While working as a nanny, Lori uncovered something she never thought she’d see again—a pair of shoes that once belonged to her daughter, who vanished 22 years ago. The shoes, a painful reminder of the past, were now inexplicably in the home where she was caring for a little girl.Lori sat on the living room floor, her hands trembling as she pulled the lid off another dusty box. Old memories flooded her mind, filling the air with a heaviness she couldn’t shake.
Three-year-old Marissa, the sweet little girl Lori was caring for, stood nearby, her wide eyes filled with confusion. Marissa didn’t understand why Lori was crying so hard. Lori was clutching a tiny child’s shoe in her hands, tears streaming down her face. This shoe had belonged to her daughter, who disappeared 22 years ago. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of it, but nothing added up. Just then, the front door creaked open, and Lori heard footsteps. Emily, Marissa’s mother, entered the room, her face filled with concern.”Lori, are you okay?” Emily asked, her voice trembling with concern.Lori didn’t look up. Her voice cracked as she asked, “Where did you get these shoes?”Emily’s heart raced. She glanced at the small shoe, then at Lori. “I… ,” she stammered, struggling to find the right words. 22 years ago…Lori sat on the floor, carefully folding clothes and placing them into a small suitcase. She glanced at the list beside her, checking off items as she packed.It was Olive’s first trip without her, and Lori’s heart felt heavy. Olive’s father, Chris, was taking her to Scotland. Lori wasn’t sure if she could trust him to handle everything. Scotland seemed so far away, and the thought of being apart from her little girl made her anxious. As she zipped up the suitcase, four-year-old Olive came bouncing into the room. “Mom, why can’t you come with us?
” Olive asked, looking up at Lori with wide eyes.Lori knelt beside her and smiled. “I’d love to, sweetie, but this is a special trip for you and your dad.” Olive frowned. “What will I do without you?””You’ll have fun with your grandparents,” Lori said, brushing a curly strand away from Olive’s face. “You’ll see where your dad grew up and learn about Scotland. It’s a part of who you are.” Olive’s eyes filled with worry. “But I’ll miss you.”Lori’s heart ached as she pulled Olive into a hug. “I’ll miss you too, sweetheart. But it’s only five days, and we’ll be together again before you know it.” Olive pulled back a little, her face thoughtful. “Is five days a lot or a little?” “It’s a little,” Lori said, stroking her daughter’s cheek. “The time will fly by.”Olive nodded slowly. “Okay, but promise we’ll see each other soon. Promise you’ll miss me.” Lori smiled and kissed the top of Olive’s head. “I promise, baby. I’ll miss you so much.” She held Olive close, not wanting to let go. A few hours later, Chris arrived to pick up Olive. Lori knelt down, gently slipping Olive’s little shoes onto her feet. She had embroidered tiny flowers on them herself, making them special. “Be good for your dad, okay?” Lori said softly, hugging Olive tightly. Olive nodded and smiled, but Lori could still feel a tug in her heart as they left for the airport.Later, her phone buzzed. It was Chris, calling to let her know they had arrived safely. He sent a picture of Olive smiling at the airport. Lori smiled, feeling a small sense of relief, but deep down, a knot of worry still remained. Something didn’t feel right. Chris and Olive had been in Scotland for four days. They were supposed to return the next day. For the first three days, Chris had been good about sending Lori photos of Olive. Each picture showed Olive smiling, exploring new places, and it gave Lori some peace.But on the fourth day, nothing came. No messages. No pictures. Lori’s worry grew with each passing hour. She tried calling Chris, but her calls went straight to voicemail. She texted him, hoping for a quick response. Nothing. Her heart began to race. She called Chris’s parents, but there was no answer from them either. That’s when she knew something was wrong. Her hands trembled as she dialed again, but still no answer. Lori spent the entire day by the phone, her mind racing with horrible thoughts.Finally, in the evening, her phone rang. She saw Chris’s name on the screen. