A devastated mother, who feels her life has no purpose without her son, has lost all motivation to live. However, ten years after the death of her son, she meets a set of twins who help her understand that God has a purpose for her existence.
With tears in her eyes, Estella traced the words inside the ring, just as she had countless times before. How was she not able to? The loss of a child never makes a mother’s heart feel better.
Neil, the intelligent and gifted son of Estella, was a budding scientist. His eyes gleamed as he talked about atoms and molecules that were well above Estella’s comprehension; he had followed in the footsteps of his late father.
Back then, the only thing a single mother could do was encourage her son in his profession and smile at him. Where the brightest scientific minds in the nation convened, Neil attended conferences, exhibitions, and even spoke on behalf of his state.
Estella was pleased with his academic achievements, but she worried that he had been too focused on his work to consider raising a family. Then, one day, she got a heartbreaking call informing her that her son would never return.
Nothing in Estella’s mind suggested that something would go wrong on this lovely, sunny morning. Actually, when her phone rang, she was in the kitchen making breakfast and humming a tune.
The caller said, “Am I speaking to Neil’s mother?”
“Yes, how may I help you?” Holding her phone between her right ear and shoulder and towel-drying her hands, Estella answered.
The caller stated, “Ma’am, I’m calling on behalf of your son’s team.” “While the loss of a young scientist is significant for our nation, we think his family has suffered even more. We sincerely apologize for the incident.”
“Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Your son… he’s no longer with us.”
“Condolences?” asked Estella, baffled. “Oh, dear. Did you get the wrong number? I spoke to my son this morning when he left his hotel.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Townsend. We regret to inform you that there was an accident, and your son died in the car crash.”
“Died?” asked Estella furiously. “You think I’d fall for it? You need to get your facts straight! Go to my son’s hotel! I will send you the address, alright? He said he was leaving for a conference, and you tell him his mother sent you! You’ll see he’s alive and well. How dare you say false things about my child?”
Pain fades with time; love and care do not.
“Wednesday morning,” said the woman on the other end of the call. “We’ll send you the invitation sooner, and the funeral will be completed in two days. We are sad for your loss, Mrs. Townsend. Please be careful.”
Estella assumed it was a nightmare she would soon wake up from as the call line beeped. However, reality, not a dream, left Estella deeply broken on the inside.
She felt as though she didn’t want to live anymore when she saw her son’s pallid face in front of his coffin on Wednesday. How could God take away her son in such a horrible way? It was her son who should have died, not her!
Weeks and months went by, as did days, but nothing restored Estella’s heart. She yelled at her friends and relatives when they offered their sympathies. “Everyone is sick! Are you following? No, my son is still alive! He’s coming back!”
After a year, the truth had begun to slowly sink in, and she no longer felt angry at people who had predicted her son wouldn’t come back. Thus, she would spend her evenings by herself with Neil’s records, turning through the pages repeatedly and reminiscing about her dear boy.
Perhaps she should have told him to start a family. Perhaps if he had a wife and children, he wouldn’t go on crazy research trips all year and would still be alive!
“Oh, my sweet little boy!” Estella sobbed as she glanced at the ring. Neil had given her that ring for her birthday last year. It was a gorgeous silver piece that bore her initials, “E. T.”
How content she had been on that day. Just as she had never taken off her wedding ring, she had never taken the ring off her finger.
“Why did you take my boy, leaving me here?” Tearfully, Estella asked God. “You only needed to give me a call and let my son go. My boy had been so innocent, so pure.”
Estella cried herself to sleep that night, but the sound of the doorbell awoke her. The bell was ringing, but nobody was coming to see her. Never.
She ran downstairs, pulled on a sweatshirt, and asked, “Who’s there?”
Estella discovered a stunning brunette in her doorway when she answered it. She had a stunning appearance.
“Yes, darling?” With sweetness, Estella enquired.
She hadn’t addressed anyone with such tenderness since her son died. What was happening to her?
“Hello, my name is Emily. Is this… Neil’s home?” said the youthful lady.
Estella had tears in her eyes. “Yes,” she mutely said. “Yes, it is.”
She pleaded, “Can I see him?” and Estella started crying uncontrollably.
Estella remarked, “You can’t meet him.” “Never. You ought to return.”
“What are you trying to say? I simply—”
“He has passed away. Alright, my son is dead and nothing can bring him back. You’ve found the solution, if that’s what you were hoping to hear! Please simply get away from me now.”
Estella’s affection for the girl faded, and her anger took over her. Emily just stood there, dumbfounded, as if she’d seen a ghost.
“He, what?” She let out a gasp. “Oh no, no, no. There is no way for this to be!”
Estella answered stiffly, “Well.” “Leave my property right away, or I’ll call the police!” “Are you following? OUT!”
Without even listening to what Emily had to say, Estella slammed the door in her face. Estella didn’t seem to mind that she heard Emily apologize before turning to leave the door. After Neil had left, nothing ever concerned her. With her son dead, what use did anything have?
For Estella, the remainder of the day didn’t bring any changes. Not a single thought of Emily crossed her mind. However, ten years later, Estella would run across that girl once more due to fate.
After ten years,
“Oh, Lord! Boy, you better watch out!” The child, who had rushed into Estella at the market, received a glare from her. Winter was coming, and she’d just bought a gorgeous scarf for herself.
The young youngster looked back after saying, “I’m sorry!” “Hi Tim!” He exclaimed, “Hurry up!” and turned to Estella, saying, “Could you give us some money, ma’am?”
