It had been the hardest year of my life. Losing my husband shattered me. Every day since had been an uphill climb — grief, single parenting, and exhaustion pressing down like a weight I couldn’t shake.
That afternoon, Liam and I were leaving the grocery store, arms full of bags, when I saw him: a man sitting alone at the far end of the parking lot. He was wrapped in a ragged blanket, face raw from the cold. Beside him sat a small, scruffy dog, shivering.
I told myself to just keep moving. Get Liam home, keep life simple. But as I closed the trunk, I noticed the man walking toward us. My chest tightened.
“Ma’am,” he said softly, voice rough. “I’m sorry to ask, but… would you take my dog?”
I froze.
He lowered his eyes, ashamed. “Her name’s Daisy. She’s my whole world, but I can’t care for her anymore. She’s cold, and I can barely feed her. She deserves better than this.”
My instinct was to say no. My plate was already too full. A dog? Another responsibility? But then I caught Liam’s wide, pleading eyes.
“Mom, please,” he whispered. “She needs us.”
And just like that, Daisy came home with us.
That night, Liam gave her a warm bath, dried her with his favorite blanket, and fell asleep with Daisy curled against him. For the first time in months, our house felt warm again.
A month later, Daisy was family. She followed Liam everywhere, filled the house with playful energy, and — somehow — healed cracks in me I didn’t even know were there.
Then one evening, I opened the mailbox and found an envelope. No stamp. No return address. Just four words: From your old friend.
My hands shook as I opened it. Inside was a letter — but it wasn’t addressed to me.
It was addressed to Liam.
**“Dear Liam,
If you’re reading this, then Daisy is safe with you. Thank you for saying ‘please’ that day. I saw it in your eyes — you weren’t just asking your mom to take Daisy, you were promising me you’d love her.
I used to have a little boy, just about your age. I lost him. Life… fell apart after that. Daisy was the only piece of family I had left. Giving her away broke my heart, but when I saw you, I knew it wasn’t the end for her.
She has her new boy now. You.
Take care of her, and she’ll take care of you too.
Your old friend.”**
I pressed the letter to my chest, tears blurring the words. Liam was on the floor, Daisy’s head in his lap, both of them looking up at me with innocent trust.
And for the first time in so long, I felt like life hadn’t just taken — it had given something back.