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and answered.”Chris, is everything okay? I was starting to worry,” Lori said, her voice tense.There was a pause. “Lori, are you sitting down?” Chris asked quietly. Lori frowned. “What? Why would I need to sit down?” she replied, her heart starting to race. “Just answer the question, Lori. Are you sitting down?” Chris repeated, his tone firm.Lori’s voice shook. “Yes, I’m on the couch. What’s going on?” “Alright. Listen carefully. Don’t panic,” Chris said. Lori’s breath caught in her throat. “What? Why would I panic? Chris, what’s happening?” “Olive is missing,” Chris finally said.Lori felt her world spin. “What? What do you mean, missing? How could she be missing?” she nearly screamed. “We were walking in the city this morning. I lost sight of her for a second. She was just gone. But I’ve already gone to the police, Lori. They’re looking for her,” Chris explained. Lori’s hands shook. “She’s been missing since this morning? And you’re only telling me now? You lost our daughter!” she yelled, tears streaming down her face.”I’m sorry, Lori. I didn’t know what to do,” Chris said, his voice weak. “I’m taking the next flight. I won’t stop until I find her,” Lori said, and without waiting for his response, she hung up the phone, her mind spinning. Lori flew to Scotland the very next day, determined to find Olive. She couldn’t rest, couldn’t think of anything else. She spent years in Scotland, pouring all her time and energy into the search. She walked the streets, put up posters, and talked to anyone who might have seen Olive.But it was as if Olive had vanished into thin air. No one knew anything. The police helped at first, but as time passed, they stopped looking. Lori refused to give up, continuing the search on her own. But with each year, her hope faded a little more.Then, a few years later, the police contacted her. They had found a body in the river and said it most likely belonged to Olive, but it was hard to identify. Lori’s world fell apart in that moment. It was as if her heart had shattered.She knew then that she had lost her daughter forever. With no hope left, Lori returned home, broken and defeated.Present Day… Lori, trying to control her tears, looked at Emily, who stood silent, not knowing what to say. After a long moment, Emily finally spoke. “These are the shoes my family found me in,” Emily said softly. “I was very young then, and I don’t remember much. I just know that I got lost somehow. I remember arriving in a strange city by bus, where my family found me. They adopted me later.”Lori could hardly breathe. “That’s… impossible,” she whispered, disbelief filling her voice.Emily hesitated before continuing. “I didn’t know where I came from, or my parents’ full names. My adoptive parents tried to find them, but no one came forward. After a while, they gave up,” she explained. “When I was six, we moved here, and I’ve been here ever since.” Lori wiped her face, her hands shaking. “Is Emily your real name?” she asked quietly. Emily looked confused. “No. I had a different name when they found me. But they changed it when I was adopted,” she replied.Lori’s heart ached. “Your name was Olive, wasn’t it?” Lori asked, staring at her. Emily’s eyes widened in shock. “How… how do you know that name?” Lori’s voice shook as she raised the little shoes. “These were my daughter’s shoes. She was wearing them when she disappeared in Scotland.” Emily stared at her, tears forming in her eyes. “I lived there before we moved here.”Lori’s voice cracked as she said, “I can’t believe you’ve been so close all this time. I never should have stopped looking.” Emily’s voice broke. “So… you’re my mother?”Lori nodded, her tears falling again. “Yes.” Emily threw her arms around Lori, who held her daughter tightly, just as she had done 22 years ago when she was little. The feeling of finally being reunited filled Lori’s heart with both joy and disbelief.They sat there, not saying a word, just holding each other. Time seemed to stop for them. After a few moments, little Marissa wandered over, curious. She looked at them with big eyes, then wrapped her small arms around both of them. Emily laughed softly, her eyes still teary, and kissed Marissa’s head. So, you’ve already met your granddaughter,” Emily said, her smile softening as she looked down at Marissa, who was now sitting between them.”Yes, I have,” Lori replied, a warm smile spreading across her face. “I can’t believe I’ve been her nanny for two whole years without realizing she was my granddaughter.” Lori gently ran her fingers through Emily’s hair. “You used to have such bright red hair as a child. Marissa’s hair is the same color. What happened to