I had always been suspicious of the boy who frequently collected leftovers from my restaurant. There was something about him that didn't quite add up. So, one day, I decided to follow him, and what I found was beyond anything I could have imagined.
"You got lucky, kid. We have plenty of leftovers today, and you can take all of it home," Steve, the head chef at my restaurant, told Christopher. Steve often saved leftovers for Christopher, a boy who came by for food.
"Oh really? Is it actually so much food? Do I have enough to share with my friends?" Christopher's eyes sparkled with hope.
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"Yes, Chris," Steve replied, his smile wide. "Just wait here; I'll get the packets for you."
Watching Christopher's joy as he received the food packets was heartwarming. He thanked Steve, his grin wide, and waved goodbye as he walked away, a happy bounce in his step.
Until then, I hadn't realized this was a common occurrence at my restaurant. But something about Christopher made me think there was more to his story than just needing food. "He doesn't look homeless," I mused, watching him disappear into the evening. "I should find out what's really going on with him."
I waited for him to return, and on the third day, I greeted him myself. "Hi, there. Are you here for the leftovers?" I asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible.
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"Yes!" Chris's reply was cheerful. "Can you please call the cook? He must have kept those packets for me."
I smiled warmly. "Well, there’s no need for that. I've prepared some fresh food for you so that you don’t have to eat leftovers. By the way, what’s your name?"
His gratitude was evident. "Oh, that’s really sweet of you, thank you," he said. "My name is Christopher, but you may call me Chris."
Curiosity got the better of me. "So, why don’t you eat at home, Chris? Is your mom sick?"
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The change in Christopher's expression was immediate. "Well, actually … I live at an orphanage, and they don’t feed me well. Every time I come here, your employees help me. I’m grateful to you for that. Anyway, I’ll leave now," he said, quickly changing the subject and hurrying away.
I had a sneaking suspicion that Chris wasn't being that honest with me. So, I decided to follow him that day. Instead of an orphanage, he went to a house, left the bag of food on the porch, and ran off. An older woman soon came out, looked around puzzled, took the bag, and went back inside.
I was about to confront her, to ask who she was and her connection to Christopher, when an urgent call from the restaurant forced me to leave.
The next day, when Chris returned, I was there waiting. "There’s something you need to explain to me, Chris. I know you've been taking the food for somebody else. Be honest, who is she?"
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Chris admitted the truth immediately. "I’m sorry, I lied to you. But I've been taking food for my granny. She’s the only family I have now."
Shocked, I asked, "Then why do you stay in an orphanage?"
His frown deepened. "When my parents passed away, my grandmother didn’t get custody because she wasn’t financially stable. She can’t even afford food, so every day, I collect food from here and drop it off at her house."
Moved by Chris's dedication to his grandmother and dismayed by their situation, I decided to help. I visited his grandmother, Edith, and explained everything. She was overwhelmed, hardly believing her grandson had been helping her in secret.
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“Is it really my grandson?” Edith almost broke into tears. “I miss him terribly! I’m so sorry I couldn’t be of assistance to him.”
I reassured her, "Don’t worry, ma’am. There’s a way I can help you and your grandson."
I went to the orphanage with her to apply for Chris's custody. Thankfully, the process was swift since they knew the family had a benefactor – me – and Chris could finally go back to living with his grandmother.
“I don’t know how to repay you for what you've done, Alice," Edith thanked me, tears streaming down her face.
I told her, "There’s no need to thank me, ma’am. I was more than happy to help. Since I lost both of my parents when I was young, I understand the value of being surrounded by loved ones."
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Edith took my hands in hers, offering me a place in their family, which touched me deeply.
“That’s sweet of you, ma’am," I responded, feeling a surge of emotions. "I would love to do that. I already like Chris a lot. He’s a nice boy."
As we talked about Chris's future, I offered to help in a way Edith hadn't expected.
“I know it might be a bit too much to ask for, but ever since I lost my parents, I have had no one to look after me,” I confessed. “So, I'm looking for someone who will love me like a mother. I'm hoping you'll accept the position. As far as Chris’ education is concerned, it’s my responsibility because I’m his guardian.”
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Edith's embrace was warm and accepting. "Of course, honey," she said, tears in her eyes again. "I'll never be able to repay your generosity. You literally appeared in our lives like an angel."
“You don’t need to thank me,” I assured her. “I have a family now because of you, and I think that’s the greatest wealth I can ever have.”
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