‘I am very sorry, mum. I will visit you as often as I can. I’m sure I’ll have flights to the US,’ Edward said, apologising once more.
‘Stop getting her hopes up. She doesn’t deserve to have her heart broken at her age. Get out!’ replied Adam, realising that his brother just wanted to see their mother but not to build a bond with her.
A couple of days after their meeting, Adam noticed a transport service pull up to the house opposite and the men began loading furniture and appliances into it.
‘Mum, I think someone has bought the house directly opposite ours. We’ll have new neighbours soon,’ he told her.
Annie was delighted, for she had always wanted neighbours. She enjoyed baking and wanted to share her creations with other people.
They were surprised, however, when the man driving the luxury car that followed shortly after them turned out to be Edward. Adam and Annie opened the front door to greet him. ‘What are you doing here?’ asked Adam to his brother.
‘I spoke to my wife about what happened the other day and we both realised that our home is not in France but here. I turned down a job offer with a French airline and told my foster parents that I wanted to move somewhere in Chicago. They understood and promised me that they would keep in touch while they enjoyed retirement in Europe,’ Edward explains.
‘I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to track you down, Mum. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past, but I hope you’ll give me a chance to prove to you that I’m not a bad person and that I genuinely want to spend time with you. I want to reconnect with you, too, Adam. We’re brothers. I love you both and I’ll prove how much if you let me,’ he added.
Annie couldn’t believe it and cried. Edward introduced his wife Emma and young daughter Alex to Annie and Adam, which warmed their hearts. While Annie chatted with Alex and Emma, Adam and Edward had time to talk.
‘I know you don’t trust me at all, Adam, but please give me a chance to prove to you that I have good intentions for you and Mum,’ he pleaded.
‘For Mum’s sake I’m willing to forget about my past problems. She seems happy, and that’s all that matters to me,’ Adam admitted.
The brothers meet, and Edward learns that Adam has an old girlfriend he wants to marry. He volunteered to look after their mother in a neighbouring house while Adam worked on his personal relationship.
Edward renovated Adam’s house, and after the renovations, it looked like new. Adam began working on his personal life while Edward and his family looked after Annie in the neighbouring house. Every evening the family got together for a good meal and conversation.
What can we learn from this story?
- The people who were meant to be in your life will always find their way to you. Adam didn’t know that Edward was flying back to Chicago that day. Their chance meeting brought Edward back into the company of his mother and brother, whom he hadn’t seen in years.
- It was never too late to start over. Adam was angry at his brother Edward for abandoning him, but for his mother’s sake they were able to put their differences aside. They ended up repairing their relationship with each other, becoming a stronger and happier family.
Share this story with your loved ones. Perhaps it will inspire them and make their day better.