yours?”Emily chuckled. “I started dyeing it in high school. I wanted a change, and I guess I just never stopped.” “That’s a shame,” Lori said with a hint of nostalgia. “You had such beautiful hair, just like Marissa’s.” Emily’s eyes welled up with tears again. She leaned in and hugged Lori tightly, overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment. Lori, still in disbelief, held her daughter close, marveling at the fact that after all these years, she was finally able to hug her little girl again.”If you hadn’t asked me to go through these old boxes, I might never have known you were my daughter,” Lori said, her voice soft. Emily wiped her eyes and grinned. “So, does that mean I don’t have to pay you extra for organizing them?” “I’m ready to give you all the money I have, just promise me you’ll never disappear again,” Lori said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I promise,” Emily replied softly. She hugged her mother, feeling the weight of all those lost years. Lori held her daughter tightly, her arms wrapped around her as if she could protect her from ever disappearing again. She closed her eyes, taking in the familiar warmth she had longed for over so many years. The fear that Emily might vanish once more lingered in her heart. This was truly her daughter—no longer the little girl Lori had lost so many years ago, but now a grown woman, with her own life and even a child of her own. Yet, to Lori, she was still her little Olive.
3 Years after Son’s Death, Lady Opens Door on Halloween & Sees Kids in Costumes She Sewed for Him – Story of the Day
A bereaved mother is startled when kids arrive on her doorstep trick-or-treating in her dead son’s Halloween costumes. She immediately checks his room and is in for a tear-jerking surprise.
“Please give it a thought, Mrs. Brown. You cannot always escape this time of the year. You have to overcome it, and this is the only way out. You need to celebrate Halloween or at least decorate your house,” the psychologist told Rosemary, 37.
Rosemary’s eyes brimmed with tears as she pressed her chin on her knuckles. She was nervous. “Will I be able to do it? Will it help me not think about what happened to my son on that Halloween?” she thought.
Rosemary shyly smiled and got up to leave the clinic. She headed to the market to buy décor. Though she did not feel like celebrating the holiday, she followed the doctor’s advice.
It had been three years since Rosemary and her son Dave carved fleshy pumpkins into glowering jack-o’-lanterns. It had been three hellish years since Rosemary lost Dave on the morning of Halloween, and his death still kept haunting her…
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Lucas, Rosemary’s husband, was surprised when he came home on All Hallows Eve. He had been out of town on a business trip and was astonished when he saw his house fully decorated with the Halloween spirit.
“Rose, hey…hey…” he exclaimed as he entered the door, holding big boxes of stuff he’d shopped from the city. “I’m so happy you’re doing this. I’m sure our son would be happy to see you smiling after a very long time.”
Lucas kissed Rosemary before leaving to freshen up. Tears rolled down Rosemary’s face as she fixed the light into the jack-o’-lantern. It was Dave’s favorite part of the festival. He always placed bets with his friends about who had the funkiest jack-o’-lantern.
Rosemary’s house that day looked so beautiful and all set for a perfect Halloween. It caught everyone’s eye, especially one gang of kids on the street.
Those we love do not truly leave us. There are certain things death can never touch.
They couldn’t help but think Rosemary’s decorated house was a signal inviting them over for a trick-or-treat. They had never visited Rosemary’s house on Halloween before, so seeing her house ready for the holiday tempted them.
The kids marched to Rosemary’s house in costumes that would go on to make the bereaving mother burst into tears.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Just as Rosemary readied the table for dinner and was wiping the crockery, she heard a loud knock on the door. She answered the door and turned pale with shock seeing a group of happy little children chiming, “Trick or treat!”
Rosemary could not believe her eyes. She recognized the costumes the kids were wearing. She had exclusively sewn them for Dave three years ago for Halloween, but he never got to wear them. He died in an accident while crossing the road the morning of All Hallows Eve.