Estella’s eyes remained focused on the boy’s throat. “Cash?” she enquired. “Kid, why would you approach strangers to get money? Additionally, where are your parents?”
The youngster took a seat on the sidewalk, and shortly after, a boy who resembled him in every way joined him. “Hello, I’m Jordan, and this is Tim, my twin brother,” the young man said. “We’re hungry. Would you kindly assist us?”
She yelled, “Go away!” “I’m not giving you any money!”
“Please! Please!” The two youngsters seized her arm and sobbed together.
The boys persisted in hounding Estella for money despite her attempts to shoo them away. After a while, she gave up and deposited some cash in the cup that Tim was carrying.
“There you go!” she sternly exclaimed. “Now, out of my way!”
“You’re so kind!” Jordan gave her feet a hug while grinning. “Thank you so much, ma’am!”
Then With a proper gaze at Jordan’s neck, Estella gasped. “That birthmark…” In amazement, her palm moved to her lips. She questioned, “How do you have that, boy?”
“Can I please see that mark on your neck?” she added, bending down to face Jordan.
Estella was astonished when Jordan nodded and she carefully eased Jordan’s jumper down his neck.
“Dear God! That’s the same birthmark my son had!”
Tim looked up at Jordan’s throat. “Even I have it!” he exclaimed, grinning foolishly. “Mom said it’s a special birthmark!”
The two youngsters Estella encountered at the market shared her late son’s birthmark, which shocked her. How could this have happened?
Estella observed the lads’ faces now; they had a minor resemblance to Neil. She needed to find out the truth about this. Estella would find out how these twins were linked to Neil, if at all. She, therefore, had an idea.
“Boys,” she addressed them. “How about some buns and hot chocolate? Just across the street is a café. How do you feel?”
“Indeed! It would be so much fun!” The two children cackled.
Estella stared at the boys nonstop as they consumed their hot chocolate and buns.
Tim said when she asked the lads, “So where are your parents?” He spoke while stuffing his lips, “We live with Mom on the street!” “She adores—Hey, see! Mom! Mom!”
“Tim?” A charming voice caught Estella’s attention, and she spun around to see a rag-clad woman walking toward their table. Though her face was old and wrinkled, Estella felt the poor woman looked nice. However, the woman’s smile vanished upon seeing Estella.
Telling Estella that there was no need to feed the kids, she started to take them away. However, Estella intervened.
She said, “Would you mind if I talked to you?” “I need to ask you something, dear.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Townsend!” Swiftly, as she gathered her boys into her arms, the mom spoke. “I need to—”
“How do you know my name?” Estella asked, slowly rising to her feet. “Do you know me? I’m sure you do!”
Tears pooled around the woman’s eyes as her shoulders began to wither. “Are you truly not aware of who I am? We’ve already met! It’s me, Mrs. Townsend, Emily. Does that sound familiar to you?”
Gazing at the woman in front of her, Estella’s eyes grew wide with amazement. Years ago, Emily was really attractive!
“Emily? Oh no, you came to see me!”
“I did,” she groaned, “taking a seat on one of the chairs. Kindly have a seat. I think there’s no way I can escape you anymore.”
Estella was astounded by what she heard as Emily began speaking. Emily disclosed that years ago, while she was a student, she dated Neil. Their romance started when they happened to meet at her institution during a science conference.
Emily discovered she was pregnant six months after she started dating Neil. She wanted to tell him about her pregnancy because she was so happy about it. However, destiny had other ideas. When Neil abruptly stopped talking to her, she was devastated.
Nevertheless, she thought he had good reasons, so she made the decision to find out his home location from their mutual acquaintances and pay him a visit.
When she did, she discovered that Neil was no longer alive.
Emily was at a loss as to whether or not to continue the pregnancy. However, she found it impossible to relinquish the two lives that were developing within her. To raise her kids, she did odd jobs and dropped out of college. But life turned out to be worse than she had imagined, and she ended up on the streets with her kids.
“When I found out I had twins, I was devastated. I was aware that I couldn’t support them,” Emily said to Estella. “I then realized that it’s a component of both Neil and myself. We adore it so much, and I just couldn’t bring myself to part with it. I didn’t want to trouble you, Mrs. Townsend. My parents were not happy about my pregnancy, and I knew you were having trouble dealing with Neil’s passing. They didn’t help me; in fact, they expelled me from the residence.”
“No, no…” With her palm resting on Emily’s, Estella whispered. “You ought to have approached me, given me a hug, and introduced yourself as Neil’s child’s mother. Darling, I would have welcomed you with open arms, and I Nothing is too late. I have my grandchildren and you. And I was beyond blessed with more from God. Please.”
Then Estella gave Emily the ring that had been Neil’s final birthday present to her. “He would have given you a ring and made a proposal. You would become a member of our family, as would his wife. However, it wasn’t the ideal time for us. Let’s get started straight now. If you had married my Neil, you would have tragically shared the same initials as me, so hold onto this. It’s yours by right.”
“I’m taking you and your kids home with me, I may not have much, but I can provide a loving home for you and my grandchildren. And I see now why God has allowed me to survive.”
What can we learn from this story?
Love and care do not fade with time, but pain does. After some years, Estella came to terms with Neil’s passing and welcomed both his kids and the woman he loved.
For each person, God has a plan. Estella lost her son, but she also acquired Emily and her twin boys as new family.
