Lisa finds a weird SMS on her husband’s phone. When she invites the sender over in the hopes of learning more, she ends herself learning far more than she expected.So, my husband, David, asked me to answer his mother’s phone call while he was in the shower. We always answered each other’s phones; it was routine. After notifying David’s mother that we would pick her up for her weekend visit the next morning, I hung up.

But suddenly a telegram appeared that turned my world upside down. Please do not inform Lisa yet. We’ll do this together. At that point, I was convinced David was cheating on me. I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the water and David hum in the shower.My mind went to a dark place. David and I had been dating since high school, so he was all I knew. And I was all he knew.

However, the notion of him being with someone else scared and enraged me.That night, after David had showered, we retreated into the living room to watch a movie. But I couldn’t concentrate on the gunshots from David’s chosen action movie. “Honey, I’m going to bed,” I informed him. “You can finish the movie, though, before coming up.”

Then I did something I never imagined I would do. I looked through David’s phone. It was right there beside his bedside. There were no love notes, secret meeting arrangements, or hidden images, but they were talking about me. About where I worked and what I liked doing for leisure. And on it went. Without thinking, I responded.

Come over to my place tomorrow at 2 p.m. Lisa will be at work.The following day, as I sat in front of my laptop, trying to work, I couldn’t escape the feeling that my life was about to change. At 2 p.m., the doorbell rings throughout my house, causing my heart rate to race. I opened the door and saw a woman whose face seemed so familiar — but I couldn’t identify her.Her eyes widened when she noticed me.

“Are you Lisa?” she inquired. “I’m Gloria.” Panic set in. I didn’t understand why I was so shaken. Even if David was cheating on me with this older woman, I should be indignant, not scared because she appeared on our doorstep.I held the door open for her and let her in. “I’m your mother, Lisa,” she added.
The room trembled as I tried to absorb the gravity of Gloria’s comments.

I knew I was adopted because my parents informed me so early on. They even showed me a photo of my biological mother when I was quite small.”Tell me everything,” I murmured, stepping towards the kitchen. “You were born out of love, Lisa,” Gloria explained. “But circumstances prompted me to place you for adoption. Your father and I were barely fifteen.

We were children about to have a baby. My father refused to allow me to have you. He was concerned about how it might reflect on him.Gloria paused. “My mother tried to let me keep you, but he eventually took you away in the middle of the night. He transported you to the hospital and left you there. “You must have been four days old.”

I worked silently in the kitchen, making hot chocolate as she spoke. I’d always wanted to know my story, but all I knew was that I was abandoned at a hospital with a photo tucked into my blanket. The words Gloria Manson, 1987 were inscribed on the back.We were about midway through our hot chocolate and toast, which is my comfort food, when David stepped in.

“Oh, honey,” he replied, gazing at me. “I did not know how to tell you, Lisa. Gloria called me months ago, and I’ve been helping her reconnect with you.””David has wanted to tell you about me for a time. “I kept telling him not to,” Gloria said. “I needed to find my bearings first. Until last night, he wanted to tell you.

That explains the text. “Why did you both wait so long?” I inquired. I felt betrayed. David had known for several months. I know he wanted to protect me, but there were some things that needed to be told right away. “I was afraid, Lisa,” Gloria said. “How do you tell your child that you were barely a teenager when you had her and that her grandfather took her away?”

I sat back and tried to figure out how I felt. “There was a photograph of you,” I explained. “It was left to me. My mother showed it to me on my sixteenth birthday, but I had no idea what to do about it.”I’ve been watching you from a distance,” Gloria remarked. “My father recently gave me a few details about you, and through the hospital, I discovered who you were.”

Gloria’s words made it clear that she wanted to be a part of my life. “I understand if you’re angry or confused,” she told me. “But I needed you to understand the truth. I’m available if you want to get to know me.” At that instant, all of my rage vanished. Sure, I felt tricked, but I had always wanted to connect with my birth mother.

And there it was, an opportunity waiting for me to seize it. It has been a year since Gloria joined our family. I discovered that my biological father resides in South Korea with his family and has no interest in Gloria or me — which is fine with me.I’m just thankful that my parents have let Gloria get to know all of us. And what about David? I couldn’t be happier to be married to a man who is always willing to protect me.