Justin, 27, is convinced he was orphaned after his mother died many years ago. But everything changes one day when he discovers letters from his father that he had no idea existed and visits the address on the envelope. Every weekend, Justin, 27, brought his two children, Daisy, six, and Robin, four, to his grandmother Flora’s house. Flora was Justin’s only companion throughout his childhood. And as he grew older, he couldn’t thank fate enough for providing him with a loving grandmother after his mother died during childbirth.
Every weekend, they’d have a great time barbecuing in their backyard or simply relaxing with endless games of Ludo. Justin decided to help his grandmother clean her house before Christmas one such weekend. He came to her with all of the cleaning supplies and began with the attic. He’d been with her long enough to notice how disorganized her attic was. He hauled down all the unwanted items that had accumulated on the shelves above.
When Justin lifted a carton, its contents spilled, and a smaller box containing letters and old photos landed on the floor, attracting his attention. Justin grew up in that house until he moved out with his wife Emma, and he knew everything Flora had in every nook and cranny of her home, except for what was in that strange box. What exactly are these letters and images? How had I missed them all these years?
Justin was perplexed. As he looked through the photos, he noticed that the majority of them showed his late mother hugging a stranger… Who is Charlie, and why does he look so much like me? After seeing the sender’s name on all of the letters addressed to his mother, Justin pondered. He couldn’t think of anyone with that name. Justin was curious, so he took the letters and photos to Flora to find out.
“Who is this man in these pictures, Grandma, and why is mom hugging him?” he inquired. Flora’s stomach churned with anxiety and nervousness as she realized it was time to tell her grandson the truth. “Sweetie, I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but I thought it wasn’t the right time,” she began, as Justin listened intently. “Do you remember how you used to always inquire about your father? And remember how I said he was dead? But the truth is, I wasn’t sure if he was still alive… I deceived you.”
“My dad? Is the man in the picture with my mother my father?” “What happened to my father after that, Grandma?” “He went missing, Sweetie. I couldn’t tell him my daughter was expecting his child. I had no idea what had happened to him, and I assumed he was dead when he didn’t respond to my letter.” Surprised by the revelation, Justin took the letters and photos to conduct further research.
A strange feeling struck him deep within, telling him to go to the city where his father allegedly met his mother and find out if he had any paternal relatives. But Justin had no idea what he would find there. This is the location, but why is it deserted? Justin wondered as he approached the address on the envelope. He knocked on the door but received no response. “Hello, my name is Justin. This is my first time here. Do you happen to know who lives in this house?” He inquired of his neighbors.
“Oh, and an elderly man named Charlie lives alone here. He is in a wheelchair and I believe he works in a local antique shop. Why don’t you go check it out?” Justin was surprised when the neighbor’s name matched the one on the envelope. Several emotions flashed across his face as he thanked the man and dashed to the antique shop. He noticed an older man behind the counter arranging brassware on the shelf. “Charlie?” he asked, his heart pounding faster. When the man turned around, he couldn’t place Justin.
“Hello, my name is… Justin. Wyoming native. I’ve come here to—” Justin remained silent. “Yes, how may I assist you?” Charlie replied. “No, I’m here to meet you.” “Do I recognize you, young man?” Justin then took out the old letters and pictures and showed them to Charlie, who became pale and started crying like a child. “How’d you get them?” “My son??” “My mother Aubrey died shortly after giving birth to me.”
Charlie couldn’t keep his tears from falling. He had been wounded in the war and had lost his ability to walk, it turned out. He went through a lengthy rehabilitation process, and when he returned home, he discovered a letter in his mailbox informing him of his girlfriend’s death. Flora delivered the package but made no mention of Aubrey’s pregnancy or her newborn child.
Following their reconciliation, Justin took Charlie home to seek more answers from his grandmother and eventually put the puzzle pieces together, bringing everyone to tears. Two days later, he was at his grandmother’s house… Emma and Flora were preparing the grill when they noticed Justin pushing an elderly man in a wheelchair onto the lawn. “I’m glad you’re back, darling. Your children adored you!” Flora exclaimed, unable to identify Charlie.
After a closer look, she burst into tears and fell to her knees, pleading with Justin and Charlie for forgiveness. “Grandma, I discovered my father in the city, in his home. Why didn’t you mention me to him?” “Sweetie, I informed him that your mother had died. I expected him to pay me a visit. I wanted to tell him about you face to face. But he never showed up, and I assumed he had vanished. His sudden disappearance led me to believe he was killed in the war.”
Charlie chimed in and made another confession at this point. “Your grandmother is correct, son. I discovered her final letter months after I had returned home from rehab. I was devastated by my girlfriend’s untimely death and couldn’t bring myself to visit your grandmother. I thought my life had come to an end, and to make matters worse, I’d lost my ability to walk in the war.”
“It’s all right, Dad. We can’t go back in time and change things. However, we can always strive for a better future. I’m glad we’re finally together. Let us forget about the past and live only for the future.” Justin and Charlie sobbed together. While the old father, who thought he was alone, discovered his son, Justin discovered a loving father and grandfather for his children.