Rosemary was shaken. She clasped the door and gaped at the children from head to toe.
“That embroidery… those buttons and skeleton paintings on the shirt… Dave asked me to do a patchwork resembling cobwebs on his witch hat… And these pumpkin buttons… ‘D’ for Dave… I sewed them myself. What is going on? How did they get my son’s Halloween costumes from his room?” Rosemary thought.
“It cannot be.”
Rosemary quickly gave the kids some candies and ran to her son’s room. She pulled out a trunk from under the bed and opened it. Dave’s Halloween costumes were not there.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Rosemary was startled. She started sweating and sat on the floor, crying. “Who took them? Who gave my Dave’s clothes to those kids?”
She looked up and saw the state of her late son’s room. It looked different and empty. Almost all his items were missing, including his favorite shoe collection, posters, and even superhero toys. Rosemary peeped into his wardrobe and only found empty hangers.
Everything was intact when she checked Dave’s room a month ago. She never gave away a thing there because she wanted to preserve everything in memory of her dead son. So seeing Dave’s room in a near-empty state puzzled her. Rosemary could not understand what was going on and immediately called Lucas.
“Everything is missing. I see nothing here that belonged to our son. Darling, what’s going on? Who took Dave’s things from here?”
That’s when Rosemary sensed a weird hesitation on Lucas’ face. He could not look her in the eye and simply walked away.
“Lucas, what’s going on? Why aren’t you saying anything? Where are my son’s things? And why are those kids wearing his Halloween costumes?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Rosemary followed Lucas to the kitchen where she found him staring at the plain wall.
“Darling, what’s going on? Why are you silent? I’m going crazy. Can someone please tell me what’s happening in this house?”
Lucas turned around, tears streaming down his face. He hugged Rosemary and made a confession.
“Sweetie, I know how much Dave means to us even now. But I could not see you destroyed like this,” he began.
“Once, I visited the shelter at the end of this street with my friend. The little boys there reminded me of our son. So I gave away all his stuff to them. Whenever I see those kids in our son’s shirt, pants, or even shoes, I see Dave, not some strange random kid.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Rosemary burst into tears. “So, were those kids who came trick or treating to our house from the shelter?”
“Yes, they are! On my way home this evening, I saw them wearing the costumes you’d made for Dave. I was so happy and invited them to our home for some candies, hoping you would be happy to see them.”
Rosemary threw herself into Lucas’s arms and began to cry.
“Thank you so much, darling. You have no idea what you did today!”
“I did?” Lucas was puzzled, seeing a strange glow in his wife’s eyes.
“Yes! One of those little boys looked just like our son Dave. I think this is what destiny wanted us to do…to adopt him and bring him home as our son!”
Lucas and Rosemary were so delighted, they quickly began the paperwork to adopt Tom, the little boy who reminded Rosemary of the late Dave. They brought him home six months later.
Ever since Tom arrived, Rosemary was never sad again. She, Lucas, and Tom lived a life of dreams and happiness together. They also helped the other children in the shelter find loving homes.
A year later…again on Halloween…
“Mama, look…my jack-o’-lantern…you like it?” Tom asked Rosemary, showing a gorgeous jack-o’-lantern he’d made. Rosemary shed tears of joy as she realized Tom was none but a gift her late son Dave had sent from heaven.
“It’s beautiful, darling! It reminds me of someone dear to me!” she cried and hugged the boy as they got ready for the evening.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
What can we learn from this story?
- Those we love do not truly leave us. There are certain things death can never touch. After losing her son Dave, Rosemary was devastated. She had never celebrated Halloween for three years since the day marked her beloved son’s death. However, she would later learn that her son wasn’t truly gone when she meets a young boy who resembles Dave and becomes part of their family.
- Embrace your grief and move on. No sorrow is permanent unless you choose to stick to it. It took Rosemary three years to embrace her grief and move on from her son’s loss. Although she was never entirely out of it, she sought solace in her adopted son Tom.
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