Matt
Seeing that his neighbor was struggling to mow the lawn, Jake stopped to help her, accompanied by his three-year-old son. The elderly woman was grateful for his help, and they began to talk about life. Soon after, he discovered that she was not just grateful. She was a miracle worker.
“Shall we order a pizza when we get home tonight, buddy? What do you think?” Jake asked his son Andy, who was sitting in his car seat and playing with his tablet. The boy just hummed to his father, and Jake sighed. They were coming back from the children’s psychologist’s office, and he had no idea how he could afford the treatments that Andy needed.
His son was affected by the death of his mother, which occurred a year ago. He barely spoke, and Jake was very worried about his development.
He sighed as he turned onto their street, but slowed the car down when he saw Mrs. Nichols bending over to cut her lawn with a pair of gardening scissors.
Jake glanced in the rearview mirror: his son was still focused on his tablet. “Hey, buddy. What if we help our neighbor mow her lawn?” he said.
Finally, Andy looked up from his tablet, and Jake smiled. “Let’s go, buddy,” he said as he got out of the car. He helped his son out of the car, and Andy left his tablet behind.
“Mrs. Nichols! Do you need any help?” Jake asked as he walked towards the lady, holding his son’s hand.
“Oh! Jake, my dear. Are you sure? I don’t know how to operate this darn lawnmower.” The elderly woman smiled, one hand holding the lower part of her back as if in pain.
“You could have called me, Mrs. Nichols. I would have gladly helped, even if we were out of town today,” replied Jake with a smile. “Where is the lawnmower?”
“In the garage, my dear. Hey, Andy. What if we sit under my porch and have some cookies?” the elderly lady asked the little boy, who nodded. Jake thought he detected a hint of a smile at the mention of cookies, but he wasn’t sure.
Andy followed the lady and waited for her to bring the cookies under the porch, while Jake went to get the lawnmower from the garage.
The lady’s yard was seriously overgrown with vegetation, so the work took some time, and at one point, Andy even pretended to help his father. But he quickly went back to eating more cookies.
Mrs. Nichols tapped Jake’s shoulder, making him jump. “Hey, Jake. Andy fell asleep despite all the noise,” she said softly. “How are you doing?”
“Doing okay. It’s not easy, Mrs. Nichols. My wife’s death has been really tough on him. It’s amazing what children can understand, even at his age.” Jake quickly unloaded all of his current issues, including the fact that he couldn’t afford his son’s treatments.
“No one can help you? Lend you some money?” asked Mrs. Nichols.
“The rest of our family is also having financial troubles. Times are tough, Mrs. Nichols,” replied Jake before finishing his work.
“Thank you for everything, my dear. Why don’t you stay for dinner?” the elderly woman offered.
“No, ma’am. I promised Andy pizza tonight, and I think he’s tired from the day. Honestly, I’m tired too. But you’re always welcome. Call me again when you need your lawn mowed,” Jake said.
As they drove back home, Jake couldn’t help but feel grateful for the small moments of kindness they had received that day. He glanced over at Andy, who was still fast asleep in the back seat, and felt a pang of sadness knowing the challenges they still faced.
But in that moment, he made a promise to himself to keep pushing forward and to never give up on his son. Together, they would overcome any obstacle that came their way.
Jake’s eyebrows furrowed as he answered the call from an unknown number a few days later.
“Mr. Collins? Jake Collins?” a male voice asked.
“Yes?”
“I’m Mr. Cohen. I’m the attorney representing Mrs. Nichols in the sale of her current home.”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I didn’t know she was moving.”
“Yes, well. Mrs. Nichols has finally found a buyer, and the sale is moving quickly. I’ll need your bank details,” the attorney continued in a firm tone.
“I don’t understand. What does this sale have to do with me?”
“Didn’t Mrs. Nichols tell you? She’s giving you $100,000 from the proceeds of the sale. As a ‘legacy’, but she wants you to receive it immediately,” Mr. Cohen explained, and Jake’s jaw dropped.
“It’s so generous,” he breathed into the phone, and suddenly his doorbell rang. Mrs. Nichols was just outside with a wide smile. Jake gestured to her that he was on the phone.
“Yes, that’s correct. Anyway, please send me the details as soon as possible, and we can proceed with the transfer. Thank you,” the lawyer concluded before hanging up.
Before Mrs. Nichols could say a word, Jake approached her and hugged her tightly, his eyes filled with tears. She patted his back for a long time.
