A young boy was inside his neighbor’s house after surprising her when he noticed a familiar photo on the shelf. Is that your mother, he wondered as he handed the picture to the elderly lady. Every year on Christmas Eve, Mark would walk down the street outside his house to see how his neighbors had decorated their homes. He enjoyed looking at the lights and the lovely decorations, but one house stood out because it had no Christmas lights and the front yard was always empty.
Because she never spoke to anyone, the teenager didn’t know much about the homeowner. That house on that corner of the street belonged to an elderly lady who rarely interacted with her neighbors or accepted invitations from others. She preferred to remain indoors, but Mark tried to assist her in any way he could. Mark noticed the old lady’s house wasn’t decorated this year while walking down the street before Christmas. Why don’t her neighbors assist her in putting up lights or purchasing a Christmas tree? Mark was perplexed.
As he walked home, he felt compelled to do something nice for the elderly lady in the spirit of the festival. “I think I know what to do!” he exclaimed as he walked into his house. Every Saturday, the woman left her house to go grocery shopping at a nearby supermarket. Mark reasoned that it would be the ideal time to decorate her home and surprise her. Before reaching the old lady’s house, the teenager grabbed a ladder from his house and a few garlands, as per his plan.
He quickly decorated her front door and yard, hoping she would be happy when she returned home. The woman arrived home shortly after Mark finished decorating her home. “Take a look, Mark,” she said. “Your mother never told you something.” “Oh my God!” she exclaimed as she gazed at the lovely decorations. She then turned around and noticed Mark standing in a corner.
“Did you make any decorations for my house, young man?” She smiled at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It’s fantastic! Thank you incredibly much!” Mark was overjoyed when he noticed tears in the elderly woman’s eyes. He was overjoyed because his small efforts had brightened the woman’s day. “I’m glad you like it,” he said as he turned to go home. “Wait!” exclaimed the woman. “How do I address you?”
“My name is Mark,” he said. “That’s your next-door neighbor.” “Nice to meet you, Mark,” she said with a smile. “Hello, my name is Martha.” “I rarely see you leave your house, Martha,” Mark observed. “However, I’m glad we met today!” “I’m glad, too,” she said, nodding. “Why don’t you come in and join me for a cup of tea? I went to the store and bought a fresh cake. We can do it as a group!”
Mark agreed to have tea with her because he didn’t want to offend the elderly lady. “Sure, I’ll join you,” he said, helping her carry the groceries inside. “You have a lovely home, Martha!” he exclaimed, his hands in his pockets. “I must say, you have a natural talent for interior design.” “Oh, yes,” Martha laughed. “This old lady enjoys decorating her home.” Mark sat in the living room with Martha after she had served tea and cake. “This tea is delicious!” he exclaimed. “Would you mind sharing your secret recipe?”
“You’re such a lady!” Martha burst out laughing. “I don’t have a well-kept secret recipe. Simply pour hot water over two teabags. It’s easy!” Mark stood up after finishing one slice of cake and took a photo frame from a shelf across the room. This photo looks so familiar to him, he thought. Then he noticed the other photo frames and remembered where he had seen those photos before. “Hello, Martha. I believe I’ve seen these photos before “He looked at her with squinted eyes.
“Really?” she inquired. “Yes. I’m not sure if this is clear, but the little girl in these photos is my mother “He said this while showing the elderly woman the photos. After a few moments of silence, Martha revealed one of her most important secrets. “Take a look, Mark,” she said. “Your mother never told you something.” “Who is my mother?” Mark gave her a perplexed look. “How did you meet her?”
“Well, she’s my daughter, Mark,” Martha said with a smile. “My name is Grandma.” “What?” Mark stared at her, his eyes wide open. Martha then sat her grandson down and told him everything that had happened in the past. “When your mother was a child, she fell in love with your father, and I was opposed to their relationship,” she admitted. “I was against her marrying your father.” Martha revealed that her daughter became pregnant against her wishes. Martha was enraged when she found out she was pregnant.
“I asked her to have her baby aborted. I didn’t want her to have children with that man “Martha stated. Mark confronted his parents later that night, telling them he had met Martha that afternoon. “She then moved next door to your father and refused to speak to me,” Martha continued. “She married him and never let me near you again, Mark. She expelled me from her life.” Mark was surprised to learn that his grandmother lived next door to him. He had always assumed that his grandmother had died.
He had no idea his mother had deceived him. “I’m sorry I went against her wishes, Mark,” Martha said, shaking her head. “I should have given in to her wish to marry your father.” “How come you didn’t tell me you were my grandmother?” Mark inquired, perplexed. “I passed by your house frequently and greeted you, but you never told me anything.” “Your mother made me swear I’d never approach you, Mark,” Martha explained. “After your mother abandoned me, I never dared to leave my house and mingle with the neighbors.
I reasoned that it was better to be alone.” “I can’t believe my mother treated you like this!” Mark stated. “I had no idea she could be so cruel to her own mother.” Mark confronted his parents later that night, telling them he had met Martha that afternoon. “Mom, she’s deeply sorry for what happened back then. She regrets opposing you “He stated.
“Mark, you need to stay out of this!” yelled his mother. “It’s up to her and me.”
“However, mom…” “I’m not interested in hearing anything!” Mark told her mother about his grandmother again the next day, hoping she would listen to him calmly this time. “Look, Mom. I don’t mean to offend you, but your mother is in desperate need of you “He stated. “I believe you should pardon her.” Mark then told his mother that Martha still had photos of herself and that she missed her. He tried everything he could to persuade his mother, and he eventually succeeded.
Mark took his mother to Martha’s house on Christmas Eve. “Is anyone there?” After hearing a knock on her door, Martha inquired. She didn’t usually have visitors at this time of year, so she thought it was unusual. She couldn’t stop crying when she opened the door and saw her daughter standing there. “I had a feeling Mark would bring you here!” Martha sobbed as she hugged her daughter.
The elderly lady welcomed her daughter and grandson inside and took care of everything. “I’ll never let you go, Mom,” Martha’s daughter declared. “I apologize for everything that has happened in the past.” After that, Martha saw her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson every day and frequently invited them to dinner. She was relieved that, after years of estrangement, her daughter had finally forgiven her.