An 11-year old looks after his sisters while his mom is out of town. The boy wakes up one morning to hear a knock at their door. His mom is not there.
“PREGNANT? AGAIN???”
“What did you mean by again, William?” Sarah shot back. “Don’t act like you don’t know what lovemaking leads to!”
“Well, I don’t care! I did not sign up for this! WE’RE OVER!!”
These were the last words that 32-year-old Sarah’s ex husband said to her when he learned they were expecting their fourth child, Mia.
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Sarah’s husband, John, was a divorcee and she was left with their three children, Cynthia, 10, and Kathy, who were both 3 years old.
Sarah was an orphan without any relatives anywhere in the world and had to raise her children alone. Soon she was disappearing at night and her eldest son John took care of her younger siblings.
“I am ashamed to tell my children about the plant thing, so they don’t know.”
Mia began crying loudly one morning because she was very fussy. John gently rocked Mia, and he lifted her into his arms. But Mia wouldn’t stop crying.
“Please stop crying, Mia. Mom will be home soon. Please!”He begged her. But Mia’s crying didn’t stop. It woke his sisters and sent them rushing down the stairs to their living room.
“John! We can’t sleep! Please tell her to be quiet!” Cynthia complained.
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“John?”Kathy said slowly. “I think Mia is hungry! We need to give her milk!”
John saw it. Mia was likely hungry and fussing. He made some milk and went into the kitchen. His other sisters were asked to watch Mia while he was away.
John made Mia’s breast milk in a matter of minutes and carefully poured the milk into Mia’s milk bottles.
“Here, Mia! Your milk is ready!”As he began to feed her, he said the words as he sat down with her on the floor. Cynthia and Kathy lay down on the couch, afraid to return to their rooms. John read them a story to help with sleep.
Mia stopped crying as she drank the milk. However, they were all terrified when there was a loud knock at the door.
John looked at it. It was around 5 a.m. Sarah usually didn’t return to her home until 7:00 a.m. He was afraid to go in the door.
“Who are you?”Kathy shouted and Cynthia covered Kathy’s mouth immediately with her hands. “Shhh, Kathy! Are you mad? What if it’s not mom?”
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“I’ll go check, okay?”John said. “Don’t make any noises!”
John held Mia in his arms as he answered the door. He gently pushed his feet to get the stool to the front door. He stood up on the stool and looked through the hole. Sarah wasn’t there. Jim, their next door neighbor, was a policeman.
Jim and John were very close. John found John after William had left. “fatherly”Jim would be his friend and share everything with him. He was relieved to see Jim at the door. He opened the doors and let Jim in. Cynthia and Kathy ran up scared to him and grabbed his back.
“Chill. It’s Jim,”John said. “You don’t need to be scared.”He saw John with Mia in his arms.
“Hey kids,”Jim bent down to face the girls. “I returned late from work and just thought of checking on you guys because I overheard someone crying. Is everything okay? Why do you guys look scared?”
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“I thought a bad man came to our home. I was so scared….”Kathy began to weep and hugged Jim.
“Oh, it’s okay, sweetheart. There’s nothing to worry about. Where’s your mom?”
“We don’t know,”Jim said. “She often spends the nights out these days and returns in the morning. She never tells us where she goes.”
“Good Lord!”Jim sighed. “It’s okay. I’ll stay with you until your mom returns, alright?”
Jim helped John get the girls to bed and he decided not to go with them until Sarah arrived home. He tried to call her but her phone was dead.
Jim fell asleep on the couch as he waited for Sarah. John woke him at 8:00 am.
“Come and have breakfast, Jim!”John shouted in the kitchen as breakfast was ready.
Jim approached the table to see John checking Cynthia’s homework, while Kathy sat down on his lap. He fed Kathy. He had already packed Cythnia her lunchbox for school and was now having breakfast.
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Jim was moved to tears by the sight of an 11-year old boy helping his siblings. “Buddy, can I help you with something? Don’t you need to get ready for school too?”
“I can’t go today, Jim. Mom isn’t home yet, so I need to stay home. I am the big brother, and I have to be responsible.”
“But John….”Jim couldn’t finish his work as Sarah walked in the front door. Her clothes were worn and her hair was tangled.
Jim was furious. “We need to talk, Sarah. Just a minute, kids. I’ll be right back….”
Jim lost his cool when Sarah and Jim reached the living room. “What’s wrong with you, Sarah?”He asked the question firmly, trying not to let his anger show. “Is this the time to come home? And you left your children alone? Since when has this been happening?”
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Sarah fell to the couch in her living room and covered her face with her hands. “I’m tired too, Jim, but….”Her voice began to crackle. “I – I don’t know what to do. I can’t work during the day because I don’t have anyone to look after my baby. I’m taking extra shifts at night at the bar because I need to provide for my children. And a week ago, I started to work at a garbage recycling plant.
“I had some extra work today. That’s why I came home an hour late. It is embarrassing for me to tell my children the story about the plant. Are you sure they will like it when their mother throws trash at them? Jim, my husband quit paying child support. He just disappeared. What should I do? It feels like everything is falling apart! Everything around me is falling ….
“And John has been so helpful. I wouldn’t have been able to manage any of it without his help. I’m happy that I have him. God sent me such a son because he took away a wretched husband…I am glad to have John by my side,”She spoke.
“But you don’t realize it’s robbing him of his childhood, Sarah. Take a look at him! He’s carrying a burden an 11-year-old shouldn’t!”
Jim felt awful for Sarah and her kids and knew he had a responsibility to do what he could to help. He saluted John as he left the house and said, “You’re a hero, young man! I am so proud of you!”
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John smiled and saluted John back. “Thanks, Jim! You’re too cool!”
Jim began helping Sarah around her house from that day forward. As time went by, they became friends and Sarah started to develop feelings for each other.
Jim had strong feelings for Sarah. He proposed to Sarah one day while out for dinner with Sarah’s children.
“Are you sure?”Sarah couldn’t believe what was happening in her world. “I – I mean—”
“Come on, mom! Say yes! I want Jim as a dad!” John interjected.
“Yes, mommy! I love Jim too!”Kathy chriped, while Jim smiled. “Of course, I am sure, Sarah. Will you marry me, Sarah?”He repeated the question.
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Sarah agreed to marry Jim in order to ensure her happiness and that of her children. John didn’t have to sacrifice his childhood to take care of his siblings. They became a loving and close-knit family.
What can we take away from this story?
- The Lord pushes the sinful people away in order to bring us closer the the good. Sarah’s marriage to John was a disaster. John was her son, and he loved Sarah and was deeply concerned about his siblings. God sent Jim later into Sarah’s life. He not only accepted her, but also her children.
- Every child deserves a happy, healthy childhood. John was losing his childhood because of the small responsibilities he assumed. Jim was able to make things better for John and ensure that he had no more worries about his happiness.
This story is worth sharing with friends. This story might inspire and brighten their day.
This story is about an 11-year old boy who stood up to his mom after she was fired for not showing up on time.
This piece was inspired by stories from our readers’ daily lives and is written by a professional author. Any resemblance to real names or actual locations is only coincidental. Illustrations are provided for illustration purposes only. Send us your story. You might make a difference in someone’s life. Send us your story if you’d like to share it. [email protected].