospital, Jade o levou para casa e permitiu que ele ficasse com ele o quanto quisesse.
Cameron descobriu que Jade era uma mãe solteira que havia se divorciado de seu marido abusivo. Conforme eles passavam mais tempo juntos, Cameron sentiu-se cada vez mais próximo de Jade, e os dois acabaram se apaixonando. Cameron a pediu em casamento, e a mulher assentiu com um sim. No entanto, Cameron pediu que eles se casassem depois que ele tivesse recuperado o que era seu por direito. Cameron foi para o Texas para resolver seu caso depois que Jade concordou.
No entanto, quando chegou, ele descobriu que sua empresa estava à beira da falência, e Nicholas e Linda haviam fugido depois de desperdiçar todo o dinheiro.
Cameron teve que ficar no Texas até que o caso fosse resolvido. Demorou alguns meses, mas Linda e Nicholas foram finalmente encontrados. Eles estavam escondidos em uma área remota do Texas. Cameron pediu o divórcio de Linda assim que os policiais a pegaram. Encerrar tudo levou mais dois meses, mas Cameron estava feliz que sua esposa e seu melhor amigo pagaram por seus pecados.
Jade e Cameron viveram felizes para sempre | Foto: Pexels
Cameron voou de volta para a Flórida, aliviado que sua ex-esposa e amiga pagaram por suas ações. Ele e Jade se casaram em uma igreja e deram as boas-vindas a uma menina logo depois.
Cameron começou uma nova vida com Tom, Jade e sua filhinha Angela, esquecendo o passado ridículo e seguindo em frente com sua vida.
O que podemos aprender com essa história?
- Um ato de gentileza pode fazer uma grande diferença na vida de alguém. A vida de Cameron foi transformada de miserável para feliz, graças à gentileza do pequeno Tom em oferecer-lhe chocolates na véspera de Natal.
- Aprenda a ser prestativo e gentil. O pequeno Tom ajudou Cameron sem esperar nada em troca, e esse único ato mudou a vida de Cameron para sempre.
Se você gostou desta história, talvez goste desta sobre um velho milionário que deixa para trás uma gigantesca mansão de US$ 5,3 milhões após sua morte, mas há uma reviravolta: nem sua esposa nem sua filha a herdam.
Este relato é inspirado na história do nosso leitor e escrito por um escritor profissional. Qualquer semelhança com nomes ou locais reais é mera coincidência. Todas as imagens são apenas para fins ilustrativos. Compartilhe sua história conosco; talvez ela mude a vida de alguém.
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