Mrs. Halls evicted her daughters from the house on a wintry evening, despite their continuous pleadings. But the old woman wasn’t entirely to blame for what happened that fateful day.
Mrs. Halls’ fate had never been kind to her. The woman had lost her parents in a car accident when she was young, and her beloved husband had passed away just after she gave birth to their second daughter Kathy.
Since Mrs. Halls wasn’t really well-educated, she worked a small job and had rented a tiny house where she lived with her 5-year-old daughter Isabel and her newborn daughter Kathy. She worked hard to provide for the three of them and spent her free time with kids. She believed that no matter how busy you are, you should always make time for your children.
However, when her girls grew older, fate chose to put her to the test once more.
Mrs. Halls received little recognition from her daughters despite being a diligent and caring mother her entire life. She didn’t give up hope, though, expecting that they’d acquire a job after they graduated from university and start helping her. But unfortunately, things happened a little differently.
Mrs. Halls arrived home one day after another rough shift and discovered an unknown young man. Her eldest daughter, blushing, introduced her spouse.
Isabel brought Jack and told her from the doorway that they would reside in her house until they could rent their own. And, of course, the newlyweds did not even think about their living space. Isabel and Jack’s firstborn settled with Mrs. Halls and Kathy in the tiny house.
Mrs. Halls, to put it mildly, “went nuts” from this but could not object to anything. She put her trust in her daughter’s sanity again. But because the house was small, quarrels arose over time.
At first, the daughters lived in one room, and Mrs. Halls in another. Then the younger daughter Kathy moved to her mother’s room, while her eldest daughter’s young family stayed in the other room.
Mrs. Halls had reached the age of 60. She was tired of caring for the entire family and adjusting, but she didn’t object to anything out of respect for her daughters’ sentiments. After all, a mother will go through everything and make any sacrifice for their children. Mrs. Halls was certainly no exception.
But one day, Mrs. Halls gave up. She couldn’t bear being taken for granted any longer and morphed from a sweet mom who had done everything for her daughters to a woman who kicked her daughters out.
It was a snowy evening. Mrs. Halls had just arrived home from work and was sitting near the fireplace warming herself when suddenly, she heard the doorbell. When she opened the door, she saw Kathy with a guy.
“Why are you home so late, Kathy? And who is this young man?” Mrs. Halls inquired, baffled.
Kathy’s cheeks flushed. “Well, his name is Adam, mom. He’s my boyfriend.”
“You didn’t tell me he was coming over, Kathy,” Mrs. Halls answered, disguising her annoyance at her daughters’ habit of bringing their lovers home.
“Oh, no, Mrs. Halls, it’s completely fine,” Adam intervened. “Can we come inside, though?”
Mrs. Halls hesitantly nodded and brought them in. She offered Adam a seat in front of the fireplace and placed a tea kettle on the stove.
As she finished making tea, she arranged three cups on the front table and handed one to Adam. “So what do you do for a living, Adam?” she inquired, taking a sip from her cup.
“Well, I’m still looking for a job, Mrs. Halls. However, I expect that I will be able to settle soon,” Adam responded.
“Wonderful. So, do you still live with your parents?”
“Well…” Adam began speaking, but Kathy cut him off. “Mom, Adam, and I are planning on moving in together. His dad is pretty strict, and he has told Adam we can’t get married until he’s found a job! And…”
“And?” Mrs. Halls gave Kathy a puzzled look.
“Adam and I are expecting a child, mom. I’m pregnant.”
Mrs. Halls was taken aback. “A child?! You people aren’t in good financial shape, and you don’t have a place to stay either. How do you plan on even raising that child?”
“That’s what I was saying … we were thinking of moving in here,” Kathy said quietly.
“What? No way, Kathy,” Mrs. Halls stated emphatically. “We don’t have enough space. Isabel and her husband have already been staying here for about two years, and neither has been able to find work. I’m still supporting them, and I don’t think I can do it again.”
“But mom, if Isabel can stay here with her family, why can’t I? Adam and I will surely get a job. You can make adjustments in the living room or possibly in the kitchen as far as space is concerned. Adam and I will adjust in your room.”
Mrs. Halls silently placed her cup on the table and smiled at her. “You’re correct, honey. We need to make some adjustments.”
“Oh, really? Can we stay?” Kathy was ecstatic.
“No, honey, you are correct in that I should not have permitted Isabel to stay here!” Mrs. Halls yelled at the top of her lungs. “All of you come here, fast!” Isabel and her husband hurriedly exited their room. “You guys need to get out of here right now! Pack your belongings and find your accommodations!”
Everyone was stunned. “But mom, where do we go now? It’s snowing outside, and we don’t have money or any other place to stay. Plus, I have a baby, and Kathy is pregnant,” Isabel expressed her displeasure.
“Well, that’s your headache, honey. I sacrificed everything for you guys, including my comfort. But what did you do? You guys took me for granted. Today, my younger daughter demanded that I sleep in the kitchen so that her boyfriend could be comfortable. Are you serious? You guys don’t respect your mother at all?”
Suddenly, silence engulfed the entire room.
“Staying silent isn’t going to help you! You guys only have one hour. Get moving!” Mrs. Halls spoke up once more.
Isabel and Kathy tried everything they could to convince their mother not to kick them out of the home. But Mrs. Halls was adamant, and that evening, Isabel and Kathy had to leave. However, 10 years later, fate brought them back to their mother’s house.
One afternoon, the daughters visited Mrs. Halls and were crying inconsolably. They said that once they started living on their own and raising their children, they realized how many sacrifices one must make. They stated that it was difficult for them to adjust to their children’s requirements while handling their bills and everything else.
“Sorry, Mom, we had no idea how much you were giving up for us. We understand how tough it must have been for you,” Isabel said. “Yes, mom. Please forgive us. In fact, please move in with one of us. We’re sorry we didn’t contact you even once in 10 years,” Kathy elaborated.
Mrs. Halls’ eyes welled up and she hugged them. “Ah, my girls have finally grown up! By the way, when shall we all meet for a family dinner at my home? And don’t worry, we have enough space for all of us!”
All three of them began laughing, and from that day that on, Mrs. Halls’ grandchildren visited her often. They were back to being a happy family.
